Linger [Book Review]

Michelle

Note: This review assumes you’ve read Shiver, the first book in the trilogy. Other than that, it is spoiler-free.

Title: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
ISBN: 0545123283
Length: 368 pages
Year: 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5/5

Plot Summary:

Linger begins shortly after where Shiver leaves off. Sam is human. Him and Grace have their entire future together. Sam must take on Beck’s role and welcome the new wolves back as spring comes.  Enter Cole, one of the new wolves with a less than pristine past and no desire to make this easy on Sam. Add a mysterious illness to the mix and Sam and Grace find their lives once again not really in their control.

My Thoughts:

When I put down Shiver this summer, I eagerly awaited my copy of Linger to come in at the library. Shiver left me wanting more. By the time I finally got my hands on a copy of Linger and the chance to read it, a few months had passed and my eagerness had subsided.  Had I anxiously devoured Linger right after I finished Shiver, I think I may have enjoyed it more.

I liked Linger. I really did. But it didn’t grab my like Shiver did. It seemed to start off very slowly and I’m pretty sure I was 150 pages in before the I felt the story really started moving. And I’m not sure if my feeling that way is a direct result of the book or a result of my start and stop distracted reading this week. But whatever caused it, that’s what I felt.

I enjoyed the addition of Cole as a character. I liked that we got more Isabel (although I could do without the 700 references to her eye makeup). I think the way those two characters developed was great. And although I love Sam and Grace and I love Sam and Grace together, I’m glad that there was more than just them.

The writing is beautiful, just as it was in Shiver. I just wish the pacing and plot had been there, too.

I’m intrigued by the way Linger ended. It was much different than Shiver and I’m interested to see how it develops in the final book.  I wish I didn’t have to wait for July to see how this trilogy concludes.

PS: Did I completely miss that the text in Shiver was blue? Really?

Buy It Now: IndieBound; Powell’s; Book Depository; Amazon

Other Reviews:

<a href=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545123283?ie=UTF8&tag=mybooksmylife-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545123283″>Linger</a><img src=”http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mybooksmylife-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0545123283&#8243; width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” />

4 thoughts on “Linger [Book Review]”

  1. Melissa November 1, 2010 / 9:09 am

    I felt that same about Linger. Shiver was great, but Linger never hooked me in the same way. I am looking forward to the final book though.

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  2. Jen November 1, 2010 / 7:57 pm

    I also felt the same way, like something was missing from Linger but I couldn’t put my finger on it…my favorite scenes were surprisingly the interaction between Sam and Isabel when they were alone…their interactions were awkward and funny but realistic…

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  3. Jen - Devourer of Books November 3, 2010 / 10:34 pm

    Huh, I was totally the opposite, I thought that Linger was much tighter and all around better than Shiver. Chacun a son gout, non?

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  4. Michelle November 6, 2010 / 5:25 pm

    I’m with Jen, I enjoyed Linger more and that’s saying a lot since I really loved Shiver. The addition of Cole and Isabel’s story gave this book a little relief from the angsty relationship of Sam and Grace. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it as well as the first 😦

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