Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

the cold

Grace has spent years watching the
wolves in the woods behind her house.
One yellow-eyed wolf-her wolf-
watches back. He feels deeply familiar
to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat
Same has lived two lives. As a wolf,
he keeps the silent company of the girl he
loves. And then, for a short time each
year, he is human, never daring to
talk to Grace...until now

the shiver
For Grace and Sam, love has always
been kept at a distance. But once it's
spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam
must fight to stay human-and Grace
must fight to keep him-even if it
means taking on the scars of the past,
the fragility of the present, and the
impossibility of the future.

Wow. This is poetic prose at it's best. The language was musical and poignant. A smart read-there were so many references to poetry, music, art, and mythology that just blew me away. All woven into a beautiful tale of impossible love. I am flabbergasted at how exquisite this novel is. If I could, I would display this novel for all to admire like fine art. However, I know I will read it again and again.

Grace and Sam are in love. The kind of in love everyone wants. Magical, new, and true. I liked that it was written in alternating points of view. Both voices were strong yet each very different from one another. One thing they did share, however, was beautiful language. All the characters were superbly developed and each one found a small place in my heart. The plot was woven, it seemed, effortlessly-it never felt rushed or forced. The plot twists and turns came naturally and surprisingly. I loved every bit of this novel.

Even the title kept reappearing in the novel. I'm not sure what the author actually meant but I took it as a metaphor for love. How difficult is it for the rest of us to find original metaphors for being in love? And this gem appears making it seem like love is the most natural and versatile language of all. I'm envious of the author.

I can't recommend this novel enough. If you are a sucker for love stories, this is for you. If you like poetry, this is for you. If you like fantasy, this is for you. And for all others who just love a well-written story that will take you to another time and place, this is definitely for you. I can't say enough good things about this novel, so I won't-I challenge you to find your own words for Shiver by going out and reading it...now!

Rating: 5.0

Go out and read it!