We all know that I couldn't resist the sequel and downloaded Linger before I ever even hit "Publish Post" to post my blog about Shiver. I guess the good news for me is that Richard Paul Evans' book was delayed and will not be out until May. So, I guess I made a good decision.
I just re-read by post about Shiver and while I still think it was spot-on, the pace of Linger is a bit more action packed, for those of you who don't want to be bored when you read. Honestly, I couldn't put it down and was a little bummed by my decision to buy an iPhone right after downloading this new book. Until Saturday, I had done ZERO reading. I have become hooked on Words with Friends and have been playing non-stop. It's hard to read when you hear a "ping" every five seconds. But, on my way to my inlaws (between rounds of Words with Friends), I read Linger for 4 hours. Then, I finished it on the way home yesterday. I am sure that as soon as I finish this blog post and the one after it (yes, I read another book yesterday and this morning), Forever will be downloaded to my Nook. I am dying to know how this story resolves itself.
I loved Linger every bit as much as I loved Shiver, perhaps even more. In Linger, the love between Sam and Grace continues, with an interesting twist, but we also get to meet some amazing new characters, who, instead of being bitten, have intentionally chosen the life of a werewolf . As a result, these characters have introduced some new themes and ideas to the series. Now, instead of lovers pulled apart by a life they didn't ask for--which clearly tugs on your heartstrings, we meet Victor and Cole, who are so upset by their different realities, that they willingly accept the life of a wolf and are hoping to shift and never return to their human form again (a variation of suicide). Their stories spill out over the course of the book and are heart wrenching. If you didn't feel sympathy for Sam and Grace, you will for Victor and Cole. Isabel and Rachel, who we met in Shiver, are back, but their characters are more heavily developed and I feel like after reading Linger, I know them much better. In addition to Cole and Victor's stories, the reality of Grace's relationship with her parents is explored in depth and it, too, is a heart wrenching story. The bottom line, I guess, is that all of the teens in this book are dealing with issues and relationships that most average teenagers deal with (except maybe Cole), but when you throw the werewolf issue in as well, this becomes no ordinary story. And is it ever a good one.
As with Shiver, Linger left me wondering if I had just read what I had just read. The story takes an unexpected twist right at the very end and I can't wait to see how Stiefvater irons this all out.
Happy Reading,
:) Dodie
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