Feb
24 2010
February’s Book Club selection was Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. We were looking for a romantic selection for February (for obvious reasons) and we certainly found a love story with Shiver!
We were lucky once again to have a batch of discussion questions already prepared – and by the author herself no less! Of course we always like to mix thing sup a little, so we’ve added a few of our own questions and cut some of the ones from Maggie’s site. As always, we encourage veering off topic, so please feel free to bring up anything you would like to discuss about the book.
Here are the discussion questions for Shiver:
- Did you enjoy Shiver? Are you looking forward to reading Linger? What was your favorite part of the story? Your favorite character? What did you dislike (if anything) about the book?
- How did you feel about the narrative style of switching back and forth between Grace and Sam’s point of view?
- Maggie Stiefvater has a new take on the werewolf genre. How did you like this updated version compared to more traditional variations (ie silver bullets & full moons)?
- Sam regards becoming a wolf as the worst possible outcome, while Beck seems to be more pragmatic about it and Olivia seems to even embrace it. Why do you think they feel differently? How would you feel?
- Beck changed three teens into werewolves to continue the care of the pack after he and Sam became wolves for good. Sam is horrified by his decision; Grace slightly less so, especially once she finds out that he had their consent. Do you think Beck was justified in taking such drastic steps to ensure caretakers for the wolves? What other options did he have?
- There are many different kinds of love in SHIVER: that between Grace and Sam, Grace and her friends, Isabel and her brother, Beck and Sam, Beck and Ulrik. What do you think draws each of these groups together? Do you think Grace and Sam’s love is healthy or not? Where do you draw the line with obsession? How long does it take to fall in love?
- Consent is an important theme in SHIVER: whether an event or person is viewed positively or negatively in the book is often framed by whether or not they act on other people’s wishes or in spite of them. Sam and Olivia were changed into werewolves against their will. The teens that Beck bit were changed with their consent. Discuss other instances of choices given and choices taken away.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
*Stay tuned later in the week for our Shiver Giveaway!
3. I did like this new take on the werewolf genre! It’s always refreshing to find an original take on something that’s been around for so long. The whole silver bullet thing never really made a lot of sense to me… if a bullet can still rip through the skin, then it should still hurt.
And I really like the idea of temperature as the catalyst for the change – it adds another dynamic to the werewolf as they have to survive completely immersed in both worlds, rather than just live as humans who hide their wolf side from the public.
I know a lot of people who really dislike that writers are “changing the rules” for vampires and werewolves. I like it. These writers are creating their own characters and worlds so why should they be restricted to a world with rules another author created?
I agree Jody, I like the temperature shifting dynamic. It kept me on the edge seat (or page).
1. I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t realize that it was intended to be a series until I finished it. Now I’m excited to read the next one. I really like how the story was told by both Sam and Grace. It was equally split between them and I feel like I really go to know both of them.
2. I’m a fan of the split-narrator storytelling as well. I think being able to see both Sam and Grace’s p.o.v. gives this story a lot more depth. Grace would come off as slightly crazy if we didn’t know (from reading from Sam’s pov) that her obsession/relationship with Sam was real, rather than just something she’d dreamed up. Olivia’s early reactions to Grace’s wolf-talk further support this theory.
4. If I was made into a werewolf against my wishes (which it would have to be since I don’t want to be a wolf) I think I would react as Sam did. I would hate that my future had been decided for me and it was not what I would have chosen for myself. I like how Olivia was optimistic about it. I guess she shows that you can be happy even if life doesn’t turn out as you expect (and really when does it?). I’m excited to see how her storyline plays out.
I wouldn’t want to be turned into a werewolf either Jenn. Especially not one that was governed by the temperature! (Although I wouldn’t mind a permanent fur coat for winter!) It would be very hard to live any sort of a normal life if you had to be ‘away’ for half the year.
I guess you’re right about Olivia having the right attitude though – we have to deal with what we’re dealt.
I’m surprised this is going to be a series, since it seemed to wrap up so well at the end. I’m curious where they’re going to go from here.
I did enjoy the split narration. It’s a devise that isn’t used all that often and I feel like you get a better sense of the characters through the eyes of other people.
I think my favorite character was Olivia. I liked how she didn’t seem all that great of a contender to be a werewolf, personality-wise, but was such a natural in the end.
I agree with you about Olivia. It really seemed to fit.
I found a blurb on Linger on Maggie Stiefvater’s LJ:
In Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past… and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves… and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.
That might be interesting. I like the idea of Isabel having a more substantial role. Though I find myself wishing they’d show a little more of the pack, their life and pack structure, almost like the Kelley Armstrong series especially since female wolves are more common in this series. It would be cool to see how Olivia integrates into this life and the repercussions of it all.
I just hope they don’t rehash the human in love with a werewolf storyline again with Isabel and Cole.
A few people on Goodreads have read advanced copies of Linger, and one of the comments there was that Linger is much more pack focused than Shiver was, so it looks like you might get your wish!
I am happy to hear more focus on the pack. When is LInger expected to come out?
I read this book especially for this discussion (I’ve had it around the middle of my pile for ages now). I expected to like it a lot (most readers have been extremely excited about it) and I was surprised to discover almost the exact opposite. Yup, I am one of the very few ones who found the book quite blech. As such, I won’t participate in the discussion after all as I would feel like a party breaker, everyone gushing on and on about how good the book was and then there would be grumpy me saying it was actually quite bad
If you wonder what’s the use of this comment then, well, I didn’t want you to think I forgot about it, after being so excited to participate a while ago.
Oh Kay. I’m so glad you came to comment!
First of all, it’s never wrong to have a differing opinion. These discussions would be very boring if we all thought the same thing.
And second, you are definitely not the only one! I’m not enjoying the book at all either. I’ve been holding off commenting because I’m struggling to finish it, and I was hoping to be done before offering my opinion. So please, feel free to share your thoughts.
I do really like the writing style, but saying nothing beautifully, is still saying nothing.
I agree. I liked the book, but I wasn’t overly impressed. The whole thing felt a little too Twilight-esque for me. I liked that they were a little more realistic in terms of Sam and Grace’s relationship, but Grace felt a little passive. I’m tired of those Bella-like woe-is-me characters. Maybe because I’m more drawn to dynamic characters, but she didn’t really seem engaging to me like Isabel or Olivia.
Also, the portrayal of her parents pissed me off. Her father left her in a hot car and she almost died!? That’s not selfish that’s neglect. I find a lot of YA books take the easy way out in dealing with parents.
I was really bothered with her parents too. The author really took the easy way out this time by just not having them around. It was a bit ridiculous.
I think I liked this book as escape reading. I didn’t have to put a lot of thought in it, which is nice sometimes.
I agree with everyone’s comments on the parents as well. It’s fine for a teen to have fend for themselves once in a while, but Grace is the only one who cooks meals in the house. And I had a hard time with her parents coming home late and leaving in the morning without even checking to see if she was in the house (or had someone in her bed!). So many examples of neglect.
I agree Erin. I found Grace to be a little too quick to forget everything else for her guy. There were definitely some shades of Bella in there. I’d like to see more strong independent female characters in the YA genre. Girls need a role model!
I really dislike how the boys in their are the only priority in their lives. I agree Jody a strong female role model would be great.
Exactly, I mean, she dropped her friends as soon as Sam came into her life. She practically dropped school as well. This was very Bella/”I’m going to jump off a cliff because my boyfriend left me” type behavior. I hate when characters lives revolve around their significant other. I feel like I need breathing room and I’m not even in the relationship! (and, of course, they’re fictional
)
5. To me the fact that Beck had the young people’s consent did improve things. I mean, changing people who want to change and know what to expect is a lot better than changing unsuspecting children (like he did when he changed Sam).
Also, I have thought for quite a bit and so far I haven’t found any alternative. Unless one thinks that, well, since all the wolves will remain wolves forever, no one will need the house ever again. I am not sure though if there aren’t any young ones among them, werewolves that have another few changes left. In which case yes, I think Beck was justified in what he did (horrible as it may sound).
Actually, Beck is one of my favorite characters in the book, both for the way he treated Sam as a child and for the fact that he always, no matter what, seemed to be on top of things. I would very much love to see him cured in a future book (or at least a few more human years added to his life), but I don’t think that will happen. Ah well.
Perhaps the werewolves need to have a human advocate. Someone who knows the secret (and can pass it down through generations), but is never changed so they will always have a human available to help them as wolves. I suppose this could become Sam’s role if he truly never changes again?
[...] correspond with our February Book Club discussion, we’re giving away one hardcover copy of Shiver by Maggie [...]