Forever
By Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: YA Paranormal
Published 2011, Scholastic Press
Hardback, 386 pages
ISBN: 9780545259088
Synopsis:
In Stiefvater's "Shiver," Grace and Sam found each other. In "Linger," they fought to be together. Now, in "Forever," the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.While I have read many other reviews on this book saying that it was a disappointment and did not have the same appeal of the other two books in the trilogy, I actually really enjoyed this book, just for different reasons than I liked the first two. For me, Cole redeemed himself in this book. I previously found him to be obnoxious and spoiled and self-absorbed, but in this book, his unique perspective on the world made his insights both entertaining and valuable. His chemistry with Isabelle is still ever-present, but unfortunately takes a back seat to the drama of Grace and Sam. What he discovers about the wolf chemical is fascinating, and I wouldn't have minded being privy to a few more of his questionable experiments, despite how dangerous the results often were. Cole is also the only character I cried over in this book - twice.
My favorite scene is when Sam and Grace get to be wolves together. Their connection to each other is near-visible in its strength, and the chemistry they exhibited in the previous books in renewed in this bond. That alone is enough to make me wonder if Cole's cure is really necessary.
What I dislike is what happens with Isabelle. She does so much to help these wolves, but in the end she does not have much say over her own destiny, either. I suppose she can kind of relate to them, in her own way.
The events surround Beck, Sam's father figure, are bittersweet. What happens to him I found predictable, and a kind of literary justice. His contributions to the tale were played out, and all that was left was to answer for what he did to Sam as a boy. There could have been other ways, but this one was more of a catalyst for the justice of another. Still, I feel for Sam for his loss, even if don't share those emotions for Beck. I also can't help wondering if this entire tale could not have been so different if Shelby had never been turned.
While Stiefvater's open ending leaves much to the imagination, I don't mind it so much. In my head, all of the dreams and goals of the main characters are achieved, with a happy ending, as all books should be.
The Cover: This cover is of similar design to the previous two in the series, with the only differences of the coloring, and displaying a wolf and a boy, which can only represent Grace as a wolf and Sam as a human.
First Line: "I can be so, so quiet."
This opening thought by Shelby the wolf is foreboding, and I immediately have to wonder what her relevance in the plot is.
Favorite Quote: “People don't change who they are. They only change what they do with it.”
Read For: Finishing the Series Challenge, Young Adult Challenge
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