REVIEW: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: 13 July 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: First Edition; Hardcover, 360 pages

In Maggie Stiefvater's 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.

My Review:
In Shiver, I met Sam and Grace. I watched their relationship deepen into this beautiful love that seemed to know no bounds. I watched them part with more than a shattered heart to the point where I thought I would never recover. Even if Maggie Stiefvater broke my heart, she managed to patch it back together. Now in Linger, Stiefvater is ready to rip your heart out and stomp all over it. Happy endings don’t always stay happy endings. 



Maggie Stiefvater continued to wow me with her amazing way with words and the incredible nature in which she tells a story. She brought Grace and Sam’s world to a whole new level with the added twist of tragedy to these young lovers. Maggie continued to develop Sam and Grace's relationship in Linger, but throughout the whole book there is this underlying sense of doom for Sam and Grace that really sets the stage for book three. 



Maggie added a rockstar named Cole and a more in-depth character development for Isabel, who was first introduced in Shiver. These two added point of views made the story better than I could ever imagine. Maggie intertwines Cole and Isabel into Sam and Grace’s life. These four amazing characters end up together on such unusual circumstances, but they all work in this undeniable tandem that really helps each character grow individually. The way each of their own story is different makes the overall story much for intriguing. These four characters are so unalike they are still able to connect to each other despite it all. I absolutely loved how Maggie was able to give each character their own voice and personality, making them distinguishable and ultimately unforgettable.  



I love the air of unknown in Linger. The future for all four characters felt so grim and unsettling. The revelation about Grace is truly heart-breaking. To see her the way she was throughout the book made me want to reach out to her. It was especially painful to read through Sam’s perspective. I felt saddened by his in denial in the beginning, but his desperation at the end really made me ache for him. He had lost so much, I felt the events in Linger would shatter his soul.

I really loved Cole’s character and involvement in the story. He’s so different from Sam, but his inner demons made him an interesting character. Although he’s a little bit of an asshole at times, he still managed to make me love him completely. Somehow, despite his attitude, Cole is very likable. He’s mysterious, dark and quite brooding. He’s a perfect match to the slightly cynical Isabel. I was extremely glad Maggie added Isabel into Linger, giving her a more prominent role. I got a glimpse of Isabel in Shiver, but in Linger I actually got to know her. I started to understand Isabel. I was able to sympathize with her now that I got to know her inner thoughts and feelings. I found out why Isabel acted the way she did and it made me warm up to her more. 



Overall, Maggie was able to suck me into the story of Linger. I love the solemn feeling the book had. I enjoyed the character developments and the added twists of heart-break.  Although this one felt a little slower and predictable, it was still enjoyable, nonetheless. Grace fought for Sam in Shiver. This time, it’s Grace’s turn to fight for her own humanity and Sam’s turn to fight to keep her.

Just like Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater enchanted me with another beautiful story that I could never forget. 




My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars