Forever
The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater
then. When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives. now. That should have been theend of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.
forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment- a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.
Forever is told, once again, from the first person perspectives of Grace, Sam, Isabel and Cole. Four voices so recognisable and distinct, that the chapter headings are redundant. Maggie’s prose is as poetic and beautiful as ever and her descriptive narrative quickly re-immerses you in her world.
The story resumes six weeks after the events of Linger. Sam and Grace still separated, are determined to reunite. My tension increased as time and again their attempts to be together were thwarted. The resulting pay off is tender and sweet. However the relief is short lived, and I read with a growing knot of apprehension as opposing forces mount against our couple’s happy ending.
While I’ll always have a place in my heart for Sam and Grace’s sweet, soul deep, maturing love story, it was the two other developing relationships that stole the show for me. The Isabel and Cole scenes simply sizzle with their palpable chemistry and I couldn’t wait for their chapters to come around again.
I loved the “bro-mance”. Sam and Cole, finally putting aside their preconceived impressions and developing a mutual respect and understanding of each other was a highlight for me. I particularly enjoyed the scene where they begin to communicate using music as an icebreaker.
The action sequence had my heart in my mouth, further evidence of Maggie’s ability to create intense tension, which usually requires release with tears!
In forever we witness our protagonists enter a phase of healing, accepting the need to change, and starting out on that journey. Much of this healing is centred on the child-parental relationships. These are huge steps for our characters but seemingly small steps for us as observers. I appreciated that the author stayed true to the characters by providing the promise of healing without jumping to the finish line and tying everything up in a tidy bow.
Let’s be honest, although we all love a happily ever after, when your much loved protagonists are teenagers do you really want their story to conclude aged eighteen, with everything settled, character development completed and the future decided? What I will say is that the ending is ultimately uplifting and hopeful.
Verdict:The Author herself sums up forever “It has happier moments than either of the two books . . . and SADDER MOMENTS than either of other two books”.
Reviewed by Caroline
