Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater 5 of 5 stars.

the longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being human.

the linger.

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, it is a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough? (Book blurb)

Grace clings to her humanity while the wolf inside her grows rapidly, enticing her to let go of everything and enjoy the release being a wolf can bring. Sam tries to learn how to believe in the cure that is keeping him human and with the girl he loves, while stepping into the shoes of his father figure taking care of the wolves who will be turning into humans soon. Cole avoids coping with his past preferring the emptiness and impulsiveness of being a wold, but as he comes to realize what humanity and animalism really are, the monster in the mirror comes into view.

Linger like Shiver is about humanity, love, loss, and history. The characters all must deal with equally horrible pasts as they try their best to come to terms with who they are. It is a bittersweet story that defies the lines of most modern supernatural novels. It does not glorify paranormal creatures, but rather taps into human and animal psychs in a way that shows off the cruelty of "reality".

It goes without saying the Maggie Stiefvater's character are "likeable" or "realistic", they literally jump out of the page and slap you in the face. Stiefvater isn't afraid to shine a spotlight on the cruelty and hardship in life, and her characters reflect that. My favorite character in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series are most certainly Isabel. Isabel's strength and attitude make me want to cheer for her.

Overall, I think anyone would love Linger. The writing is lush and vivid while the story is full of everything a story needs. No sugar-coating but no hopelessness either. Its beautiful, romantic, and will break your heart into a million pieces. I can honestly raise my hand and say that YES, I DID CRY while reading this. I bawled actually, and to be honest, it takes a lot in a book to do that anymore. Don't read this without a box of Kleenex nearby!

For fans of: Maggie Stiefvater

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