Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater | Teen Ink

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater MAG

June 27, 2011
By Trilobite BRONZE, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
Trilobite BRONZE, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Genius is 1% imagination and 99% perspiration."~Thomas Edison
"Anyone who has a child today should train him to be either a physicist or a ballet dancer. Then he'll escape."~W. H. Auden


Goose bumps are lining my arms as I write, and it's not because of the weather outside. I just finished Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, a book that is on the right track, but may need minor adjustments to appeal to more people. Shiver's plot is focused on werewolves, a huge trend since Stephenie Meyer's hit series. The amount of mainstream content was almost enough to prevent me from reading it, but I persisted, given the five-star reviews the book has received.

Similar to books by Sarah Dessen, a mild teen romance drives this story, but I applaud Dessen for steering clear of the familiar Romeo and Juliet story line. Shiver is a redone version with werewolves as the stars. Still, Stiefvater's writing is a poetic masterpiece that captures every emotion of the characters. During the winter scenes, I literally had goose bumps. When a hot summer day was described, I was convinced that the sun had gotten closer to the Earth.

Fans of romantic fantasy will enjoy Shiver, but do not expect it to score a perfect ten in every category – just most.


The author's comments:
As part of the school newspaper, I was chosen to write book reviews. I figured that Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater was a great piece to write about - not too well known and something teens would be interested in reading.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 14 comments.


on Jun. 6 2013 at 2:13 am
sempiternal_obsession SILVER, Camden, Tennessee
8 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Imagining isn't perfect. You can't get all the way inside someone else...But imagining being someone else, or the world being something else, is the only way in. It is the machine that kills fascists.”
― John Green, Paper Towns

I read this book a few months ago (and am rereading it), and I have to agree with you. While the story line is very interesting, I'm glad that you pointed out that not every part was wonderful. I loved how in the magazine, there ironically was a picture of a wolf directly right of your article. :)

on Feb. 12 2012 at 8:49 am
GingerLily BRONZE, Aulnay-sur-Mauldre, Other
3 articles 6 photos 78 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world" - Oscar Wilde

A little unsure about reading the book. But your review was spot-on. I like how you described both the good and bad aspects of it, and how you felt about the book. Comparing the book with other authors was a really good thing, too. It shows you've really put some thought into your piece, and the book. I might just read it, too.

on Oct. 9 2011 at 5:58 pm
Love.Hate.Passion., Spring Valley, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 356 comments

Favorite Quote:
~Hope. Faith. Love~
~Be proud of who you are.You are all unique in a different way.~
~I WILL NOT fade into oblivion , and become less than
a distant memory.~

Great review!

I loved how you compared it to other teen authors' works and how you gave your own opinion of it , as well as not giving away too much of the plot. Awesome work!

5*'s


on Jul. 29 2011 at 1:26 am
wow-Lanvin it shoes

julian GOLD said...
on Jul. 18 2011 at 6:22 pm
julian GOLD, Eugene, Oregon
17 articles 17 photos 223 comments

Favorite Quote:
The goal is not about living forever, the goal is about creating something that can.

I like how you point out the strengths and flaws of the content. It shows that you can really critique in a professional manner. Great job, and 5-stars!

StaceyA BRONZE said...
on Jul. 12 2011 at 10:18 am
StaceyA BRONZE, Tottenham, Other
1 article 4 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."
— Sylvia Plath

Pretty good review -  I agree with some of the other comments about including some summary. My tip is to imagine you're writing for someone who has never read or even heard of the book and keep that in mind as you write so that you can include info from the book to justify your opinion. But overall good job. I especially liked your last sentence, it was clear and concise, a very good way to end a review :)

on Jul. 11 2011 at 1:35 pm
ninapaniena PLATINUM, Sammamish, Washington
20 articles 7 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
To be a good surgeon you have to think like a surgeon, emotions are messy, tuck them neatly away and step into a clean sterile room, where the procedure is simple, cut suture, and close. But sometimes your faced with a cut that won't heal, a cut that rips the stitches right open

This is a nice piece thats not too long. I love the length :) and the way you explain the book

 


on Jul. 11 2011 at 12:36 pm
creativewritingismything SILVER, Brookshire, Texas
6 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Creativity is a masterpiece in itself. The ability to manifest that masterpiece, and to recognize its worth, can be found in each of us, if only we would take the time to find our inspiration."
~Samantha Stewart (ME! :D)~

I loved the book and i love this reiew! Great Work!

on Jul. 7 2011 at 11:11 pm
Trilobite BRONZE, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Genius is 1% imagination and 99% perspiration."~Thomas Edison
"Anyone who has a child today should train him to be either a physicist or a ballet dancer. Then he'll escape."~W. H. Auden

Thanks!  I'll be sure to work on summarizing then. :)

on Jul. 7 2011 at 11:11 pm
Trilobite BRONZE, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Genius is 1% imagination and 99% perspiration."~Thomas Edison
"Anyone who has a child today should train him to be either a physicist or a ballet dancer. Then he'll escape."~W. H. Auden

I'll check it out, thanks again!

on Jul. 7 2011 at 9:45 pm
Garnet77 PLATINUM, Sinagpore, Other
31 articles 6 photos 577 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Everything's a triangle." ~ My mother

"Write what you love, write what you care about, because sometimes, it's the easiest way to be heard."

This is good, but I wouldn't say it's as good as your other review. However, I did enjoy it, and I agree with CarrieAnn13 about you having justifications for your opinions. I think it's important if you're going to convince someone to read (or not to read) a book. :)

on Jul. 7 2011 at 8:13 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

No problem.  I have no problems with summarizing, but I have problems with putting my opinion out there, so you unknowingly helped me!  Do you think you could check out one of my book reviews and comment on it?  Thanks in advance!

on Jul. 7 2011 at 7:42 pm
Trilobite BRONZE, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Genius is 1% imagination and 99% perspiration."~Thomas Edison
"Anyone who has a child today should train him to be either a physicist or a ballet dancer. Then he'll escape."~W. H. Auden

Thank you!  As a new reviewer, I appreciate your comment very much. :)

on Jul. 7 2011 at 7:30 pm
CarrieAnn13 GOLD, Goodsoil, Other
12 articles 10 photos 1646 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." --Douglas Adams

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." --Marcus Aurelius

This is a decent review.  You didn't really give a summary of the plot, but instead started picking apart things you did and didn't like.  You have great justifications for your opinions, though, which is a good thing.  Next time, try summarizing the plot (but without giving away too many plot twists and the ending).