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Monday 4 July 2011

Review: SHIVER

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Book 1 of The The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy
Read by Jenna Lamia and David Ledoux

Genre: urban fantasy, YA
Format: MP3 audiobook

About Shiver:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl.
Source: Info in the About Shiver was taken from the author's website at http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/novels.php#wolves on 26/06/2011.

FTC Disclosure: This audiobook was downloaded for free from AudioBookSync at http://www.audiobooksync.com on 25/06/2011. No compensation received for this review.

Review:
This is the first audiobook I've heard that has two narrators. And for this book, this technique works very well indeed! I find that the narrators become intrinsically important in the book experience, so, if the narrator(s) have a heavy accent and hard to understand, I abandon that audiobook. The book probably was good but I just couldn't listen to that narrator as I could only make out few sentences. With Jenna Lamia and David Ledoux, the words are distinct to my ears and the intonation were just right. It makes the book experience a listening pleasure!

A feature about this book which I really appreciate as a reader is that this book have a well-structured story. You have a beginning and an end. A clear central dilemma and the story ends with a satisfying resolution to that dilemma. I like that rather than just a mish mash of events and characters which are loosely related and somebody slapped an ending to. I generally wouldn't buy that author ever again. Maggie Stiefvater is clearly not that kind of author!

This book started out slow. But I persevered and after a while the story grew on me. This audiobook is in 9 parts... by Part 2, I started to like the story, though I scoffed at it at the start. I think that gives kudos to the story telling quality, that the author was able to make me like something I scoffed at and was quite skeptical of the world building to begin with. Another warning about this book, be prepared with a box of tissues when you start reading/listening to it. Good thing I was alone in the house or I would have looked a real bonkers crying by myself... or not... depending on who saw me, I guess... And at the end of it, I wanted to read the next book straight away to see how the story progressed. The story ended with a good resolution to the central dilemma, but it also tantalizingly pointed to exciting things to happen in the next book. Good thing I have Linger in my TBR shelf.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
World Building = 5
Story Structure = 5
Ending = 4
Cover art = 2
Narrators = 4.5
CymLowell
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


The Wolves of Mercy Falls series:

*This bit was added after realizing that not everybody might have been to Maggie Stiefvater's facebook:
Please note that Book 4 cover is not real, I used it as a stand-in as it doesn't have a cover yet.... mmmm.... it doesn't exist yet (am optimistic, especially after having listened to Shiver). Source of image is here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150252067999466&set=a.414591764465.207553.412830324465.

16 comments:

BJ Kenney said...

Just so you know, I'm pretty sure Litter was just an April fools joke.

Cherry said...

None the less, it makes for a good temporary cover for book 4 instead of a blank book image or some such :)

Blodeuedd said...

Wow..litter, book 4? Hihi. Ok back to book 1, lol.

Two narrators? Now that is cool and considering the style it must work well

Cherry said...

Litter - yeah, I wish! :D

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

I didn't get this one because it wasn't through one of the programs I've already downloaded, but I read the book and enjoyed it. I'm so glad the audio is also good. Hm... I may reconsider... :)

Oh and Litter... LOL

Cherry said...

The only reason I got the audiobook Mel was because it was free :) ...bloody good for a freebie!!

Renee said...

Sounds like a fascinating story! I appreciate how your review shows your personal reaction to the story. I'm sure that's what every author hopes for.

Cherry said...

Renee - Maggie Stiefvater sure knows how to wring her readers' hearts! :)

Elizabeth said...

I have seen this book around so much....I need to check it out more closely...thanks for the great review.

NEW FOLLOWER...love your blog.

Stopping by from Cym Lowell's Book Review Party.

Nice review.

Stop by my blog to see my book listed on Cym's linky and for a giveaway of NIGHT TRAIN by Clyde Edgerton...courtesy of Anna Balasi of Little, Brown and Company.

Contest is on until July 25.

Hope to see you there.

Elizabeth

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Cherry said...

Elizabeth - I liked this book, I hope you would too! :)

Martha Eskuchen said...

I have listened to audios with two readers and sometimes that works very well. Your review makes this more interesting than it has been to me thus far.
Thanks for the review link-up at Cym's.
Happy reading & listening!

Cherry said...

MarthaE - This is my first with two readers and I really liked it! :)

neer said...

Have never heard of this series but your review made it sound very interesting. Looking forward to more reviews.

Cherry said...

neer - It's a very good book neer! You just have to persevere through the first few chapters :)

Tales of Whimsy said...

Maggie is amazing. I must must must get my hands on this series soon.

Cherry said...

This book is a great read Ju :)

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