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befsk's review against another edition
4.0
It has to be said: I love this series, the world created, especially the characters and the way Maggie Stiefvater writes them and their voices, but some of this book could've been shortened down.
Now that's out of the way, I can say that Cole St Clair is the god of all awesome. I can't even expand on that. I just love him like I've loved no other literary character in a long time. Maybe ever.
I also think Isabel is awesome. Kick-ass. I love her default bitch setting, and I love how she uses it to cover up her emotions. Sam, as much as a wet towel that he was throughout the series, is also cute as hell. Who doesn't wish they had someone who loves them with the kind of adoration Sam rains upon Grace? Oh, don't pretend, of course you do. They're probably the first sickly-sweet couple-I-know-are-going-to-end-up-together-at-the-end-no-matter-what that I actually WANTED to end up together at the end no matter what. It doesn't make much sense, but when I know people are going to end up together I end up rooting for the opposite thing... Somehow Sam convinced me that sickly-sweet isn't such a terrible thing. And Grace, as annoyingly practical-minded as she is, at least showed more emotion in this book. That's what I like best about Stiefvater's writing, that every character isn't some kind of variation on the others, despite the book being written in several different first person viewpoints.
Not only that, I love the way she describes things. I've seen people call it purple prose, but the reason I loved the first book is because it made me feel cold whilst reading it snuggled up in my warm duvet. I like the way she writes things even if it does make things feel more drawn out. I don't know why, it usually bugs me. I don't know if I'd recommend this series to other people simply because it's probably a matter of taste.
Honestly speaking, I'm happy with the book as an ending. You don't need to know how these characters are going to spend the rest of their lives do you? Isn't it enough to be able to make your own futures for them? (I'm talking in your head, not fanfic...) Just so long as the danger has been extinguished, there's no reason to drag things out forever (ehe, Forever).
No, I think the book was a good end. Although I will miss it, I'm glad I read this series. Really glad. Definitely one of the better YA series around.
Suicide became an expiration date, the day after which I no longer had to try.
My other favourite quote comes in chapter 36 (which is, coincidentally, my second favourite chapter, and also involves Cole dealing with his past life in his band), when Cole is describing what the lyrics of his EP is about:
One/Or the Other was about the Cole that I heard in the monitors on stage versus the Cole that paced the hotel halls at night. This was what One/Or the Other was: it was the knowledge that I was surrounded by adults with lives that I could never imagine living. It was the humming noise inside me that told me to do something and found nothing to do that meant anything, the bit of me that was like a fly smashing itself again and again on a windowpane. It was the futility of aging. It was a piano piece got right the first time. It was the time I picked Angie up for a date and she was wearing a cardigan that made her look like her mother. It was roads that ended in cul-de-sacs and careers that ended with desks and songs screamed in a gymnasium at night. It was the realization that this was life, and I didn't belong here.
On a more light-hearted, yet still Cole-related note, another piece of brilliance from him: Cole taking the piss out of Sam and Sam's song, the summer girl one. I snort-laughed at 3am at that. It says something when a character can so cruelly mock another character that I've liked for longer than him and I still like him, rationalising it as 'that's just Cole!' If I was Sam though, I'm pretty sure I would've punched Cole at that point.
Now that's out of the way, I can say that Cole St Clair is the god of all awesome. I can't even expand on that. I just love him like I've loved no other literary character in a long time. Maybe ever.
I also think Isabel is awesome. Kick-ass. I love her default bitch setting, and I love how she uses it to cover up her emotions. Sam, as much as a wet towel that he was throughout the series, is also cute as hell. Who doesn't wish they had someone who loves them with the kind of adoration Sam rains upon Grace? Oh, don't pretend, of course you do. They're probably the first sickly-sweet couple-I-know-are-going-to-end-up-together-at-the-end-no-matter-what that I actually WANTED to end up together at the end no matter what. It doesn't make much sense, but when I know people are going to end up together I end up rooting for the opposite thing... Somehow Sam convinced me that sickly-sweet isn't such a terrible thing. And Grace, as annoyingly practical-minded as she is, at least showed more emotion in this book. That's what I like best about Stiefvater's writing, that every character isn't some kind of variation on the others, despite the book being written in several different first person viewpoints.
Not only that, I love the way she describes things. I've seen people call it purple prose, but the reason I loved the first book is because it made me feel cold whilst reading it snuggled up in my warm duvet. I like the way she writes things even if it does make things feel more drawn out. I don't know why, it usually bugs me. I don't know if I'd recommend this series to other people simply because it's probably a matter of taste.
Honestly speaking, I'm happy with the book as an ending. You don't need to know how these characters are going to spend the rest of their lives do you? Isn't it enough to be able to make your own futures for them? (I'm talking in your head, not fanfic...) Just so long as the danger has been extinguished, there's no reason to drag things out forever (ehe, Forever).
No, I think the book was a good end. Although I will miss it, I'm glad I read this series. Really glad. Definitely one of the better YA series around.
Spoiler
My absolute favourite chapter of this book, if anyone's interested, is chapter 50. I loved Cole talking about suicide so honestly and being able to see the turning point he'd made, seeing that he no longer wanted to die. It was beautiful, and I connected with it a lot. And it spawned my favourite quote of the whole book:Suicide became an expiration date, the day after which I no longer had to try.
My other favourite quote comes in chapter 36 (which is, coincidentally, my second favourite chapter, and also involves Cole dealing with his past life in his band), when Cole is describing what the lyrics of his EP is about:
One/Or the Other was about the Cole that I heard in the monitors on stage versus the Cole that paced the hotel halls at night. This was what One/Or the Other was: it was the knowledge that I was surrounded by adults with lives that I could never imagine living. It was the humming noise inside me that told me to do something and found nothing to do that meant anything, the bit of me that was like a fly smashing itself again and again on a windowpane. It was the futility of aging. It was a piano piece got right the first time. It was the time I picked Angie up for a date and she was wearing a cardigan that made her look like her mother. It was roads that ended in cul-de-sacs and careers that ended with desks and songs screamed in a gymnasium at night. It was the realization that this was life, and I didn't belong here.
On a more light-hearted, yet still Cole-related note, another piece of brilliance from him: Cole taking the piss out of Sam and Sam's song, the summer girl one. I snort-laughed at 3am at that. It says something when a character can so cruelly mock another character that I've liked for longer than him and I still like him, rationalising it as 'that's just Cole!' If I was Sam though, I'm pretty sure I would've punched Cole at that point.
lorilaws's review against another edition
5.0
No author leaves me at a loss for words more than Maggie Stiefvater. I think the reason is that after I finish one of Maggie's books my head is still filled with her beautiful words. There's no room for anything else. Forever was no exception to that. If anything I am more speechless than I have ever been.
Forever is definitely a bittersweet book. I've come to love Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole so much that's it's hard to let them go. But I can't think of a book I was more excited about in 2011. All that excitement and anticipation was certainly worth it. I am often disappointed by series conclusions--we could probably analyze that and say that I'm just disappointed that the story is over, though. I don't have even an ounce of disappointment with the conclusion of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to say goodbye the these characters and this world.
The writing is as always, beautiful, gorgeous, lyrical, captivating, I really could go on and on, but I think you get the point. It's amazing. I can't think of another YA series out there that is this beautifully told. That's high praise since, you know I read a lot.
I have noticed that Maggie also has this uncanny ability to take a huge conflict, the sole conflict of a story and make it subtle and somehow in your face at the same time. I really can't explain it. The conflict really isn't the main focus, the characters are, but everything is riding on this one huge thing that is quietly there. This way of approaching it makes the tension build and build and build until you can't stand it anymore but you love it all at the same time. This is how her books get you, hook line and sinker. Forever might be the best example of that yet.
Maggie also has a incredible talent when it comes to writing very complex characters. Sam, Grace, all them are real (no, I'm not crazy). They are so well written and so layered that it feels like you could pick up the phone and call them--if you were worthy enough to have their numbers. It feels like NARKOTIKA should be a real band on the radio. They are not flat words on a page. They're realistic but..impossible problems make them jump off the page. The intense love and connection between Sam and Grace is so believable that you almost feel their emotions with them. Saying these are the best, most well developed characters I have ever read is probably the highest compliment I could pay a book or a author, and that still doesn't even begin to explain how extraordinary this book really is.
I want to make it clear that this review doesn't even begin to cover how amazing these books really are. I am saddened by the fact that it is over, but I'm really just thrilled that I got to read them. I know that I will miss Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole in the future, but when that happens I'm going to open the pages of Shiver and fall in love all over again.
Forever is definitely a bittersweet book. I've come to love Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole so much that's it's hard to let them go. But I can't think of a book I was more excited about in 2011. All that excitement and anticipation was certainly worth it. I am often disappointed by series conclusions--we could probably analyze that and say that I'm just disappointed that the story is over, though. I don't have even an ounce of disappointment with the conclusion of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to say goodbye the these characters and this world.
The writing is as always, beautiful, gorgeous, lyrical, captivating, I really could go on and on, but I think you get the point. It's amazing. I can't think of another YA series out there that is this beautifully told. That's high praise since, you know I read a lot.
I have noticed that Maggie also has this uncanny ability to take a huge conflict, the sole conflict of a story and make it subtle and somehow in your face at the same time. I really can't explain it. The conflict really isn't the main focus, the characters are, but everything is riding on this one huge thing that is quietly there. This way of approaching it makes the tension build and build and build until you can't stand it anymore but you love it all at the same time. This is how her books get you, hook line and sinker. Forever might be the best example of that yet.
Maggie also has a incredible talent when it comes to writing very complex characters. Sam, Grace, all them are real (no, I'm not crazy). They are so well written and so layered that it feels like you could pick up the phone and call them--if you were worthy enough to have their numbers. It feels like NARKOTIKA should be a real band on the radio. They are not flat words on a page. They're realistic but..impossible problems make them jump off the page. The intense love and connection between Sam and Grace is so believable that you almost feel their emotions with them. Saying these are the best, most well developed characters I have ever read is probably the highest compliment I could pay a book or a author, and that still doesn't even begin to explain how extraordinary this book really is.
I want to make it clear that this review doesn't even begin to cover how amazing these books really are. I am saddened by the fact that it is over, but I'm really just thrilled that I got to read them. I know that I will miss Grace, Sam, Isabel, and Cole in the future, but when that happens I'm going to open the pages of Shiver and fall in love all over again.
fairestskyebooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meripm's review against another edition
4.0
Sin lugar a dudas, el que más me ha gustado de toda la saga.
iteddybear's review against another edition
2.0
“People shouldn't have to earn kindness. They should have to earn cruelty.”
I liked this book but mostly for Cole and Isabel than Sam and Grace; I personally think Cole and Isabel
were more interesting and impactful than the main characters.
I liked this book but mostly for Cole and Isabel than Sam and Grace; I personally think Cole and Isabel
were more interesting and impactful than the main characters.
ririramz's review against another edition
3.0
I love Maggie Stiefvater so much I really hoped I would love these books. But Sam and Grace are the most boring characters in existence. Literally cut out of cardboard.
georgialilyw's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This was a fine end to the series but I can't help that I hate all the characters and think werewolves are dumb. I just really can't stand musicians and found the relationship with her parents difficult to read.
kelly24lox's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
hixxup79's review against another edition
2.0
I thought that with this being the last book in the series, there would be something more to it... Like more action, or better love scenes or something.... Something was just missing. it was basically a snooze fest through most of it. Very dissapointing.