Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Dec 12, 2010 Logan rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-tour, shifters, paranormal, young-adult

First impressions: Man, Maggie Stiefvater sure is a gorgeous writer. She writes as if each word is carefully chosen, in this specific and beautiful way. I fell into the rhythm of this book very easily, and it took me right back into the world.

Lasting impressions: This was my favorite installment of the trilogy. Based on my so-so reactions to the first two, I wasn't sure if this one would be any better. I wanted to see how the story ended, and ultimately I'm glad I read not only this book, but th First impressions: Man, Maggie Stiefvater sure is a gorgeous writer. She writes as if each word is carefully chosen, in this specific and beautiful way. I fell into the rhythm of this book very easily, and it took me right back into the world.

Lasting impressions: This was my favorite installment of the trilogy. Based on my so-so reactions to the first two, I wasn't sure if this one would be any better. I wanted to see how the story ended, and ultimately I'm glad I read not only this book, but the whole series.

Conflicting impressions: I've come to accept that my problems with this series are ones of personal taste. I don't think the way the parents were written out of the story came through for me the way Stiefvater intended. I also will never be able to tell the multiple narrators apart. I realize, though, that these things don't bother most fans of this series.

Overall impressions: This one is certainly not vying for "special shelf" status. Grace's relationship with her parents drives me bonkers. I can't ever keep the narrators straight without double-checking the designation. The science of the wolves is overly complicated. Yet there's something that has kept me reading all three books.

The writing style is very specific to Stiefvater. She is a master of prose, no doubt. She beautifully captures the isolation and cold of the Minnesota woods. I think she's at her best when the scenes have a lot of internal conflict and are light on dialogue. When Sam is trying (still) to process his bathtub fears, for instance, or when Cole goes on another depressive bender. There's an incredible scene with Grace in the woods in the middle of the book that is terrifying, and I was totally swept away by it.

But JEEZ-US! Sometimes I had no idea where the story was going or how much of the backstory I was supposed to have memorized. I tried finding a detailed recap anywhere online for Linger because for much of this book I just felt lost. Authors! It's been a long time since your last book came out! You can't really expect all of us to re-read the series each time, can you?

I remained frustrated with Grace's parents in this book, although her mom tried to redeem herself. Mostly, though, they remain self-absorbed little shits (pardon my French) who show up when typical parents would be needed and disappear when it suits the story. They are just awful, and I get that that is the point, but then why is Grace so forgiving? Why does she even try to involve them anymore? I wish I could define that breaking point a little better, but since I can't, this point goes woefully unresolved for me.

This book is made much more tolerable by the growth of Cole and Isabel. Cole takes over for Sam as Most Interesting Despairing Wolf, and Isabel shows much more depth of feeling and introspection than ever before. I loved Isabel in this book. She showed why she is the way she is and so I understood her much more. Why didn't we get more of this before this book?

Despite my personal hang-ups toward the book, it resolved the Mercy Falls story adequately enough. It had some major shockers toward the end, and though it teases us with a few twists, I'm not angry that this is the end of these characters' stories. I can let my imagination fill in the blanks.

I definitely recommend this one to fans of the series, but for anyone on the fence, I'd say this book makes the trilogy worthwhile. If you have the free time, I think it would be best to knock them all out in a row so you stay invested and caught up in the action. I also recommend them in the summer, because reading these cold, depressing books in the middle of a cold, depressing winter does not make for an enjoyable reading experience. Should you choose to ignore me, I will not be held accountable for any side effects you suffer. ...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Nairabell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star, teen-ya-paranormal, read-in-2011

Sam and Grace have loved each other for years. First Sam watched her as a wolf, then he held her in his arms as a boy before he lost her to the woods and wolf pack he had escaped from. Now faced with the possibility of a life without her, Sam must put his faith in genius rock-god turned wolf Cole and the potential for a true cure. However, their time is running out as a local lawyer is determined to exterminate all the wolves in Boundary Woods.

This is the third and final book in the Wolves of M Sam and Grace have loved each other for years. First Sam watched her as a wolf, then he held her in his arms as a boy before he lost her to the woods and wolf pack he had escaped from. Now faced with the possibility of a life without her, Sam must put his faith in genius rock-god turned wolf Cole and the potential for a true cure. However, their time is running out as a local lawyer is determined to exterminate all the wolves in Boundary Woods.

This is the third and final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (after Shiver and Linger). I loved the first two books and was really looking forward to reading this. I wasn't disappointed and I loved every minute I spent reading.

Grace and Sam's love is one of those that sticks with you long after the pages are closed, and this book raises the stakes even higher than the previous ones. When the book begins Grace is a wolf while Sam is human and it takes a while for them to reunite. I really enjoyed how their stories were told as you get to see their individual lives as well as their combined one, and their enduring love still tugs at the heartstrings.

Cole and Isabel still take key narrating roles in this book which I really enjoyed. The relationship between the two is still as complicated as before and they each have their own dramas to contend with. Cole is risking his own life and health fighting to understand the cause of werewolfism in order to find a cure, while Isabel's father is the one organising the wolf hunt.

In terms of the ending it's hard to talk about without spoiling it, so all I'll say is that while it doesn't go for the standard Hollywood-esque everything tied up in a neat bow I loved it. It's great to think about the characters going on and living their lives after the books have ended, and it fits with the more realistic portrayal of true love that these books have shown since page one.

All in all this was a great ending to an amazing trilogy which I totally recommend.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50 ...more

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Jun 26, 2010 Charlotte (Buried in Books) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 23, 2010 Samantha rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011, ya

I had the same issues with this last book as I did with the two before it. Sam and Grace remain mostly uninteresting (for my tastes). I mean, don't get me wrong, I get that it's a quiet and gentle love that should make some girls sigh, but not me. Give me Cole and Isabel with all of their sarcasm, pain, and hang-ups any day over Sam and Grace. This, of course is a personal preference and some readers may feel exactly the opposite. Yet for me the most interesting story to follow was Isabel and Co ...more

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Dec 31, 2010 Melissa-The Book Addict rated it liked it

This is actually a tough review for me to write! I loved Shiver and Linger, and while I liked Forever I didn't love it. I did like Grace as a wolf and watching her stuggle with the shifting until it was warm enough for her to stay human. I truley feel that all of that added something great to Grace's character. I wasn't a huge Sam fan in this book, he seemed so negative, and ready to give up. I did love Cole though, and his experiments. I feel like I finally got to know the real Cole! I love the ...more

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Dec 13, 2010 AmandaG rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, series, 2011

I have mixed feelings about this book. About the whole series really. In the last book, I kept wondering what it was all about. Why should I care? And then toward, the end, when Cole and Isabel came in to play a bit more, it all got interesting. I like my endings tied up in a pretty bow, and you kind of get it with this one, but you kind of don't. ...more

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