It was a bittersweet day on July 12, the day that Forever, the third and final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, was released to the masses. For those unfamiliar with Maggie Stiefvater’s bestselling trilogy, you will definitely want to read the first two books, Shiver and Linger, before reading Forever.
Forever begins almost immediately, giving the reader little to no back-story of the events that occur in Shiver and Linger. Grace is adjusting to her new transformation as a wolf, and Sam, now almost cured from becoming a wolf, is adjusting to life without Grace. Meanwhile, Cole is racing to find a real cure; Isabel and Cole must confront their feelings for one another, and danger looms ahead for the wolves as an aerial attack has been approved.
Readers have always admired Stiefvater’s uncanny ability to evoke such strong emotions with each novel she creates. A simple exchange between two characters would leave readers reaching for a box of Kleenex. Forever is no different, though the emotional pull does not feel as strong as it did in Shiver and Linger. Forever is highly entertaining, and readers will devour page after page until the very end. Readers will laugh at how Sam and Cole interact; they will sigh when Sam and Grace are together; and the actions scenes will leave readers at the edge of their seats.
The plot is unpredictable, to say the least. Readers will constantly question how Forever will end until they read the final page. However, if you are a reader who expects all of the loose ends of the series to be neatly tied up, you may be disappointed. Stiefvater provides some insight on the characters’ future, but the overall fate of most of the characters is left up to the reader. Many have complained that this is Forever’s core weakness, but this reader would have to disagree. Stiefvater places more power in her readers and their imagination to tie up the loose ends themselves. This is a bold decision on Stiefvater’s part, but it is also very refreshing in a genre where conclusions are generally spoon-fed to the readers.
The true strength in Forever is the character development. The main characters grow, thrive, and become stronger people. It is quite impressive when a reader can actually see a character evolve with each turn of the page. While all of the main characters grow considerably, the two most impressive changes come from Sam and Cole. Readers will find themselves rooting for both boys as Sam learns to face his fears, and Cole adjusts to starting his life over.
Overall, get the box of Kleenex out for the final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. All of the fans, old and new alike, will be sad to see it come to an end.
For more information, visit Maggie’s website.
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