2 Chicks Chat ... LINGER

Myra McEntire and I (MG Buehrlen) are starting a new feature at YABC called 2 Chicks Chat, where we let you in on our (embarrassingly candid) discussions regarding the latest in YA lit.

Our first installment?

A she said/she said review of Maggie Stiefvater's LINGER.

*Warning* This review contains mild spoilers and a blatant disregard for punctuation.  

Here's a snippet to get you started, then click on the "read more" link below to continue to the full chat transcript.

~Let’s start with Sam and Grace~

Myra: I think it was nice to see an established, obviously committed-for-the-long-haul couple in YA in juxtaposition to a HOT NEW whatever it was with Isabel and Cole

MG:  Yes, I really enjoyed seeing Sam and Grace in an established place and seeing the trials teens in their situation would have to go through, in terms of being “too young” to be truly in love.

Myra: Holla to Maggie for bringing her A-game on the relationships.

I read for the relationships - to see how they develop. More so than for plot I think.

They all felt real. Even Grace's journey with her parents. I hope FOREVER explores Sam and Cole's relationship.

~Sam and Cole~

MG: I love LOVE tension between two great male characters and LINGER has it with Sam and Cole.

Myra:  YES - and they aren't competing for a woman - they're just being MEN

MG: YES!

Just two guys who rub each other the wrong way who don't respect each other (at first)

I love how Sam stepped up to the plate with Cole and wasn't such an emo kid anymore.

He showed depth and responsibility.

Myra:  My favorite scene with Cole is when he watches Sam and Grace together for the first time. He says he liked Grace right away, before she even opened her mouth. And that he and Isabel weren’t anywhere close to having what she and Sam have.

MG:  oh yes, I loved that part

~Grace~

MG: I loved how Grace is so nice to Cole right off the bat. She’s never judgmental

Myra:  Grace is probably the most secure of the lot and I think because she is so secure in her love for Sam she had what it took to take Cole at face value

MG:  Yes, and Cole saw that and was immediately drawn in, immediately attracted to her friendship

Myra:  Grace is just generally good about taking people for who they are, wherever they are in their journey.

MG: Grace’s parents should take notes!

~The Parents~

Myra: I think these books are secretly, subtly a whole lot more about parent/kid relationships than we realize. I'm really interested to see how they resolve. The whole focus of the series is relationships to me. Not wolves.

MG:  Oh, I agree! Grace was low maintenance so her parents just coasted. Now she's doing something normal teens “shouldn't be doing” so NOW they step up, just to be able to say they tried to parent.

Backseat parenting.

Myra:  And Sam's parents suck rocks, and so do Isabel's.

MG:  UGH, yes.

Myra:  I wonder about Cole's. I bet it's not as bad as he's made it out to be. I think he rebelled and they reacted.

MG:  Me too! I think it would be interesting to meet his dad and see some resolve there.

Myra:  That's why I think his dad will have the cure. Or he and his dad will work together to find it.

MG:  Maybe he and his dad could work together, which kinda sounds corny, but readers will totally get why that would WORK.

Myra:  jinx

MG:  jinx!

I would love to see that

Myra:  Who knows. Wanna start a betting pool?

MG:  I'll swim in that pool!

~Music~

Myra:  I love that Maggie always manages to pull in music she does it in LAMENT and BALLAD and in LINGER and SHIVER.

MG:  I think music is a major part of who Maggie is. I can't imagine a book of hers without it

Myra:  Definitely. And her love for it really shines through - it's important to the characters so it's important to me (the reader).

MG:  I'm curious to see what Sam's album has to do with anything.

Myra:  Or if it does.

I bet it does.

MG:  It should.

Myra:  I didn't think of that. You're smart.

MG:  B/c we have two musicians

singers

male

one at the top of the charts, one undiscovered

Myra:  And a record company is looking for one of them. Or at least the paps are.

~Isabel and Cole (and a teensy bit about Sam)~

MG: Isabel/Cole -- two very broken, insecure people with a very tough "I'm SO secure" exterior

Myra:  I love authenticity in characters and I felt like Cole was SPOT ON

plus

he was hot

is hot

and bad

bad and hot

I loved the descriptions of his drug experience. It sounded out of control and totally unglamorous. which is good.

And how about ISABEL?

HOW BALLSY IS SHE?

I didn't like her in SHIVER. I loved her in LINGER. I FELT for her.

MG:  I felt for Isabel too -- how she was so strong and sure she wouldn’t have sex with Cole and yet turned around on a dime when her worst insecurities flared.

Myra:  And I love him for stopping. He showed a giant burst of maturity at the end.

MG: I wanted Isabel to have more depth in LINGER and again, Maggie brought her A-game

And kudos for making the “bad boy's” journey to maturity a believable one!

I felt his transformation was subtle and simmered over the entire length of the book, which is more believable than a sudden turnaround.

Myra:  What I love is that he's still bad - but he knows it - owns it. And Isabel is different for him.

That's so HOT. And I am twelve.

MG:  Am I crazy that I didn't find Cole that hot?

Myra: UM. YES YOU ARE CRAZY.

MG:  I mean, I got that he's supposed to be hot, but I was soooo not attracted to his personality, which is what I look for the most in a “hot” MC.

Myra:  He's a jerk - but one with potential.

MG:  Sam is more my kinda guy.

Myra:  Cole is my kinda guy.

I'm glad we can still be friends without having to fight over fictional boys.

MG:  We can go on fictional double dates!

I think Cole, I think ICK.

I think Sam, I think swoon

Myra:  I think Cole.

I think BODY SLAM.

I obviously have issues.

MG:  You're fierce, MyraMac

Myra:  I think Sam, I think perfect for GRACE.

MG:  Noooooo! I mean yes. Grace is good for him so I’ll let it slide.

~Voice~

MG: did Maggie's evolve?

Myra:  Yes. Especially since LAMENT. It's a REALLY CLOSE first person for me. I don't doubt anyone's motives.

MG:  The different points of view are perfectly distinctive, and I admired how she used distinctive descriptors for each character as well. What Grace may have noticed (sounds, details, feelings) Cole may not have, etc.

Myra:  Um ... distinctive voice ... are we SURE Maggie is one person?

MG:  Ha! Maybe not... She may have kidnapped a real life Cole and has him tied up in her closet.

Myra: If Cole is in her closet? I'm breaking into her house.

~The S word~

Myra:  In SHIVER, I wanted Grace to process the emotional impact of having sex on the page.

NOT HAVING SEX ON THE PAGE but I wanted to SEE it on the page.

Not the sex. The processing.

Crap.

MG:  No, I gotcha. I did too. The only consequence we saw was a little spat in SHIVER and that was it.

And it wasn't fleshed out in LINGER. I really wanted a clear explanation of their “relationship.”

Myra:  I think the motivation for the sexual relationship was made more clear, but I don't think whether it was still happening was.

MG:  Grace is so pragmatic about everything, but when pressed about the sex subject, she seemed to waffle and just say, "It's not like that." Okay, so what’s it like then? Tell me. I want to know!

Myra:  I can't see Sam not considering the consequences of what Grace getting pregnant would mean. You feel me?

MG:  YES.

Myra:  Like ..... puppies?

MG:  With all that unknown scientific theory up in the air I wouldn't be messing around with it.

It's like STDs. Just say NO, kids.

Myra:  I feel like Sam’s so considerate of Grace that something like that would weigh on him.

MG:  Me too.

Myra:  I don't think Grace would have an in depth convo about her sex life with anyone, though. Except Sam. And I'd have liked to see that.

Consequences. Good or bad. There are always consequences. People - especially people like Sam and Grace - would be profoundly affected by that choice. I think. But I'm not Maggie.

Dang it.

~FOREVER~

Myra:  I can't wait for FOREVER, but I'm going to spend a year worrying - WORRYING - about who's going to die. Because you know there will be death. Death and pain. Because Maggie is Maggie.

I'm making a prediction ... without giving too much away about the end of LINGER. I don't think Shelby, the white wolf from SHIVER is dead.

MG:  ooooooooo

Myra:  I think she'll turn back up. We also have Olivia running around out there.

MG:  I wanted to see more of Oliva in LINGER -- where is that girl?

Jinx

Myra:  jinx

I'm interested to see how it all wraps up.

MG:  I really enjoyed how Maggie turned the "cure" around

Myra:  DUDE

DUDE

And I think Cole has the answer for everyone. And I think he's gonna test it on himself.

MG: Cole steals the show in LINGER. I felt myself letting go of Sam and Grace.

Myra:  I really think LINGER is more Isabel and Cole's story than Grace and Sam's.

I WONDER HOW MANY NARRATORS THERE ARE IN FOREVER?

MG: LOL!

I wonder if she's setting up the reader to let go of Sam and Grace

FOR A REASON???

Dun dun DUN!

Myra:  ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND MORE ... ANSWERED IN ONE YEAR.

* wah wah waaaahhhhh *