Friday 6 March 2020

Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4) by: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: July 1, 2014 by: Scholastic Press
Pages: 357
Rating: 3/5 stars



Cole St. Clair has moved to sunny Los Angeles, a far cry from when he lived as a wolf back in Minnesota. Cole has one mission: to get Isabel Culpeper back. She moved to LA to get away from her damaged life, but moving on has proved to be difficult. As Cole and Isabel reconnect, Cole must find a way to earn back Isabel's trust and control his shifting, while Isabel must decide if she wants to let him into her life again.

If you knew me in 2012, then you knew how OBSESSED I was with the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Shiver, Linger, and Forever were my shit. I still have the boxed set. When Sinner came out, I was excited, but I just never got around to reading it. This book has sat the longest on my tbr, at six years. Finally, on a random whim, I picked up the coveted book. It was... ok.

First off, I appreciated how this book gave me the nostalgia of the kind of stuff I read when I was a pre-teen. I think I'm just a sucker for werewolves (I was always Team Jacob), so any book that is remotely "wolfey" (is that even a word?), I will give a try. I love books that contain the aspect of being like a fantasy, but also being placed in the real world. I really appreciate fantastical elements in a sense of reality, which I think Maggie Stiefvater does very well.

I think I liked Cole as a character. By this I mean, that since I haven't picked up this series in nearly a decade, I couldn't remember if I liked him or not. I think all my attention was on Sam in the first three novels, that I didn't really pay much attention to Cole. That being said, I thought his character in this book was well written, and I found him to be very well-rounded.

I loved Isabel. Again, I can't remember my opinion on her from the original trilogy, but in this novel she was very likable. I found her to be hilarious and strong-willed. She had that sarcasm that Stiefvater writes so well. I thought that her character was very independent, and she didn't take crap from anyone. I appreciated that.

All of this being said, I can't say that this book gave me the highly anticipated conclusion I was looking for. I mean, it's more of a spin-off anyways, but I wasn't wowed like I was in the original trilogy. And this honestly just comes with getting older. My taste in books has definitely evolved, and this book just didn't impact me in the way it might have when I was twelve. What can I say, I'm pickier now.

I also would like to say that I think picking up a series years after you have read the previous books is very brave. I could not remember what the hell these characters were even like, and how the previous novels ended. I think because of this, it was hard for me to fully connect with the story and feel emotionally invested in it. I've just moved on, so to speak.

Overall, I think it is worth finishing this series if you're like me and have waited years. Although, you might want to take a refresher course on the material, because I was lost as heck at some points.

Have you read Sinner? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

10 comments:

  1. I can remember reading Shiver and... the not-smart decisions and the terrible parenting *face palms.* 'How to not notice your daughter's hiding a wolf-boy in her bedroom *for several freaking days* for dummies.'

    I tried to read Linger, I really did try, but... I'm not going to be harsh, since you're a Mercy Falls fan, but it wasn't my thing *shrugs*

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    1. Honestly... I get it. Werewolf books are a total guilty pleasure for me, and like I said, my taste has changed a lot since I last read these books lol. I can’t say they’re the highest peak of literature anymore haha!

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  2. I'm so happy you got to this and reviewed it! You kind of solidified my decision not to go into this unless I choose to reread the previous novels. I do remember Cole (a bit) but I genuinely have no idea about Isabel, haha. I don't think there's a bit chance of me going back for a reread, so yeah, this will likely still unread. I'm glad that you did get some enjoyment out of it, though. :)

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    1. Yeah, if you’re gonna do it, definitely reread the series first haha! I felt so disconnected from the characters because I just didn’t know if I liked them or not.

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  3. I was so obsessed with this series in middle school, especially Cole and Isabel. I remember enjoying this one but it didn't have that same charm as the others. I appreciated the mental illness representation, though. I have the feeling that if I reread the series now, I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much unfortunately. Awesome review, Emily!

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    1. I definitely agree! I don’t think this series is the peak I once thought it was lol.

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  4. Tastes definitely change and even though I don't read a LOT or urban fantasy (I want to read more) I have a soft spot for the whole werewolf thing. I just love the concept. :)

    Glad you got to finish the series even if it wasn't quite the same!

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    1. I don’t get to read urban fantasy as much anymore, but every time I do I have a great appreciation for it :)

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  5. I remember being slightly disappointed with this one too, and I read them all at the same time (basically). I still enjoyed the series overall, though!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. It’s an easy to get through series, for sure :)

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