SHIVER DISCUSSION GUIDE Grace and Sam are both products of their upbringing, Grace of her neglectful parents, and Sam of his "pack." How do you think they would have been different with different parents? Do you believe that Sam's generosity and introspection is a product of his parents or of his natural personality? What about Grace's stoicism and kindness? Nurture or nature? Sam regards becoming a wolf as the worst possible outcome, while Beck seems to be more pragmatic about it and Olivia seems to even embrace it. Why do you think they feel differently? How would you feel? Beck changed three teens into werewolves to continue the care of the pack after he and Sam became wolves for good. Sam is horrified by his decision; Grace slightly less so, especially once she finds out that he had their consent. Do you think Beck was justified in taking such drastic steps to ensure caretakers for the wolves? What other options did he have? The werewolfism in SHIVER can be a metaphor for many things: losing your identity in a suburban world, cancer, addiction. What else can it stand for? Grace's parents are extremely neglectful: more interested in their own relationship than in a relationship with their daughter. Do you think they cross the line to abuse? There are many different kinds of love in SHIVER: that between Grace and Sam, Grace and her friends, Isabel and her brother, Beck and Sam, Beck and Ulrik. What do you think draws each of these groups together? Do you think Grace and Sam's love is healthy or not? Where do you draw the line with obsession? How long does it take to fall in love? Consent is an important theme in SHIVER: whether an event or person is viewed positively or negatively in the book is often framed by whether or not they act on other people's wishes or in spite of them. Sam was changed into a werewolf against his will, as was Olivia. The teens that Beck bit were changed with their consent. Sam didn't press himself into Grace's life until invited; Grace injected Sam with a deadly disease with his permission. Discuss other instances of choices given and choices taken away.