The ARC cover for this novel is so flipping fantastic. WHY did they change it? Why? Because let me tell you, I was sure (based on the cover) that this was a Medusa book. It's not. Mag can't even fully shift into a snake so I don't know what the cover story is. Nice braids though. I like them. You know how there are guilty little pleasures that you wouldn't really tell anyone about without expecting an eye roll (this happens a lot in my circles, I'm tell you the English lit students can be such literary snobs) (I happen to like reading YA), I think Shifting would be it. Magdalene is a strong protagonist and I actually like her. A lot. She's strong, she's cynical, she's a survivor. It is only when you add the love interest to the mix that things get wonky. I really like the mythology too. Wiggins utilizes First Nations mythology and weaves it together to create a shifting/shifter legend that works very well. The prejudice and discrimination Mag faces in school, the bullying, all these things if handled correctly would have given this book a whole lot more substance. The thing is...the love interest. I'm all for hot guys. Really, I'm a huge proponent of hot guys who litter the pages of YA novels these days but Bridger... Superficially, he is awesome. Hot, (very important), thoughtful and totally seemingly in love with Mag. However, some important characters in the novel keep warning Mag off the guy. I still don't know. I mean, if he is one of the good guys, why warn him off? I guess maybe we'll find out in the next book. Bridger is kinda creepy. No, seriously, I'm not even joking. Let's see. How shall I word this.Bridger, with his vastly superior resources of the financial kind, is placed in a position of power relative to Mag. The disparity in their social positions is further reaffirmed by the fact that the restaurant in which Mag waitresses considers Bridger to be a valued customer. Therefore, every time he is in the establishment, he requests that Mag be his server which again places her as his subordinate and not his equal. This theme is expanded by Mag being in love with Bridger while the man himself is able to control his feelings regarding her. I did not like that. Really. Also, and this is a spoiler so it seems Bridger has no choice but to be with Magdalene since he fell in love with her and being an eagle in his animal form makes him only able to have one "mate" which sucks for him but still, raises the question of whether he would choose to be with Mag had he a choice in the matter. But the biggest reason Bridger and I will never get along is he shoots her. It's quite callous really and he had no way of knowing whether she would "come back from the dead" so the act is so not romantic that it's scary. Also, can we address what happens if Mag falls out of love with Bridger? If he can't be with anyone else, does she have to be with him to assuage his lonely self? Even after he shoots her? Oh yes I know there was a *grand* reason but creepy is creepy..That said, however, I still thought the book was entertaining. A little too much on the romantic front but on the whole, quite readable.
