Shiver

Shiver is told through interweaving past and present story lines. How did switching between timelines affect your reading experience? What clues from the past informed the present, or vice versa? Did reading about the characters at different ages change your perceptions of them?

Which of the main characters in Shiver is your favorite? Did your impressions of each of them change over the course of the novel?

Athletes are often known to use intimidation strategies, play mind games, and “trash talk” their opponents. Do you think this is “fair play”? What exactly is “fair play” in a sport? Is there a gray area between what’s fair play and what isn’t? Are the rules always clear-cut?

Why do you think that so many people were drawn to Saskia? How does she manipulate each of the characters in turn, and why?

How does the setting—the French Alps— impact the novel? Discuss the effects that the isolation and extreme elements have on the characters.

What makes Milla and Saskia successful snowboarders? Do you think that being an elite athlete requires certain personality traits? If so, what are they?

Discuss Milla’s choice not to pursue a relationship with Curtis during her snowboarding days. Do you think that was the right decision? Would you have made the same choice?

How do each of the main characters cope with competition, both within their sport and outside of it? How does competitiveness shape their actions and their relationships?

Milla often feels the need to hide her competitive streak. Do you think it’s more socially acceptable for men to be competitive than women?

Each of the characters in Shiver is guilty in some way, whether it is directly related to Saskia’s disappearance or not. How does guilt color each character’s actions? Is anyone relieved of their guilt by the end of the novel?

Who do you believe is the real villain in Shiver, if there is one? Why?

What do you imagine happens to Milla after the novel’s end? Her final sentence in the novel is “I’ve won.” Is this true?