Short Story Saturday: Silver

Title: Silver (from the anthology Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson)

Author: Patricia Briggs

Date of Publication: September 2, 2014

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Number of Pages: 71

Synopsis: "Herein is the ill fated romance between Ariana and Samuel, the first half of the story that continues in Silver Borne. This is also an origin story of sorts, because how he met Ariana is also tied up with the story of the witch, his grandmother, who held Samuel and his father for such a long time. I have to say that if it had not been for the constant requests for this story, I, usually a teller of happier tales, would have left this one alone."  - Patricia Briggs, Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson

My Review:

Initially I had planned to review this entire book in one huge review, dedicating no more than a paragraph to each story. However, after finishing Silver I knew that was going to be impossible. Briggs is truly a master at her craft and I have way more to say than can ever fit in only one paragraph. So because nobody wants to read a HUGE review I'm going to spend the next 9 weeks reviewing each story in this wonderful anthology individually with a new review coming out every Saturday.

Right of the bat Silver really impressed me, I was never a huge fan of Samuel in the Mercy Thompson series; he was okay, but I just never really felt any connection to him and I didn't particularly care what he was up to. However, this story changed all that. In Silver we get a deep look into Samuel's origins and even get to see the moment that he becomes a werewolf. Samuel has gone through a lot of hardship in his life and this story really gets into detail on events that have only been brushed upon during the main series. Between his abusive grandmother and all the death and destruction she brought forth to Samuel and his father, as well as all the hardship he went through before he was even a werewolf,  Samuel's life hasn't been easy and I honestly have a whole new respect for him.

I don't really remember Ariana all that much, it's been quite awhile since I read Silver Borne and her character never really made an impact on me. However I really enjoyed reading about her in this story. Though I was a little confused at first about the beast and artifact I quickly got caught up and really got into her story. Ariana's life is filled with just as much terror and destruction as Samuel but only in a more personal way. While Samuel seems more detached from everything going on around him Ariana's story was much more personal. From her cruel and power hungry father, to the beast inside of her,Ariana hasn't had an easy life and her strength and independence impressed me more with every page.

The romance between Ariana and Samuel was cute and heart warming. Even though they both had a hard life they were able to find love and comfort in each other and although their feelings were subtle I still found myself "awwing" with every little exchange. Though this story does have a sad ending Brigg's included an outtake from Silver Borne at the end that includes a happy ending for both of them and I can't think of two characters more deserving. Now that I've fallen in love with both Samuel and Ariana I'm excited to see more of them in future Mercy Thompson books and I can't wait to watch their romance develop!

Briggs did a fantastic job giving us a little glimpse into Samuel's life and after reading Silver I have a whole new respect for his character. I love Sam and Ariana and I hope their romance lasts this time, because I can't bear to read anything sad about them again!

4/5