Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me 

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me, Book One
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian/Science Fiction
Format: Paperback, 368 pages
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Source: Personal Library, Bought
 

Synopsis: 
 
Nobody knows why when Juliette touches another living being, she has the potential to kill them, not even Juliette herself. But The Reestablishment sees her as a weapon that they can use in their mission to take over the world. Juliette wants no part of it and for the first time is finding the strength to fight back with the help of a boy who has been her only friend. A boy who shows her that she is not a monster and that a future is possible.

My Review: 
 
Tahereh Mafi’s debut novel is amazing. She writes in a way where we feel as if we are in Juliette’s mind or reading her personal diary. There are many sentences and words crossed out in the book, showing the internal battle that Juliette constantly has with herself. This is some of the most descriptive writing I have ever read. The book is filled with metaphors and similes and descriptions that will make your mind explode with colors, textures, and smells.

Juliette’s character is extremely complex. This poor girl is so broken. She had been alone her whole life without a single person to care about her, not even her own parents. She has been in isolation so long that every interaction with another human being is extremely intense. When she first meets Adam, she describes feeling on fire just from something as simple as his eyes on her. In most books, that would drive me crazy. I get really annoyed when characters talk about flames and fire and heat licking up their bodies at the touch of their significant other. It just seems so cheesy to me. But in this case, I understood it. This girl has been unable to touch anyone her whole life and has been thrown in isolation for three years with hardly any human contact. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to have someone rest their eyes on you after that long, not to mention touch you, hold you, and show you kindness. Even though the world has completely rejected Juliette, she retains a pure goodness that is inexplicable. She harbors no anger or desire for revenge which makes her such a beautiful character. She shows strength and grace as well as wit and determination.

Adam is Juliette’s romantic interest. He has demons from his past that he is dealing with as well. He, like Juliette, is also kind and caring. He plays his part well, but knows what is truly important and that, to him, is the people that he cares about. He is willing to risk everything for love and puts his life on the line for Juliette.

Warner wants Juliette’s power to use for his own evil purposes. He is cold, hateful, and completely intimidating. His cruelty forces the reader to hate him, but at the same time, I think that beneath his stony exterior he really just wants to feel loved. Although I don’t necessarily feel bad for him, I do empathize with him and wonder if, had his past been different, he would have been a completely different person.

Overall this book was incredible. The writing was hauntingly beautiful, using descriptions that were so vivid you couldn’t help but feel as if you were right there with the characters, feeling exactly what they do. Juliette’s character is complex and brilliant. Her personality is a shining star amongst a very dark world. I have no doubt that she will be a key player in taking down The Reestablishment in the sequel Unravel Me. Tahereh Mafi has done an exquisite job on her first novel. I highly recommend this book. Happy reading all!   

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