I promised I'd try to review every book that I read so... without further ado...Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi!
Non spoilery review: A girl named Juliette has been locked in a mental institution for about the past three years because of an incident. She's been neglected all her life because of her strange power- the ability to kill by touch. Having not touched someone in 3 years Juliette has long succumbed to the idea that she is a monster, loved by no one, and always will be. Everything changes when she gets a cell mate- a young man named Adam who seems oddly familiar...
I found Shatter Me a bit melodramatic at times and soap opera-ish, but overall it was a quick paced read that I enjoyed. The characters weren't my favorite, but what is keeping me going is the strange setting. I'll probably read the next book in the setting.
Rating: 7/10
Now, here's the part where if you haven't read the book, you run far, far away, and save this review for until you've read the book.
SPOILERS
PLOT:
Shatter Me definitely felt like the first in a series. A lot of the book was spent developing the premise, which wasn't necessarily bad, but not the most interesting. None the less, it was a quick read. A lot of the exposition is intermeshed with action so it's all good.
The setting and world that Mafi has built really intrigued me. I loved that Juliette hints that the destruction of the world has been brought about by environmental wreckage- not a massive war or disease. On the contrary, human disregard for the environment brought about war and disease. Most of the time whenever something emotional or character wise was going on, all I cared about was knowing more about this society and how it came to be. The "government" was pretty dystopian cliché, but the circumstances that brought about this dictatorship? That I was dying to know.
In a sense, I feel that Mafi has sacrificed making her first book stand out, by withholding what ultimately makes it so special. The story in the beginning and middle of Shatter Me is a slightly different version of a story we all know, and about half way through the book I had decided I wouldn't finish the series. However, towards the end, the curve is thrown, revealing the real story that was hinted at all along. When I finished, I knew I'd be reading more.
There are too many questions that were left unanswered, and clearly Mafi knows how to hook a reader.
CHARARCTERS:
Juliette: What I really enjoyed about Juliette was that she was realistic. She's not a hero, she's not strong. She becomes hysterical, feels weak, and is very out of shape. I appreciate her not being a kick butt chick. She's also incredibly kind, which I also appreciate.
However, some of these aspects also made Juliette somewhat annoying at times. It's somewhat of a dilemma. Her reaction is totally rational, but yet sometimes I wanted to roll my eyes. Maybe that's because she reminds me of... me. We read stories about heroes so that we can feel inspired by their courage, but when we recognize fear in them, the fear we feel, we get angry. Angry because we are angry with ourselves for our weakness. However, Juliette is like us. I sense she'll only grow stronger in the next books, like real people.
What I mostly didn't like was how over the top soap opera Juliette felt at times- especially with my next character.
Adam: Like Juliette I has really mixed emotions with him. I like Adam- when he and Juliette aren't swooning over their love or something. He's strong, brave, kind, and he's got a really interesting back story.
But back to Adam and Juliette's relationship. It's so... dramatic! I like them when Adam is talking about how he liked Juliette because she was so kind to other kids at their school, but when they're making out and saying passionate 'I love you'? I can't. I hope that Mafi can make them a little more...realistic. They're so infatuated with each other. The problem with infatuation is that the center of a relationship is romance. I believe that in committed loving relationships the center is all aspects of a relationship- romantic, platonic, everything. Married couples are partners, lovers, best friends, confiders, they are each other's world. Right now, Juliette and Adam are simply lovers. They say 'I love you' without really knowing what it means. Their relationship hasn't matured past high school fling. (And I mean they are high-school age so...)
Oh and seriously... the amount of physicality in their relationship makes me extremely uncomfortable.
I get it for Juliette I suppose, but Adam...? (You'll soon learn I really don't like sex in books. It is a private thing that should not be in books at all. Period.)
Warner: Oh gosh. This guy is freaky. I don't think I've ever been more freaked out by a villain. Why? Warner is a character that we encounter in everyday life. Ladies, you know him as the creepy boy stalker. Yes. Every girl's worst nightmare- a psycho boy having a crush on you and NOT LEAVING YOU ALONE!
*shivers* Everything about him is disturbing. And why do I get a rapist vibe off of him? Oh yeah because he sexually assaulted Juliette. (Yes, kissing someone without consent is sexual assault.) Geeze! Stay away from her psycho!
I was talking with my brother and his friend and you know who Warner reminds me of?
This chick from Disney Channel's Jessie. (I have younger siblings. Don't you judge me.) Look her up. Her name is Creepy Connie for a reason.
And not only is Warner a stalker, but he has a seriously wacked up sense of morals. He doesn't hesitate to kill, puts his men in danger, and FREAKING NEARLY KILLS A TWO YEAR OLD. he he. Congrats Tehereh Mafi, you've scared the crap out of me.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT:
Overall Shatter Me was a quick, interesting read. The villain was terrifying, and the world fascinated me. The romance could use a lot of developing before you could actually make me believe the two were in love, but I give Tehereh Mafi the benefit of the doubt, and see if she can step it up in the next few books. As her first book- really good m'am! Congrats!
OVERALL RATING: 7/10
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-Lizzie
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