Book Review: Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi

Book Review: Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

“Shatter Me” is a young adult dystopian book series written by Tahereh Mafi. ‘Shatter Me’ is a thrilling and action-packed novel that follows the story of Juliette, a young woman with a deadly touch. When Juliette is imprisoned for her dangerous ability, she must confront the harsh realities of her power and the society that fears her. As Juliette tries to find her place in the world and come to terms with her powers, she must also navigate complex relationships and confront difficult challenges. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. Juliette is a dynamic and relatable protagonist, and the supporting characters are equally well-developed and intriguing.

“Raindrops are my only reminder that clouds have a heartbeat. That I have one, too.” – Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

One of the standout features of ‘Shatter Me’ is the writing style, which is lyrical and poetic, adding depth and emotion to the story. Moreover, Mafi’s writing style allows readers an intimate look into Juliette’s character development and emotions. I loved this aspect of the book. Though it is hard to adapt to Tahereh’s notion of composing her writing, I believe that if you stick with the book you will come to love it. Another thing I liked about the series was the much-needed humor, it added a much-needed lightweight feeling after all the deep and dynamic parts.

Now one of the negatives of this series was the dystopian aspect of it. It’s very vague and although the story is dystopian, Mafi prioritizes romance over mystery. The worldbuilding is really rushed and it’s hard to grasp what the setting is exactly and how everything really came to be. Even though the plot is really easy to follow along with, I do wish it was more complex, in my opinion, the ending and the story needed more to it than the good vs bad trope. Some of the tertiary characters definitely lacked character development and weren’t as fleshed out as the main characters, which you would expect, but personally, it left me wanting to know more about them. Lastly, the love triangle was extremely annoying, the last book (Ignite Me) was mainly about Warner and Juliette vs. Adam, so I didn’t like how the triangle was very one-dimensional.

Overall, ‘Shatter Me’ is a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction and those looking for a unique and captivating read. It’s the perfect combination of action, romance, and self-discovery and will leave a lasting impact on its readers.