Review: Shatter Me

Shatter Me
By Taherah Mafi
Source: Bought

Summary:
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 world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

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 has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 

Review: Flawless.  Exceptional. Perfect. Brilliant. Outstanding. Wonderful. Breathtaking. Amazing. Incomparable. If I keep going I’m going to run out of adjectives but this just shows how much I am in love with Shatter Me. This is the first book I read in 2012, and I have no doubt it will be one of the best. (though it came out in fall of 2011). I just can’t see much else topping Tahereh Mafi’s debut, other then her sequel for Shatter Me (hopefully).

First the writing is fantastic, new and different. I’ve never read any story told quiet like this one. The author uses crossed out words to express the thoughts of the main character. I loved how they showed what Juliette actually means opposed to what she actually says.

“Please don’t let go of me put me down.”

I have to admit, in the beginning I did find this a bit confusing and annoying however once I got use to it and the story sucked me in, I started to love it. It gave Shatter Me a unique feel and lets you into Juliette’s head.

Another part of Taherah Mafi’s writing that I adored was the fact she could put so much detail in quick short sentences. It was poetic. While I’m not a huge fan of poetry I did enjoy this in Shatter Me.

“Why can he touch me?

Why would he help me?

Does he remember me?

My skin is still steaming.”

and

“It takes 5 years to walk to the elevator. 15 more to ride it up. I’m a million years old by the time I walk into my room.”

Lines like these and so much more can be found in the pages of Shatter Me. The writing haunts you, the plot attacks you. Once you start this novel you won’t think about anything else.

Now, it wasn’t just the writing and plot that I loved in Shatter Me. I also loved its complicated villain in Warner. While you just can’t help but hate him, there are also lines and actions that make you feel sorry for him. Sometimes you just can’t help but think, ‘maybe he’s not that evil’. Complicated villains like that make the best stories. Another character I couldn’t help but love was Juliette. At times she was a damsel in distress and other’s she was able to hold up her own. Characters that are always perfect are and fallow the book are not fun to read about.

If I have yet to persuade you to read Shatter Me, just go do it. This is one book that you do not want to go pass up. 

--Danielle

P.S. This might look like one of my longest reviews ever, but in reality its actually not that long...