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 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.

Book Review:

I started Shatter Me last night and finished it this afternoon because it was so amazing. Mafi's words in this novel are just riveting and captivating and beautiful. The plot is so intriguing, you just want to know what everything means and what is going to happen next. Juliette's thoughts are gorgeously expressed and I love how she crosses her thoughts out as we do before we speak; we think one thing but say something completely different. 

The entire book was full of twists and turns. There was also a romantic element dispersed throughout the whole "running for their lives" thing. Juliette, though she has this unwanted power of a touch that can kill, was really just like every other 17 year old girl. She wants to have relations with people, she wants to fall in love, she wants to be accepted. Adam was just this amazingly brave 17 year old boy who will do anything to keep his 10 year old brother, James, and Juliette safe. 

The world that this story is set in, seems to be more futuristic, close to the end of the word type thing. Everything is dying off, oxygen is depleted, and there are no real  seasons. It is just so interesting and I love that Mafi doesn't really explain it because it gives you room to imagine and re-imagine as new information is presented to you. 

I'm excited to read the rest of the series along with the novellas. I will be reading the novellas in the places that they are supposed to be read. So I will be reading the first novella, Destroy Me, before reading the next book in the trilogy, Unravel Me.

Pages: 338                                                                             Rate: 5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

The story is kind of hard to explain to someone who hasn't read the novel without giving away absolutely everything. It's one of those books that when you talk about it you have to say everything otherwise you are going to completely lose the person in the process. So, if this makes no sense, blame the wonderful writings of Tahereh Mafi.

When Juliette touches people, she puts them in serious pain but they can't pull away because she has to be the one to separate them. There are some days where I could really use that power but I don't think that I would be able to live with it. Could you live your everyday life without human contact, without being able to hug the ones you love, kiss your significant other, pet your dog? I know that I wouldn't be able to do that. 

Adam is a boy that Juliette knew before she was locked away. They never talked but she has always loved him. And years after she was locked away they are reunited and we learn that he is immune to her touch. Their relationship is pure beauty. They would give up anything and everything to be together. 

James, Adam's 10 year old brother, has been living on his own since Adam joined the Army. Adam set him up in an orphanage compound with his own room and an older woman, Benny, checks in on him for Adam. But this kid has seen and experienced more than we even know and it shows when he is reunited with Adam. 

Warner is an asshole. That's all I will even say about him because I hate him so much. He disgusts me. 

I loved the ending. So far I love the compound that they are at and that there are other people with powers, none like Juliette's, but powers nonetheless. 

Favorite Quote:

 "My face is in his hands and my lips are at his lips and he's kissing me and I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe."

I love the passion of their relationship.