Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Hello everyone. This time I am writing a review about the whole Shatter me series including the two novellas by Tahereh Mafi. I wanted to write a review on this for a long time but I couldn’t gather my thoughts in one place. So here, finally, are my opinions about this series which also happens to be my second favorite series. Well, buckle up now for this ride!

Genres – YA, Sci-fi, Dystopian, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural, Post Apocalyptic.

My star rating–

Shatter me – 4 on 5

Unite me and Ignite me – 5 on 5

Characters– [I know there are more character than the four mentioned below, but these are main characters]                           

Juliette – she is our protagonist over here. She has a deadly touch. She could torture and kill people just by touching them. But despite all this, she is not evil. She does not want this power. She accidently kills a child and ends up locked up by the reestablishment [sort of government]. She if afraid of her powers and couldn’t even dream of using them on someone [in the first book].

Adam – in the first book he is supportive and the only on Juliette could touch without hurting. But is he really? No. But when we go deeper in the series and in the novella ‘fracture me’ he shows his real colors.

Aaron Warner – he works for the reestablishment and has control over sector 45. In the first book he is, well, ruthless and sort of portrayed as the villain. But he isn’t that. There is a lot more to him than that. Please read the novella ‘destroy me’ to see who he really is and why he behaves like he does.

Kenji – we first really see Kenji in the end of the first book. I know he has an appearance before that but I am not counting that. From the second he enters I liked him. He is full of humor. He is strong, both emotionally and physically. He never lets people see if he is sad or hurt or what-so-ever, he just keeps smiling and also makes others laugh. He is a real support for Juliette in the second and third book. I mean he is supportive, humorous and a great friend. What is not to like in him? I want him as a best friend.

Character development – one thing that I totally adored in this series [apart from Warner] is the character development. I know wherever you hear about shatter me, you hear about the character development. But when we are talking about character development we are not only talking about the protagonist Juliette but all also about many other characters. So I am writing about Juliette, Adam and Warner in this section.

1] In the first book Juliette was literally a cry baby. She needed Adam to cheer her up and take care of her. But as the series progresses, this girl realize how she is being and that she needs to do something. Warner always believed she was capable of almost everything. Warner and Kenji play a huge part in helping her being what she finally becomes. So let’s get back to Juliette. She gets out of her dependent and cry baby mode and becomes an independent and awesome girl that she is. Seriously, you won’t believe that she is the same girl in first and third book. She used to think her power as a curse but then she embraces it and uses it as her weapon. This is one of the many great things from the books.

2] In the first book Adam was all supportive and the only person Juliette could touch without harming. But as the series progresses and Juliette gets stronger and independent we come to know what an ass Adam really is [sorry for the language but what I am calling him is an understatement]. He wants Juliette to be what she was before and he totally underestimates her. He gets really annoying for that reason and trust me I hate him. In ‘fracture me’ the novella from his point of view we come to know about his real colors. Seriously, that guy is mad and totally underestimates Juliette. I don’t really think he loves her. His only redemption is his love for his ten year old brother James.

3] Now my favorite character from the series. Warner. In the first book he is portrayed as the ruthless leader of sector 45. That he is the villain that wants to torture everyone and wants to use Juliette as his weapon [in the first half of shatter me; not the ending]. But he really is forced to do all that and if he does not his father would destroy him. He has to keep his emotions in check and do whatever he is said to do. But as the series progresses he lets his emotions out and we come to know what a great person he really is. I love this guy. Please read ‘destroy me’ after reading the first book. In that novella is when I fell in love with this guy. He cares for Juliette; knows what she is capable of; supports her; waits for her; loves her; and I can’t even start on his awesomeness and his Personality…. and Agh ! He is just too good.

My thoughts – okay lets first be honest here. I didn’t thought I would love this series as much as I do or even like the first book when I started because of all the hype surrounding it. But as I reached the ending of the first book I had to admit that the writing style is awesome and the story had totally griped me. The ending of the first book is really when I started loving this book, it was so awesome.

The dystopian world was great to see in this. It is horrifying what our world could become. How we will be the cause of our destruction and what all of this can lead to. How the nature is dying. How our flora and fauna are suffering. It is a sad reality. Our world could turn like this if we don’t control all the pollution and many other stuff.

The story starts off with Juliette locked up in an asylum sort of place by the reestablishment. The reestablishment is the kind of government there. They had made promises to the people that all the stuff happening will get better and they would bring the change. And when they were in power, Juliette by accident kills a child. They say it’s for her own good and then lock her up. But there are many things brewing here. And when Adam is locked up with her too much stuff happens.

Tahereh Mafi is a gifted writer. The sentences she creates are just magic. Everyone’s personality is so good and fitting. From the good people to the bad ones. Everyone is relatable. They are like sort of real. Not everyone is perfect, they have their flaws.

This book series is a great dystopian novel set. Just go and read it already. Tell me about what you thought of this review and these books if you have read them.

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