Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Source: Publicist

Overall:

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.

Shatter Me completely exceeded all of my expectations when I was pulled into the harsh world of Juliette and Adam. The world-building was brutal and at times, disturbing. Mafi will have readers tangled up in so many lies and doubts, making it nearly impossible to predict what happens next.

Mafi's writing was absolutely stunning. The imagery and the strike-throughts did a good job of conveying Juliette's feelings of isolation and betrayal. The sometimes-blunt writing made Juliette's world seem all the more real. The storyline was complex and each unpredictable event occurred one after the other; keeping me on my toes.

Juliette's narrative completely entranced me and I was really able to connect with her because of her strong literary voice. I was able to watch her grow not only as a character, but also in her beliefs and her determination. She seemed very fragile at first, but as she started to trust Adam more and more, those layers were slowly peeled away. The chemistry between Juliette and Adam is unmatched from the very beginning. And because they share an even deeper physical connection, it just adds to their romance.

Shatter Me is dangerous, sexy, and original all in one. I was shattered when it had to end.