Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi
Juliette is unable to touch other people. Skin-to-skin contact with her causes agonizing pain, and if you touch her for long enough, you could die. As a baby, her mother was unable to hold her. She has never been hugged, touched, or held. She was locked away by the government after killing a child by accident. While she was kept in solitary confinement, the world around her continued to get worse. The Reestablishment, which is the new government that has taken over, claims that they are doing all they can to help the people. However, all their promises seem to be broken and the atmosphere is getting worse. A war is on the brink between the Reestablishment and those who it does not help. Juliette is caught in the middle with nothing she can do to help. Not only does she hates the power she holds and what comes with it, but she is also worried that so many people see her as an asset. She does not enjoy hurting people, but on the brink of war, both sides see her as a valuable weapon. The book follows her as she meets new people on both sides and has to choose what she believes.
Dystopian Romance is my absolute favorite genre to read, and Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi fits my taste perfectly. The government is in collapse, the people are left to fend for themselves, and Juliette has been in solitary confinement for almost a year at the age of 17. Not only can she never touch anyone, no one seems to care as long as she doesn’t hurt them. This book captivated me and I read it in about three days. If you enjoy dystopian fiction, I highly recommend reading this. Those who enjoy a little romance, such as myself, will also enjoy this. Juliette is a gorgeously written character with both a strong side and a sensual side, and the rest of the characters create an intriguing plot for her to fight her way through.
Reviewed by Catalina, Grade 11
Chevy Chase Library
Comments
I gave this book 4/5 stars; 4/5 for the characters, 5/5 for the writing, and 4/5 for the plot and for some scenes that I didn’t like. To start off, I absolutely adored Juliette’s character development, as it was gradual and done in a realistic way (not some immediate corny realization that made her change in 0.2 seconds). I didn’t like Adam since the beginning. His attraction to Juliette feels shallow and almost as if he is using her to break out or something. Kenji, on the other hand, was my comfort character reading this. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I do understand why it has all the hype around it. Can’t wait to read the next books!
Reviewed by Anon, Grade 11
Montrose Library
I started to read the shatter me series whenever my friend told me what this book series is about and how it becomes better and better with each book. I liked this book because it starts with the main character's (Julliette's) little back story. Since the setting is a dystopian era, there isn't good scenery or anything involved. My friend recommended this book because of the character developments and sci-fi happening throughout the series. The first was kind of a start of a tragic beginning so I didn't like the start of the beginning a lot. But the end of the book ends with a new hope and new beginnings which I liked that fact and thought. I recommend it to people who like reading sci-fi, supernatural, and romance. Because this series has romance in it as well.
Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 10
Glendale Central Library
I absolutely loved Shatter Me. It really helped me get out of my reading slump. Before I started reading the book, it was trending on BookTok, so I decided to give it a go. Best decision I've ever made about a book. The plot was intriguing that I couldn't put the book down. The characters were also extremely well-written. Each character was very diverse with their traits and motives I could relate to every single one of them at some point in the story. I really liked Juliette's and Adam's chemistry in the book, but I preferred the relationship between Warner and Juliette more. I truly believe that Warner has pure feelings toward Juliette and my heart hurts for him knowing Juliette doesn't share the same feelings. I don't know what Warner's deal is but every time he's mentioned I can't help but giggle and kick my legs around. He's just too perfect, even if he's a murderer. But in all honesty, who doesn't like morally gray enemies to lovers here and there? I'm excited to see what happens with Warner and Juliette as the series continues. I also liked Juliette's and Kenji's relationship near the end of the book. He's the flirty, comedic side character that makes the plot more interesting. I felt bad for Juliette, however. Her past was rather traumatizing for her own sake and if she hadn't been released from the asylum, she would've most likely killed herself by her thoughts. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mix of fantasy and romance. Can't wait to find out what happens as the story goes on.
Reviewed by Agapi, Grade 9
Glendale Central Library