Shatter Me Review

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Publisher: Electric Monkey
Publication Date: 05 April 2018 (this edition)
Source: Penguin Random House South Africa
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Rating: 5 Stars
Reading Timeline: 08 June 2018

Goodreads Synopsis:

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:

Pre-reading Thoughts:

This is a series that I have been wanting to jump into for a while now. There are so many people who rave about and with mild aggression, shove it in people's faces. And if I am completely honest, I don't know why pushed me to pick it up. Was it Whitney over at Whittynovels or was it simply the hype surrounding both the author and Restore Me. I don't know, but there is definitely a fine line between the two.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book to review. Just a small disclaimer before we continue. I have received this book for free. Please note that this does not affect my opinions in any way. All thoughts are my own.

Writing Thoughts:

First of all, I love how the author inserts a quick note, in the beginning, to make readers aware of certain decisions. I think that it really just helps the reader to prepare for what they are about to read. Second of all, the writing was simple but powerful. It grabbed my emotions and just kept on tugging and tugging until I had literal tears falling from my eyes. It was the simplicity and abruptness of some of the sentences that really captured me. I think that the strikethrough text was genius because it showed contrast. It allowed the reader to see exactly what doubts the main character had.

Plot Thoughts:

The plot drove me insane because it was so good. Mafi knows how to play with her contrasts. It really helps to set the scene and it shows progression in the storyline. But what I love about this skill is that it isn't a clear-cut line. There are some things that don't contrast and then there are those grey areas. I loved how Mafi kept me at the edge of my seat because there just had to be more and more and more. I consumed this book. There are no two ways about it.

Character Thoughts:

Juliette is a complex and yet simple character. All she wants is freedom, just a taste, just enough to remind her what she was like. And as a reader, you can feel this emotion. You can feel the desperation sinking into the skin and settling on your bones. Juliette makes you feel everything because you are so connected to her raw and unfiltered thoughts. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, Mafi is a master. She reels you in with an enticing idea and then she makes you feel and experience everything that Juliette experiences through emotions and certain scenes. Her writing is well thought through and her plot leaves you wanting more, whilst the characters leave their imprints on your mind. This book was quite strong. It is definitely not without its flaws but in the grand scheme of this novel alone, they don't make much of a difference. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.  Thank you once again to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny

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