Shatter Me Review

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: November 15, 2011
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 342
Source: Publisher

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.

Juliette has a gift she cannot control. Perhaps it's more of a curse. She's been sequestered in a tiny cell with no hope for the outside world again for 264 days. But before she was imprisoned for her formidable power, she watched the world crumble and decay. She watched people dying, the world withering and wasting and worst of all, she felt the true force of worldwide panic. The Reestablishment stepped in then, and they promised a solution. She doesn't know the extent of the solution, but she knows something's off. When Juliette is finally given a cellmate, Adam, he sets a off a chain reaction of events that will propel Juliette towards her destiny and to the epicenter of the Reestablishment. Then perhaps, Juliette will understand the true depth of her power.

In a world of dystopian fiction, it's rare to say that a book sets itself apart because, let's be honest here, there are so many twists and variations on the original that it's hard to find something truly new. Shatter Me is remarkable in the sense that, yes, it borrows some of our most beloved comic book ideas, but it spins them into an entirely new maze with an ending so drastic and intense that its sure to sway many a reader. Tahereh Mafi has crafted a cunningly dark dystopian novel in Shatter Me that gives the reader of heroine to love, a cause to believe in and a world we want nothing more than to put back together. Rich and evocative, Shatter Me is intense and enthralling from start to finish.

Shatter Me, to be honest, defied my expectations. I think that my expectations were so high for it that I almost expected it to fall short, if that makes sense in any way, shape or form. Juliette, as a protagonist, was brilliant. She was a perfect blend of power and strength with hints of vulnerability that allowed the reader access to the very core of her humanity. Then, let's add Adam to the mix. It's hard to describe a male love interest without becoming a true fangirl, but let me tell you that he is not only the embodiment of utter sexiness, but he's pure power, and compassion and brute strength in one being, making him an entirely dynamic and riveting three-dimensional character. I also have to note that the villain in the book was equally fleshed-out and engrossing. Wa they heinous and evil? Of course, but the writing of Shatter Me allowed us to see what made him tick, giving an insider look into a dark and twisted mind. Most of all though, I have to say that the writing of Shatter Me was breathtaking. Truly, the words the author uses are so much more than just words. They're poetry, and they spin a riveting story that's mesmerizing not only in plot but in prose. The only downfall in that is that the writing is so pretty, it's hard to separate the writing from the story, in a sense. The beauty adds depth, but the writing is a treat, in and of itself.

Overall, Shatter Me was a fantastic addition to my growing dystopian collection. While some people don't love the cover and others are scared it won't live up to the hype - trust me. It's awesome. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all those who enjoy YA, especially those who enjoy dystopian novels.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.