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.
As always, I'm late to the party. I'm really late to reading this book and it didn't live up to the hype surrounding it; I flew threw this and I feel like it could have been shorter or some action could've been squeezed in there to fill out this book more. Also, I feel like at first, I loved the writing, but as I was almost more than half-way through, I got sick of Juliette and I wanted to strangle her. She was too weak and vulnerable and dramatic.. she got on my nerves!!
There weren't any characters to stand out in this one, I don't trust Kenji and I sure as hell DON'T trust Adam. Warner is a jerk and James is by far the only tolerable character. Witty humor is my thing, I love me a levity! In Shatter Me, there wasn't one character to lighten things up with some humor (such as Ron in Harry Potter, ah I love Ron).
My feelings are jumbled up about this book, but the writing throws it all away. Tahereh Mafi is absolutely eloquent and although this lacked world-building and some plot lines, I liked the metaphors and the deep thinking and repetition. I would say that it is either a hit or miss for some people and for me it was a total hit!
One thing that made me regret reading this too late is the fact that I didn't like Warner, not at all. It pisses me off that everyone is "Team Warner" for two reasons. One, I was searching for reasons to hate Adam and like Warner and I found none. Two, I don't want to revisit the Twilight drama all over again.. I'm not fond of love triangles and they make me hate the female protagonist.
Overall, I really did like this book. If you are awed by beautiful writing that hits you right in the gut then this book is for you, if not, then you'll be incredibly displeased. I would also recommend going into this with really low expectations and you'll be met with higher ones, I can guarantee you that.
Now for the spoilers..
(Highlight to view)
ADAM AND JULIETTE. This love story I didn't like.. I don't know whether it is because of the hype or because I just don't trust Adam. He gave me a lot of reasons not to trust him, he conveniently comes in as a cellmate and pretends not to know her, then he hands her on a silver platter to The Reestablishment?! No way.. if he loved her, he wouldn't do this to her. He wouldn't hand her to Warner!! I don't understand this.. It seems like Warner is right, she is his only way out of this place. I trust Warner, he is a jerk, but he is an honest jerk..
Now for the touching theories, how can both Warner and Adam touch Juliette? Is this something she can control or do they both have abilities too? It doesn't make sense to me, I want a solid reasoning to the fact that they both can touch her! And if they have abilities and can touch her, why doesn't everyone else with abilities touch her? Like Kenji, Winston and Castle?
I'm starting the second book straight away, I need ANSWERS! So frustrated.. Also, this would make a great movie! Right?!! ..
Share your thoughts down below, I'd love to read them!
Have a great day everyone.
Oh god, you don't know what your review's doing to me! I absolutely loved Shatter Me and totally get your confusion over Adam and Warner. To be honest, I liked Adam a lot in the first book but didn't trust Warner, he seemed weird, idk.
ReplyDeleteThe writing is indeed beautiful and I loved all the crossed out sentences and words - it made me understand Juliette and her thoughts a lot better. Trust me when I say it'll get better. You'll get used to everything and everyone and soon you'll change your opinion on most of the characters (probably). :D
I already wrote you a message on Goodreads (I hope you read it!) and had I known earlier that you finished the first book I would have told you to read the first novella "Destroy Me" before the second book - it's about Warner and I think you'd see him in a different light if you would have read that first! I guess you'd understand the "Team Warner" fraction immediately :D
Either way it's an amazing review and I'm glad it made you curious for the other ones! I can just say that it all gets better with every book - the characters, the world, the backgrounds of everyone and so on! I'm soooo excited for your next reviews - you know where to contact me, so I'm telling you now: SPAM ME WITH MESSAGES AND THOUGHTS (only if you want to, of course!) :D
REALLY?! I feel like there's something seriously weird about Adam, and Warner is just an outcome of terrible parenting so I don't really blame him for his psycho moments.
DeleteYES! Tahereh Mafi is a genius. I want to jump straight into Ignite Me, it was on almost everyone's Top 14 Books of 2014
I read it, OF COURSE!! And as you know, I already read Destroy Me.. hahaha, THANK YOU FOR THAT
Thank you so much beautiful, I definitely am and definitely will be spamming you with messages, it's a relief you're not annoyed by them *blushes*
Hhaha I haven't read this series either although I am about to. I just seem wary about the hype because too much hype tend to raise my expectations of the book sky-high and I will only end up disappointed. But I hope to read this soon to see if I might like it. :)
ReplyDeleteUnderCover Critique
Yes please do! I'm halfway through the second book and loving it! It's an amazing dystopia. Don't raise your expectations too high, trust me. Do it soon!! and I'll be waiting for your review :)
Delete