Book Review: Shatter Me

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)
by Tahereh Mafi
Hardcover, 338 pages
Published November 15th 2011 by Harper/HarperCollins
ISBN 0062085484 (ISBN13: 9780062085481)
Challenge: Dystopia Reading Challenge
Source: Bought

Summary:

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.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Review:

I have a serious love-hate relationship with Shatter Me. This has been gaining a lot of followers even before the official release. And after reading, I finally understood why. But I also understand why some people would find this, for the lack of word, irritating.

Tahereh Mafi's writing is unique. It has a gripping feel to it. That, coupled with an unpredictable plot and intriguing characters make this for a compelling read. I felt awkward at first though, what with all the strike-throughs. But after some time, I grew to liking them, but there were still times that I find them tiring.

Juliette was locked up in a cell for a murder she did not intend to commit. It had been almost a year since she last saw or talked to another person. During her time in the cell, she had bouts of doubt whether she had become insane. She was very scared, especially when all of a sudden, a new prisoner was thrown in the same cell. She was careful of what she said to Adam, for fear that she might scare him and think of her as crazy. It explains all the strike-throughs in the book; the things she wants to say, but did not dare utter. Also, the repetitive words/phrases. I think it's to remind herself that she was alive and she was okay and that she hasn't lost her mind yet.

I think the characters are okay. They intrigue me, but they're the least of my favorites in the book. I like Juliette, but I couldn't connect to her. Warner especially intrigues me the most. I'd like to know more about his obsession for Juliette. He's also very villain-ish, which is strange for a human teenager. But the most awkward part of the book, for me, was the ending. I really have nothing against X-Men, but I'd rather watch them than read about them.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars