8.4 /10 1 Votes
4.4/5 Barnes & Noble Language English Media type Print (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-06-208548-1 Page count 338 Publisher HarperCollins | 4/5 Goodreads Country United States Publication date November 15, 2011 Pages 338 Originally published 15 November 2011 Genre Young adult fiction Followed by Unravel Me | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Similar Tahereh Mafi books, Shatter Me Series books, Young adult fiction books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shatter me by tahereh mafi booktalk with xtinemay
Shatter Me is a young adult dystopian thriller written by Tahereh Mafi, published on November 15, 2011. The book is narrated by Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a lethal touch and is unique in that it contains passages and lines that have been crossed out. The second book in the series, Unravel Me, was published on February 5, 2013. The third book in the series, Ignite Me, was published on February 4, 2014.
Contents
Film rights for Shatter Me were optioned by 20th Century Fox in 2011, prior to the book's release date. Of her inspirations for the work, Mafi has stated that she drew inspiration from "an interest in human nature and [humanity's] ability to overcome great obstacles".
Plot
Shatter Me follows the narrative of Juliette Ferrars, a 17-year-old girl with a paralyzing and killing touch. She can take living organisms' energy. The book starts out with Juliette in an asylum due to the fact that she murdered a small boy three years prior. It is evident that Juliette is partly insane, both from isolation and at horror at herself; she also dreams of a bird. She writes in a small scrap of a notebook to convey her feelings as she has no one to talk to. Soon, she gets a cellmate who goes by the name of Adam Kent. He reminds Juliette of someone, but she convinces herself that it is not possible that Adam is that person. She shows Adam the ways of the asylum, such as not to eat the scalding food immediately, and when the asylum's occupants are allowed to shower. One day, the Reestablishment, a government that has the world within its grasp, comes for Juliette. It is revealed that Adam is a soldier for the leader of Sector 45 of the Reestablishment. The leader, Warner, gives Juliette an offer that includes her being able to get out of the asylum in turn for her torturing any prisoners with her touch. Warner forces Juliette to torture a soldier named Jenkins and a small child through a simulated torture room because she wouldn't touch Warner. During her captivity, Juliette develops a romantic relationship with Adam, and we learn that Adam was Juliette's childhood friend, and is in love with her. We also learn that Adam can touch Juliette without being harmed or killed. Adam eventually helps Juliette escape from Warner, and as they escape, Warner's hand brushes against Juliette's ankle, which shows us that Warner can also touch Juliette without consequence. They meet up with Adam's 10-year-old brother James, at Adam's house. One of Adam's fellow soldiers, Kenji Kishimoto shows up claiming that Warner had him tortured in order to learn Adam and Juliette's whereabouts. Kenji says that he knows a safe place where they can escape, and they formulate a plan. Juliette and Adam split up with Kenji and James. While split up, Adam and Juliette are captured, and Warner shoots Adam.
Warner drags Juliette into an abandoned classroom, and tells Juliette that he might love her. Juliette kisses Warner and seduces him to get his gun from him. She shoots him even though she is surprised by the spark ignited in her. She finds Adam in a slaughterhouse, and they escape. They meet up with Kenji, and James, who Kenji gave sedatives.
At the end of the book, it is revealed that Kenji is a member of the Rebellion against the Reestablishment called Omega Point. Adam, Juliette and James are recruited by, and then join, the Rebellion.
Reception
Reviews for Shatter Me have been mixed, with many reviewers stating criticisms while overall recommending the work. Kirkus Reviews praised Shatter Me for its love story, but said that the ending "falls flat" and that there was an "overreliance on metaphor". Publishers Weekly cited that while the book "doesn’t escape some rookie pitfalls," author Tahereh Mafi "combines a psychological opener with an action-adventure denouement in her YA debut," ultimately calling it "a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks". Booklist gave a mixed review, noting that there were "plot conveniences and melodramatic writing to spare" while praising it for its "rip-roaring adventure and steamy romance scenes".
A youth reviewer for the National Post recommended it highly, stating that it had "just the right amount of action to make it thrilling, but not exactly gruesome." It was included in BuzzFeed's list of Best YA Books of All time.
Awards
Characters
Sequels
Shatter Me is the first in a trilogy. An e-book novella titled Destroy Me, set after Shatter Me and before the sequel, Unravel Me, told from Warner's point of view, was released on October 6, 2012. Unravel Me, the second book in the series, was released on February 5, 2013. A second e-book novella titled Fracture Me, set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, told from Adam's point of view, was released December 17, 2013. The last and final book in the series is titled Ignite Me and it was released on February 4, 2014. On the same day that Ignite Me was released, Unite Me was also released. Unite Me contains the two novellas, Fracture Me and Destroy Me, combined into print for the first time ever, and it also features an exclusive look into Juliette's journal.