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Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)

by Tahereh Mafi (Goodreads Author)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 34,498 ratings · 5,631 reviews

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, foo...more

Hardcover, 338 pages

Published November 15th 2011 by Harper

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YA Dystopia Novels

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May 19, 2013 Haleema rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: brain-cells-went-bye-bye, cheese-pizza, just-begging-for-snark, author-y-u-no-destroyed, half-wit-heroine, need-my-nutella, snape-disapproves, bull-shawarma, hating-with-all-my-hate, lame-rip-offs-of-other-works, oh-not-again, its-so-stupid-it-hurts, my-vomit-is-nicer, thesaurus-is-its-bff, i-never-listen, what-a-joke, what-the-falafel, thats-not-writing

Oh, friend. Recommend me a book that is good. Something that does not treat its sentences like they're handicapped, something that is not over-saturated with painful, utterly nonsensical metaphors, something that does not contain a useless, befuddled pool of roses disguised as a heroine, and something that will not flip my brain upside down.
description

ERMAHGERD READ SHATTER ME!
description

What did you do to me.

The ~~monstrosity~~ writing:
You see, Mafi's style of ~~monstrosity~~ writing varies.

Let me categorize:

The who-do-thi...more

326 likes · like · see review

Dec 19, 2011 Marg K. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-star-rating

WARNING: The proceeding review contains some necessary & unavoidable spoilers. It also contains my honest uncensored thoughts, feelings, and opinions. I don't bite my tongue, and I really did not like this book. So, if you can't handle any of that, then I suggest you move along.

Alrighty, let's begin.

First off, I honestly did not think anyone could outrank Divergent's Tris on my Most Annoying and Unlikable YA Heroines of the Year list. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Juliette from ~~The Emo Dia~~...more

342 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, dystopia-utopia, 2012, annoying, bloody-awful

This is not a dystopia, it is a romance. This is not a novel, it is a collection of similes and metaphors, most of which do not make sense. I originally gave Shatter Me two stars because that's my sort of kneejerk reaction to books I don't like, but after thinking it over for a while, I can't recall anything positive about it that would justify a rating of more than one star.

You're probably assuming - correctly - that I went into this book with low expectations. This is completely true. Any so-...more

220 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 The Holy Terror rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, young-adult, dystopia, science-fiction, asian-characters, terrible-writing, hated-this-book, waste-of-time, 2011, dumb-females, dumb-males, abandoned-series

I always wonder about raindrops.
I wonder about how they’re always falling down, tripping over their own feet, breaking their legs and forgetting their parachutes as they tumble right out of the sky toward an uncertain end. It’s like someone is emptying their pockets over the earth and doesn’t seem to care where the contents fall, doesn’t seem to care that the raindrops burst when they hit the ground, that they shatter when they fall to the floor, that people curse the days the drops dare to tap

...more

143 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2012 Kat Kennedy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, oppressive-dystopian-regime, to-ya-or-not-to-ya, the-great-shelf-of-meh, ya-pnr-maddness

Shatter Me, otherwise known as: When Creative Writing Class Goes Wrong.

I am all for experimental writing, for stretching your abilities and trying to find fresh ways to express ideas. Occasionally you end up with genius, but most of the time you result in pretentious, awkward prose that stick in the proverbial craw of readers. This book is that writing. There are plenty of examples that I can give as evidence – but I shall stick with two relatively short ones:

“His eyes s...more

136 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2011 Phoebe added it

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy

It was a handful of years ago now that I went away to Florida for graduate school. I was going to study poetry, though I already fancied myself a bit of a poet. What I hoped to learn most of all—and I'm not sure I ever articulated this to my peers there, though maybe I did, on some night obliterated by cheap beer and sweat—was control. Being a "master" of an art, I thought, is to tame that art—to control it fully, to have words at your command, to know when to rein them in and when to let them r...more

63 likes · like · see review

Jan 29, 2012 Meg ♥ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, z-2011-reads, disappointing

Didn't finish. I simply stopped reading this book today, and it wasn't because it was boring or anything like that. I just did not care for Mafi's writing style. The over use of metaphors and strikeout tools caused a constant distraction, and the book was just not interesting enough for me to want to struggle through something that annoyed me so much.

The book (well what I got to, anyway) read like a super annoying IM by a 12 year old girl that just learned what a metaphor is. Do we REALLY need...more

85 likes · like · see review

Dec 12, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who won't mind a character's voice built on pretty prose as a kind of coping mechanism

Shelves: dystopian-worlds-hells-and-cesspits, 2011-reads, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, surprisingly-liked, wowed-me, writer-crush, writing-to-which-i-aspire, prose-envy, best-characters, best-couples, best-endings, wish-i-had-read-it-earlier, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, forewent-sleep-to-read-it, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, heroes-i-love-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, reviewed

(Note: Goodreads friends and followers, you know me by now. You know that, even as much as I love a book, my reviews aren't always a resounding, "Oh my goodness, you need to READ THIS NOW! YOUR LIFE WILL BE SO MUCH FULLER BECAUSE OF IT!" I'm not that naive or arrogant to think that the books I love will be the books you love. Instead, my reviews are...chronicles of the experiences I had with books, and if that can help you decide whether certain books will be for you or not, then I'll be all the...more

78 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2011 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, young-adult, romance-in-disguise, read-at-your-own-risk, so-boring-it-s-boring, hello-my-name-is-mary-sue, idiot-protagonist, i-whine-therefore-i-am

Juliette Ferrars has been away from her parents for 3 years and incarcerated for over 260 days. Then one day, Adam Kent, a boy she knew as a child, appears. Thus begins an avalanche of activities that lead to Juliette escaping and learning to embrace her powers.

NOTE: I received this through the Amazon Vine program.

I want to clarify one thing, right off the bat. This is not a dystopian. This book is clearly a romance, set in a vaguely dystopian (i.e. highly stereotypically oppressive) society. Mo...more

44 likes · like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 e rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-and-ya, read-2011

You should be offended by this book.

Due to Amazon's acquisition of GR, I've removed this review. If you're so inclined, you can read it here.

35 likes · like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bea-2011, own-arc, signed-books, books-i-own

Absolutely incredible. Shatter Me is a novel that I will not soon forget.

What makes this novel so unforgettable. If I had to pick one thing it would be Mafi’s writing. Her depiction of Juliette’s voice is utterly captivating. There was one question that I battled with this entire novel and it’s the same one that Juliette asks herself. Who is she? To be in the mind of a character like that was absolutely shattering! (Pun intended.)

This novel has a bit of everything. I wouldn’t necessarily describ...more

53 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2011 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: boys-that-make-me-swoon, fast-paced-and-engrossing, oh-how-the-heart-flutters, conflicted-thoughts, arc

UPDATE: I stand up slowly, suddenly shaking with anger, hoping my legs won't collapse beneath me. "You think that because I am unwanted - because I am neglected and - and discarded -" My voice inches higher with every word, the unrestrained emotions suddenly screaming through my lungs. "You think I don't have a heart? You think I don't feel? You think that because I can inflict pain, that I should? You're just like everyone else. You think I'm a monster just like everyone else. You don't underst

...more

86 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2011 tonya. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arcs, dystopian-utopian-post-apocalyptic, ya, favorites-of-2011, swoons

~Spoiler-free~

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi is the story of Juliette, a seventeen year old girl who has been imprisoned for a dangerous and powerful ability she cannot control. She’s neither seen nor spoken—nor touched—another human being in 264 days; the only indications that she is not absolutely alone are the soldiers marching outside her tiny window and the screams the rend the night through thick concrete walls… neither of which are comforting. Her only outlets are the ragged notebook she kee...more ~Spoiler-free~

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi is the story of Juliette, a seventeen year old girl who has been imprisoned for a dangerous and powerful ability she cannot control. She’s neither seen nor spoken—nor touched—another human being in 264 days; the only indications that she is not absolutely alone are the soldiers marching outside her tiny window and the screams the rend the night through thick concrete walls… neither of which are comforting. Her only outlets are the ragged notebook she keeps balled beneath her mattress and the hope she holds with white knuckles—her only tether to sanity, it seems.

Before her existence distilled to four gray walls and one square window, she’d witnessed the degradation of the world—the food shortages, the environmental problems, the panic. She’d watch the Reestablishment step in, heard their promises of solution. She doesn’t know the state of the world now, but she can see the sky is the wrong color and weather follows no discernable pattern—other than holding a beauty she longs to touch.

She is utterly alone, cut off from the world and volleying between despair and hope—until she is given a cellmate. Adam’s arrival sets in motion a sequence of events that leads her to the very heart of the Reestablishment regime. She must make a choice: is her freedom worth more than the lives of others—than the lives of those who have taken freedom from her? Is she willing to fight—not only for what is right, but for herself?

I loved Juliette. I feel like in a lot of dystopian stories, the author has to choose between making their main character strong, or making them likable—like their strength has to supersede their heart, otherwise they will be considered weak-willed females, improbable in a leadership role. This is not the case with Juliette. Her greatest strength is her heart, beyond even that of her physical power.

Which is saying a lot, because her powers? Yeah, they’re super badass, despite being utterly inconvenient and dangerous. I have a feeling we don’t even really know what she’s capable of yet. But I know it will be awesome.

The story itself is complex—well-crafted and well-paced with three dimensional characters right on down the line. The antagonist is not a mustache twirling caricature, there were times I felt a pang of almost sympathy for him; I think there are greater depths to his character that have not yet been uncovered. Even the secondary characters are fully fleshed out—I’m halfway in love with Kenji, who provided some much needed levity, and would like to request some serious snuggle time with James.

And then there’s Adam. Guys. GUYS. I can’t with Adam. I just… I cannot. That’s all I’m going to say. (Except maybe ohmysweetsparklingjesushe’ssoflippinghotandexactlyzeropercentofmecanhandleit.)

There is a twist at the end that I think readers will either love or hate. I am in the love camp. I think it's an exciting idea which, if executed correctly, could bring a unique storyline to the YA world. But it will depend on the execution, as there's a fine line between an exciting and unique spin, and the bastardization of a much loved comic series. However, I have complete faith that Mafi can pull it off.

One of the things that really cemented SHATTER ME as a winner for me, was the fact that IT’S A COMPLETE STORY. It has a beginning, a middle and an end that could stand on its own even if there weren’t two more books in the series. I almost wept for the joy of this miracle.

The only complaint I have is this: Mafi’s prose is GORGEOUS. From an aesthetic standpoint I was absolutely in love with her writing style—so unique and lovely. As a reader you are completely in Juliette’s head; the narration reads the way a broken seventeen year old’s thought process should. However, I found myself distracted at times, pulled out of the action because I was focusing on actual writing itself. Thinking, “oh, I love the way she put these words together” instead of being totally immersed in what was going on. That is really my only complaint with the story. It's a minor complaint in SHATTER ME, but could prove to be a bigger detraction in the subsequent books, when I assume the action will ramp up and Juliette will be less introspective.

In short: this was awesome. You need to read it when it’s released in November. (less)

68 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Jessie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, triangle-of-love, won-t-order, made-me-smile, annoying-main-character, angsty-main-character

Warning: Mild Spoilers Ahead. Please read at your own risk.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

This is not a dystopian. This is a romance.

This is a book I've avoided for a very long time. I never had the guts to pick it up, afraid it might not turn out well. I'm glad I finally did, though. Not because it was amazing, but because I finally get why there are so many mixed reviews out there. I had my expectations for this book. I thought I was going to read something entirely kickass with an amazing storyline....more

23 likes · like · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mary-sues, no-me-gusta, kill-it-with-fire, wtf, dystopia, everyone-warned-me, young-adult, bad-romance, fantasy, paranormal, romance, sci-fi, i-threw-up-in-my-mouth-a-little, insta-love

Okay, I feel a little bit bad giving this book a one-star review, for several reasons:

a) I won it from a blog giveaway. And at the time I entered the giveaway, I really wanted to read it because I thought the premise sounded pretty neat. Now I know I probably should have just not entered, and perhaps someone else would have won it and enjoyed it more than I did. But, oh well.

b) The author is only 24, so she's probably still got a lot to learn.

c) The author is also Muslim, and apparently a lot of...more

73 likes · like · see review

Dec 13, 2011 Zemira Warner rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: dystopia, paranormal, book-to-movie, i-own, cool, favorite, flipping-pages, hot-guys, surprised-me, my-emotions, all-time-favorites, something-else, i-want-to-write-like-this

How awesome was this book? Well,I am going to tell you. Pretty darn awesome!

I am not very good at convincing people to read the books I loved so I am going to write this review without any pressure.

Here are some arguments:

1. if you are (like myself) a fan of X-Men,you will love it,~~or else~~...

2. If you are (like myself) a fan of strong and smart leading character like Juliet,you will love it.

3. If you are (like myself) a fan of totally shagable and caring guy like Adam,you will love it.

4. If...more

100 likes · like · see review

Dec 02, 2011 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-a-dtb, favorites, dystopia, i-have-superpowers, my-flat-army, paranormal-romance, role-models, ya

His touch is scorching my skin through the layers of fabric and I inhale so fast my lungs collapse. I’m caught in colliding currents of confusion, so desperate ~~so desperate so desperate~~ to be close so desperate to be far away. I don’t know how to move away from him. ~~I don’t want to move away from him.~~
I don’t want him to be afraid of me.

Seventeen-year-old Juliette Ferrars has spent the last three years imprisoned. Because of her unique ability to kill a person with a single touch, The Reestabli...more His touch is scorching my skin through the layers of fabric and I inhale so fast my lungs collapse. I’m caught in colliding currents of confusion, so desperate ~~so desperate so desperate~~ to be close so desperate to be far away. I don’t know how to move away from him. ~~I don’t want to move away from him.~~
I don’t want him to be afraid of me.

Seventeen-year-old Juliette Ferrars has spent the last three years imprisoned. Because of her unique ability to kill a person with a single touch, The Reestablishment has taken her from her non-caring parents and locked her in an asylum where she hasn’t seen another human being or spoken out loud for 264 days. She would know - counting is what she does to stay sane.
I’ve been neglected abandoned ostracized and dragged from home. I’ve been poked and prodded tested and thrown in a cell. I’ve been studied. I’ve been starved. I’ve been tempted with friendship only to be left betrayed and trapped into this nightmare I’m expected to be grateful for.
One day the door of her cell opens and a boy steps inside, a boy Juliette knows very well. The two of them have trouble trusting each other at first, but just as they manage to form a weak bond, Warner, one of the leaders of The Reestablishment, comes to take Juliette away, determined to turn her into a powerful weapon. Warner’s obsession with Juliette and the fact that she’s literally untouchable are the only things keeping her alive. Forced to choose between dying and killing other people for The Reestablishment, Juliette will do anything to find a third option, one that includes the boy she’s always loved.

I had no trouble picturing the world Tahereh Mafi created. In fact, when I try to think about what’s coming, that’s pretty much what I see. (I’m not exactly an optimist.) Terrifying soldiers in grey uniforms, grey concrete under a grey sky. Food rationing for everyone except for the privileged few. This is where I think she did an excellent job.

Ordinarily, I view decorative writing as something worthy of admiration. People like Maggie Stiefvater open up new worlds for me, or at the very least add colors that my eyes, until that point, refused to see. But there’s a huge step between poetic prose and beautiful-sounding nonsense, and I’m afraid Mafi crossed the line quite a few times. There were sentences that just didn’t make any sense, no matter how lovely they sounded. On the other hand, there were parts that simply took my breath away, and I loved how innovative and bold the writing was as a whole. All the repetition gave it an interesting rhythm, and the striked out text helped us understand Juliette’s inner conflicts.

I can’t wait to find out what these characters will do next.

He’s wrong he’s so wrong he’s more wrong than an upside-down rainbow.
But everything he said is right.

For this review and more, visit The Nocturnal Library
(less)

55 likes · like · see review

Dec 19, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 2 of 5 stars

Juliette describing Adam’s eyes

“...perfect shade of cobalt, blue like a blossoming bruise, clear and deep and decided”

“…careful, curious”

“… 2 buckets of rainwater; deep, fresh, clear”

“…blue and bottomless like the deepest part of the ocean”

“…tight”

“…as tight as his fists as tight as the strain in his arms”

“…bottomless blue”

“…blue blue blue”

“…midnight moment filled with memories, the only windows into my world”

“… always shining the darkness”

“…two pools of perfection, open, honest, humble”

“…a sha...more

149 likes · like · see review

May 19, 2012 Kira rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, tstl-heroine, made-me-want-to-choke-myself, lost-the-will-to-live, books-to-use-as-weapons, lolwut, so-boring-i-ate-my-own-face

This book was just awful.

Awful.

There is no other way to describe this book, but awful.

When I was about eleven or twelve, before we had the Great Garage Sale of the Noughties, my sister used to always sit me down and force me to watch this terrible movie called All She Ever Wanted. I watched that shit about seven times, and I got so abhorrently sick of it that eventually I hid it.

The DVD rack hit a status quo. All were happy. Until one day a neighbor took the first strike in the Great Garage Sale...more

99 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covergasm, all-time-faves, faves, dystopian, pretty-dress-on-the-cover, insta-love, creatively-original, owned-physical-copies, amazing-authors, guilty-pleasures, books-i-want-to-marry, deserves-the-hype, surprised-i-didnt-hate, wish-i-could-write-like-that

By the way, check out this fan made poster for the movie, if there ever was one.

Made by skellingt0n on deviantART.

I looove it! Exactly how I would picture a movie poster for this book.

_________________

I read this book in one sitting.

For five hours, I read this. It was a school night and I stayed up all night. That's how much this book pulled me.

I know that there are many people who didn't like this book, some even hate it, but... Gah, it was just so awesome to me! It's definitely one of those bo...more

86 likes · like · see review

Aug 04, 2011 Baby T-Rex rated it 2 of 5 stars

I got sucked into Shatter Me, despite its faults, because I was intrigued by the premise and wanted to know more. But despite an interesting setup and some pretty steamy scenes, the book ultimately fell flat.

The writing in Shatter Me moves back and forth between lyrical and distracting. Many of the metaphors make no sense and pull you out of the story. Also, anything more than 1 metaphor per page is too many in my opinion, and this book is just drowning in them.

There is very little world buildin...more

37 likes · like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 I am Isis rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction

~~This book is pretty darn bad.~~ This book is pretty darn bad.

Oh, darn, did I miss the point of the strikethroughs?

40 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Juhina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, own, signed-books, my-arcs, books-won, dystopian

I have been thinking about how to write my review of Shatter Me ever since i finished reading it last week. How can a book this beautiful and mind blowing be given justice in a couple of sentences? Or how can my writing show how great and absolutely inspiring Tahereh Mafi's writing is?

There is no doubt that Shatter Me is THE BOOK of 2011 for me. It beats all the 98 books i read this year, and is up on my top 5 books I've ever read in my life. Shatter Me left me hungry for more and just astounded...more I have been thinking about how to write my review of Shatter Me ever since i finished reading it last week. How can a book this beautiful and mind blowing be given justice in a couple of sentences? Or how can my writing show how great and absolutely inspiring Tahereh Mafi's writing is?

There is no doubt that Shatter Me is THE BOOK of 2011 for me. It beats all the 98 books i read this year, and is up on my top 5 books I've ever read in my life. Shatter Me left me hungry for more and just astounded, that I recommended this book to anyone who would listen!

Juliette's touch is lethal, anyone she touches either ends up in great pain or dead. She has been in an asylum for 264 days and she hasn't spoken to anyone for that long. The dialogues and struggles that goes through her mind are just so gripping. I was so fascinated by Tahereh's writing, especially when Juliette thinks a thought, but scratches it out (literally, the sentence would be scratched out). This way of writing sucks me in so deep into Juliette's mind, to the point that I can feel how real her pain and struggle is. The characters are all likable, even the villain! You get a glimpse of all the character's feelings and their own struggles, which reminds you that people are not pure evil or pure good, that each character ended up the way they are due to their surroundings and the people around them (nature vs. nurture debate: I believe in nurture).

The sizzling slow brewing romance between Juliette and Adam was magnificent! I didn't feel like anything was forced or unrealistic in terms of instant love. I especially loved the conversations Juliette has with herself when she starts to realize she's falling for Adam. A reaccuring word Tahereh uses is when Juliette blushes. She describes it as "Heat rushes through my neck and i fall off a ladder holding a paintbrush dipped in red" She turns a simple description into an extravagant beautiful one. I was reading so many of those to my sister, it was like beautiful poetry!

You can notice all I have is high praises for this book, even though I had unbelievable expectations for it. All I can say is that this debut novel and author are ones to look out for, because Tahereh Mafi's writing is like a work of art, and who doesn't want to witness something as beautiful as this?(less)

13 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2012 Bernardo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Metaphor lovers and people who don't mind cliches.

Shelves: 2012, edward-didnt-brood-this-much, dystopian, loved-it-to-bits, paranormal-stuff

Confession time: I loved this book. Yes, I know. It's terrible. I'm a terrible person. Oh, and a hypocrite. But anyway, this isn't about me, so let's proceed...

The thing you have to know about Shatter Me is that it is pretentious as hell. Does it succeed in being extremely pretentious? Yes. Does the knowledge that this is probably the most pretentious YA book written in recent history - if not ever - ruin the experience? Well, it didn't me for me.

See, what Ms. Mafi must've thought when she st...more Confession time: I loved this book. Yes, I know. It's terrible. I'm a terrible person. Oh, and a hypocrite. But anyway, this isn't about me, so let's proceed...

The thing you have to know about Shatter Me is that it is pretentious as hell. Does it succeed in being extremely pretentious? Yes. Does the knowledge that this is probably the most pretentious YA book written in recent history - if not ever - ruin the experience? Well, it didn't me for me.

See, what Ms. Mafi must've thought when she started this book was that she wanted it to sound different. "Let's take a different spin on the same storyline all YA distopians use nowadays", must've been her line of thought. Emphasis on must because there aren't many other train of thoughts that might've resulted in this book being written. It sounds different alright but deep down you know that it's basically the same thing as all other dystopians.

Now a warning: if you can't stand metaphors, if they annoy you, if they've ever done anything to harm you or your family, then stay the hell away from this book. More than half of the pages in this book are filled with metaphors. There are metaphors for blushing, beating hearts, shame, sex, touching, sadness, flowers, the weather, birds, what have you. If it's possible to turn something into a metaphor, Tahereh Mafi found a way to do it. Are some of the metaphors deep? Um, I guess. Are most of them pretty and fancy sounding? Oh, yeah.

Are all of them a constant reminder of how this book is striving for the overly dramatic and pretentious and it will not let go of it's objective? You betcha.

But if you can get past the metaphors and the pretentiousness, this is actually a pretty amazing book. The plot isn't going to blow your mind and you've seen these characters before but everything feels so interesting that you actually forget about the lack of novelty. Or at least I did, I don't know.

Juliette, the main character, does border Mary Sue-esque behavior, what with all the constant gasping and feeling shattered and destroyed and ravaged but really it's all consequences of all the dramatic metaphors so it's all forgivable.

In the end, Shatter Me is a total cliche that adds little to the aging distopian formula but manages to be gripping and fun. You fear and cheer for those characters, you want to know what's next for them and what sort of thigns they're capable of. Shatter Me isn't going to blow your mind, but it is going to pull you in so deep you won't want to get out of anymore.(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Oct 31, 2011 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-via-amazon-vine, damn-i-wish-i-could-write-like-that, the-decent-shelf-of-meh, arc

The stars say three, but let's call this a 3.5 because it just doesn't fall on a solid number.

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker. I received my copy through Amazon Vine.

Feared. Unloved. Unwanted. Juliette's life before she was taken away was not a kind one, but her life inside her prison has been no better. Cursed with a touch that can kill, she has not known regular human touch for a very, very long time. Then Adam, a piece of Juliette's past, is thrown in her cell and she discovers she ca...more The stars say three, but let's call this a 3.5 because it just doesn't fall on a solid number.

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker. I received my copy through Amazon Vine.

Feared. Unloved. Unwanted. Juliette's life before she was taken away was not a kind one, but her life inside her prison has been no better. Cursed with a touch that can kill, she has not known regular human touch for a very, very long time. Then Adam, a piece of Juliette's past, is thrown in her cell and she discovers she can touch him. She can touch him! As she draws closer to Adam, a war looms on the horizon and Warner, the leader of the sector she has been trapped in, wants her power on his side--and her by his side.

I liked Juliette and Adam--just liked, though. They were not terrible characters and their situations could evoke genuine emotional responses, but they did not go much deeper than that for me and their dramatic declarations of love got old after a while. Warner, that crazy diamond, was the character who was really able to shine in the novel. An obsessive, almost (but not quite) pitiable monster, He is not good for Juliette at all because of what he can do and what he represents, but for the reader and the book? He is very good. Then again, I have a special place in my heart for obsessive characters.

I was aware of Shatter Me's highly metaphorical style before reading, but the volume of it surprised me. Like all readers, I love novels with lush prose that can play around with formatting while doing it well; in fact, one of my favorite novels (Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson) does exactly this. There is one fundamental difference between the two that makes me love one more than the other. The prose of Wintergirls is very controlled and deliberate. Shatter Me also demonstrated such control of its prose, but when it lost control, it really lost it.

You know those demonic little children who run around drawing on the walls with crayons and screaming and jumping on couches and throwing tantrums so bad that the parents have to call in Supernanny? Yeah, that is how uncontrolled the prose of Shatter Me can get at times. It is not drawing on my face with permanent marker, but it does distract from the story it is trying to tell by having so much of that uncontrolled prose appear so often.

Despite the writing's tendency to run away, the content of the story piqued my interest enough that I definitely plan to stick around the the second novel in Mafi's trilogy. It took me some time to really get into the novel, but once I did, I was hooked and couldn't stop reading even if I'd wanted too (and I didn't). The plot, pacing, characters, and writing of the novel weaved a web to capture readers in this spellbinding novel. Check out excerpts and make your own decision!(less)

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Dec 06, 2011 JJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Honestly, I don't quite know what rating to give this book.

Here's the thing: Tahereh Mafi is totally gifted. She is a gifted writer. There is talent bubbling there and I think she's destined for great things.

Here's the "but": Her talent is completely wasted on this novel.

I like metatextual playfulness as much as the next literary snob, but what I felt was a mediocre and crassly commercial story was tricked out in too many gimmicks to be any good. (To be fair, I also love a great commercial stor...more Honestly, I don't quite know what rating to give this book.

Here's the thing: Tahereh Mafi is totally gifted. She is a gifted writer. There is talent bubbling there and I think she's destined for great things.

Here's the "but": Her talent is completely wasted on this novel.

I like metatextual playfulness as much as the next literary snob, but what I felt was a mediocre and crassly commercial story was tricked out in too many gimmicks to be any good. (To be fair, I also love a great commercial story as much as the next mainstream consumer.) To be frank, this novel was a bit of a mess: chock full of figurative language that limps as often as it soars, typographic elements used willy-nilly and to little effect, not to mention a steamy romance that steamed without setting any fires.

But. Oh, but BUT.

For every 25 times those "literary" gimmicks fail, there's 1 that scores. And it's that 1 that makes me believe this woman is gifted. She's got talent. She can be amazing. And I think what frustrated me most about this book wasn't that it was overambitious and overreached itself (as is often the case with gimmick books); it was that I felt her talent was wasted. With more focus, with more precision, and frankly, with a better vehicle, Mafi could have written something truly brilliant. Of course, it isn't fair to judge a book on the writer's potential; one should evaluate the text as it is.

Which again brings me back to the point that I simply cannot decide what rating to give this. A three for "yet another" dystopian (after working in editorial, I'm starting to feel glutted on these types of story--okay, maybe not "starting", but "have been for months now") which is neither here nor there, a two for the effectiveness, and a four for the momentary flashes of brilliance. I suppose it all averages round again, but make no mistake: this is not a bland book. This is a book for which I had all sorts of FEEEEEEELINGS, which, I suppose, is what an author wants from his/her audience anyway.

Edited to add: The further away I am from this book, the more its flaws begin to bug me. Some of the bloom is off the rose, so to speak.(less)

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Oct 14, 2011 Olivia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I’m conflicted about this book. Part of me is wondering “Where the hell was this when I was 16!” and part of me keeps thinking “How old is this damn author, sixteen?” Some of the imagery is beautiful and inventive, particularly when it comes to blushing—which the character does often, very often. And every time it’s another description, and sometimes the only way the picture that she describes is at all related to blushing is the color red making an appearance. This hammering repetition also app...more I’m conflicted about this book. Part of me is wondering “Where the hell was this when I was 16!” and part of me keeps thinking “How old is this damn author, sixteen?” Some of the imagery is beautiful and inventive, particularly when it comes to blushing—which the character does often, very often. And every time it’s another description, and sometimes the only way the picture that she describes is at all related to blushing is the color red making an appearance. This hammering repetition also appears when it comes to her and “the boy who might be her only hope.” The first few times, the unbelievable innocence and excitement is believable, thrilling, and reminiscent of the reader’s own first experiences. However, by the 10th time that her hands “fumble down his abs,” it feels a little old. The tension between them is no longer really being built, but rather just restated.

While I understand that touch is such an important thing to this character, just as important as sexual urges are to a 17 year old, the book started to feel a little too much like a harlequin novel. There was so much touching, and the focus was purely on the touching, so that the sort of soul-mate romance is lost under floods of hormones and muscle. For a girl that’s never been touched before, for a girl that’s been completely cut off from society, she’s awfully hungry for this boy, awfully aware of what she wants him to do to her.

Another issue is that I was hoping, what with the synopsis on the back and the first few chapters, that this would be a really strong female character. That she’d come into her own and stop being so damn nervous every second. However, she stays the same frightened girl and appears to draw her strength from this boy, this muscle-bound military man. There’s a surprising lack of character development.

But it is still a dystopian novel, and fairly decent in that aspect. Its terrors are just grounded enough in our current political climate to make them truly worrisome. The author is clearly trying to warn any members of the target generation. She clearly has more plans for her Juliette, as well.
(less)

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Aug 22, 2011 Carla rated it 3 of 5 stars

HAHAHAHAHA you guys, it is going to be SO funny when this book comes out because there is going to be pants melting ALL over the damn show. BURN BABY BURN ADAM INFERNO. I realise how distasteful it is of me to put these things on the internet when the source material isn't even available yet, BUT, you (unlike me) have like just shy of 3 months to mentally prepare yourself for this book, and maybe even fashion some flammable pants so you save yoself some dollar. So really, I'm doing you a favour...more HAHAHAHAHA you guys, it is going to be SO funny when this book comes out because there is going to be pants melting ALL over the damn show. BURN BABY BURN ADAM INFERNO. I realise how distasteful it is of me to put these things on the internet when the source material isn't even available yet, BUT, you (unlike me) have like just shy of 3 months to mentally prepare yourself for this book, and maybe even fashion some flammable pants so you save yoself some dollar. So really, I'm doing you a favour and well you are so totally welcome!! (also, I'm not posting plotline stuff, just my general ahhhh OMGGG reaction).

Mafi. Oh Mafi. YOU KNOW NOT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. Srsly, I don't think my head can even handle the whole shebang. Firstly, the writing is literally insane. INSANE. You know when you can't even wrap your head around how someone has managed to make you want to step into their words and keep them for a while because they are quite possibly too good to be true. Yeah? Well Mafi brings it. brings it real good. And it rocked my head off. Amazing writing has that fantastical ability to tear through everything and leave you feeling intoxicated, wanting more. The dreamy, heart wrenching prose to the harsh raw stabbing sentences that drop kick you like a mother plucker. The kind of writing that speaks a thousand times more than any plot thread imaginable. Talent. She gots it. Buy the fecking bucketful.

Also, Mafi totally graduated top in her class at Swoon School because holy effin shit. Maybe even wear some nice gloves to go with your homemade flame retardant pants, becase the heat IT KEEPS A COMING. And you guys know I pride myself on my knowledge of sexytimes, and yeah, I do judge a book by the sexytimes. Honestly, it was fucking magical. THANK YOU. I can totally invite you to the gun show because I actually have them now, on account of all the times I fist pumped the crap through the hotness. There is no denying that Shatter Me is 100% a Carla book, and yeah I could be bias on account of how hot this book was. But basically, you should read it just to find out. A captivating debut. (less)

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Sep 20, 2011 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

I was very excited to have gotten a hold of this ARC. I saw this book a while back and the cover first attracted me to read the blurb, which sounded fascinating. After reading it, I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint. It was quite the joyride: an exciting, fast paced dystopia. I've been a fan of dystopian novels since The Hunger Games and I'm always happy to find new gems in this exciting genre. I love the exhilaration, the emotional struggle and high speed survival that books like these a...more I was very excited to have gotten a hold of this ARC. I saw this book a while back and the cover first attracted me to read the blurb, which sounded fascinating. After reading it, I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint. It was quite the joyride: an exciting, fast paced dystopia. I've been a fan of dystopian novels since The Hunger Games and I'm always happy to find new gems in this exciting genre. I love the exhilaration, the emotional struggle and high speed survival that books like these are filled with.

Juliette has never been able to touch someone without inflicting pain, or worse. When her parents didn't know what to do with her, they send her away to ~~be locked up~~ an institution. It's a dystopian world, not so far in the future, where what's called The Reestablishment is trying to take over, and they want Juliette's power for themselves.

At first I wasn't really fond of all the striked out thoughts Juliette was having. They were distracting and I felt like I wanted to skip over them, but worry not, they dissipate towards the middle when she starts getting more rational. I do admit that it does help make her seem frenzied. Which is to be expected from someone witch her ability. Being locked up definitely did not help her sanity either. So, though it's an annoying format, it served it's purpose.

The writing was respectable. I saw a few minor plot holes here and there, but for a debut author - a 23 year old nonetheless - I was impressed. I found Juliette's situation to be very well portrayed. You could see that the stress of her situation affected her mentally as well as physically. It was realistic and true. The romance was a bit fast though; your typical YA love at first sight deal. But I looked to my inner teenage lust full heart and I okayed it. :)

I enjoyed the fast pace of this book. Weeks go by in a flash of a few pages. This doesn't always work in novels, but it sets the mood in this one. It does seem to go by faster than expected a time or two, but the story isn't affected by it and we get to move along with the plot instead of dwindling on idle facts. Towards the end, the story takes on a more casual pace and the world building get more elaborate. We delve deeper in the superpowers and conspiracies of their new age. The second novel should be pretty amazing!

I am currently hosting a giveaway on my blog - Xpresso Reads - for this ARC, ending September 27th. It's worth the read!(less)

24 likes · like · see review

Jan 19, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, favorite, books-i-reviewed, dystopian, owned-copy

"I've been locked up for 264 days. I have nothing but a small notebook and a broken pen and the numbers in my head to keep me company. 1 window. 4 walls. 144 square feet of space. 26 letters in an alphabet I haven’t spoken in 264 days of isolation. 6,336 hours since I’ve touched another human being."

The Rundown

The last time Juliette touched a little boy and he died. Her touch is lethal, she has a deadly power and whenever she touched someone something bad happened .The Reestablishment locked her...more

20 likes · like · see review

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About Tahereh Mafi

Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She’s 24. She writes books and reads books and drinks way too much coffee. SHATTER ME is her first novel, and the first of a trilogy, coming from Harper/HarperCollins on November 15, 2011. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox.

Her work is represented by Jodi Reamer of Writers House, LLC.

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Quotes from Shatter Me

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books.
In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.” — 1,259 people liked it

“All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.” — 1,097 people liked it

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