Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette has lethal magical touch. Whenever anyone touches her bare skin, their life seems to be sucked away from their body. Her parents think that she is dangerous. Her teacher used to make her work alone. She never has the luxury to feel love from another human being. Only fear and isolation. 

But things happen when people touch me. Strange things. Bad things. Dead things.

I can’t remember the warmth of any kind of embrace. My arms ache from the inescapable ice of isolation. My own mother couldn’t hold me in her arms. My father couldn’t warm my frozen hands. 

I live in a world of nothing. 

No one ever treats her nicely. No one ever cares. Because she is a monster. Juliette accepts the insult from her schoolmates. She never fights back even though she can. She can be a real monster, but she doesn’t want to lose her piece of humanity. Then one accident happens, and suddenly, Juliette is sent away to an institution. 

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. 

Juliette has lost hope, and she thought that she will be forever alone in her cell. But suddenly, Adam comes to her life. Adam, the guy who comes in and become her cellmate. Adam, who seems to be genuinely care for her. Adam, the guy who turns out to be a soldier spying on her. Adam, the guy who went to third to ninth grade with her. Adam, the closest thing to a friend she ever had. Adam, who is strangely immune to her touch.

Together, they find hope in their shattered life and risk their life to escape from Adam’s boss, Warner. Warner wants Juliette and her power. He has horrible plans to use Juliette’s power to give him more power. He wants Juliette, and he will never back down. Can Juliette escape from Warner and keep Adam alive in the same time? Will she finally convince herself enough that she may be not a monster?

Shatter Me is a wonderful read, and I enjoyed it immensely. The writing is strange yet creative with lines like this to show Juliette’s inner thought. Juliette’s mind is overflowed with emotion and feelings, so there are a few times you will see line with adjective adjective adjective or verb verb verb without comma or anything to make up with the Grammar police. It becomes a little confusing sometimes.

The little question I want to ask about this book is why Juliette doesn’t wear glove all the time. The accident happened because she touched the kid with bare hand. If I were Juliette, I would use glove all the time so I won’t hurt anyone in coincidence.

Aside from the little flaws, I think this book deserves my praise. The first book of this series ends well and I can hardly wait to read the next book. I love the idea of the story! Probably the most favorite thing in this book is Adam and Juliette’s relationship. They practically crave each other, and it’s so sweet that they already have their eyes set on each other from a very long time. There are many kissing in this book and I must say… they are pretty intense scenes. If you’re looking for a great YA book with passionate love relationship and beautiful writing, then you should grab this book! 

But being around so much love has managed to thaw my frozen parts into something human. I feel human. Like maybe I could be a part of this world. Like maybe I don’t have to be a monster. Maybe I’m not a monster. 

Maybe things can change.

I rate this book: 

Four cups of tea! Amazing! Love the book, it’s simply awesome! I love the tea flavor! A strong recommendation!