Shatter Me
Shatter Me Book 1
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Pages: 338
Published: 2011
Juliette has been isolated for 264 days after her touch, which is fatal, led to her imprisonment by The Reestablishment. The world around her is in chaos, with diseases, food shortages, and environmental issues plaguing humanity. The Reestablishment, having once seen Juliette as a threat, now views her as a potential asset in their fight for survival. Juliette faces a critical decision: embrace her role as a weapon for The Reestablishment or fight as a warrior for a different cause.
Picking this up in 2024 feels surreal, considering it’s been on my TBR since 2011. I found the series entertaining but frustratingly slow, with pacing issues and unrealistic character decisions. For example, Juliette’s swift distrust of Aaron over a minor lie seemed like an overreaction. I had to remind myself that I’m now a thirty-something and not the target young adult audience, as the story definitely reads as such.
Juliette’s character was underwhelming—neither loveable nor hateable, just mediocre. Initially, the narrative focuses heavily on her isolation and mistreatment, but her strength only develops later, and even then, she often appears weak and struggles with leadership. She acknowledges her difficulties but seems to lack growth. I actually enjoyed ved Aaron Warner *in theory*. Because truthfully, Adam, was cardboard, didn’t seem like the best fit for Juliette (love triangle spoilers). He didn’t really build her up like Warner. And Warner is a great example of morally grey. Was he a bit psycho? Yes. But did he try to do the right thing by his people? Yes.
The writing itself was fine, but the story feels more like a romance with a dystopian backdrop rather than a true dystopian novel. If you’re expecting a strong dystopian element, you might be disappointed—it’s primarily a romance.
