Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 4/5 stars 

When you start a series blind, the result of actually liking it is thrilling. This was exactly what happened with “Shatter Me” because I vaguely remember reading something about it and one day I just decided to give it a try. No questions asked. I am very happy of this idea and I will continue reading it, because the plot is great and of my liking.

We find Juliette, a teenager with special gifts. She can’t touch anybody without hurting or killing them. At the age of 14 she was sent to an institution by her parents and received heavy treatment that included medicine, torture and shocks. She lives in her own world, believing no one will help her escape. Her hope is lost and her inner voice is shattered, thinking people like her don’t deserve to be happy or loved. One day, in her chamber, a young man is let in and the 2 become room-mates. His name is Adam and he seems very interested in getting to know Juliette. Surprisingly, Juliette lets him in, begins to talk and the 2 of them bond rapidly, actually falling in love. When Juliette will find out that Adam is not who she believes, she will have to trust him and make a leap of faith, that can be her path towards freedom. Memories will be triggered and Juliette will realize that this is not the first interaction she had with Adam.

“Shatter Me” is exciting, thrilling, with great characters and narrative style. This is my first Tahereh Mafi book, but I liked it greatly because her style is unique. Her sentences are long, lyrical, that might confuse you sometimes, but they actually make sense. The melody of them won my heart and explain soooo much of the feels and thrills of the book. It is something distinct, which I have never experienced before, but I would be thrilled to keep on exploring because it managed to surpass words and transmit deeply.

Juliette is special and I had the vision of reading something cut from X-men. She is like this teenager/super heroine who discovers her powers and has to decide if to use them for good or evil. Her love for Adam is the trigger in this plot and he will lead her in a journey of loyalty and decisions that will keep you amazed and excited. Even if she might be young and slightly confused, because her interaction with the outer world was limited, she was very persistent and keen of her desires and beliefs. She will do anything to not betray and she will follow Adam into a new future which can mean so much for the 2 of them. We will see her interact with many other characters and her personality will grow and shift throughout the book. We still have much to learn about her.

Clearly I loved the book, but I wanted to see more of Juliette and Adam and their adventures. I know book 2 will have so much more in store, so looking forward to reading it quickly.