#shatter me review

[starrynightsxo]

FULL SHATTER ME SERIES BY TAHEREH MAFI BOOK REVIEW

NO SPOILERS AHEAD

1) Shatter Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 -> lays a good overall foundation of the books and nice introduction to the fmc

1.5) Destroy Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -> provides much-needed mmc POV which helps us understand him more

2) Unravel Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -> interesting "unravelling" of events, feel like this book is crucial to the plot and her character development

2.5) Fracture Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ -> least favourite due to a certain character POV...

3) Ignite Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 -> I liked how the fmc and mmc relationship progressed and the plot was starting to come through more as well. Both complimented each other and there was some nice development.

4) Restore Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -> It was a bit boring at first but the ending saved it and was INTERESTING.

4.5) Shadow Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 -> Kenji POV was much appreciated and I liked but I felt that there wasn't much movement and it felt a bit unable to flow?

5) Defy Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 -> Took some time to get into BUT there were some good plot twists and revelations to keep things interesting.

5.5) Reveal Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -> For Kenji lovers, it had some plot but it focused more on him. Felt it had more flow than in Shadow Me and I enjoyed the actual plot more in this.

6) Imagine Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 -> All in all, I found the beginning a bit boring but it was the end that pulled it through for me. If you don't read for anything else, read for after around 100 pages because that is where it gets interesting.

6.5) Believe Me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 -> A great wrap up of the whole series I thoroughly enjoyed this fluff filled novella. After the whole series I felt the fmc and mmc got the end they deserved and it was worth reading every part of this book. Especially how the relationship between the mmc and others grow even more and it's nice to see him come to realise this.

Time taken to read full series: 3 days shy of 1 month (from a moderate reader)

[maddiesnowflake]

SHATTER ME TRILOGY REVIEW-

2/5 stars…

Almost every review of this series that I have seen raves about how amazing it is. I have to disagree. For some context, here is the plot summary of book one:

“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, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.”

A plot summary for books 2 and 3 really isn’t needed since the storyline is so hopelessly redundant one can barely distinguish each book from the other. Essentially, the main character Juliette is rescued from her prison by the ruggedly handsome Adam Kent. They are taken to a District 13-esque underground base by the comedic relief character, Kenji. A resistance movement against an evil government whose motives are never clearly defined is introduced, a love triangle is formed between Juliette, sexy Adam and bad guy turned good sexy Aaron (who- plot twist- is Adam's long lost brother) , our main character discovers that she’s a super powerful girl boss, she takes down the government, becomes the government….yaddah yaddah yaddah.

My main issue with this book isn’t necessarily the plot. The concept of a person who can’t touch others without killing them is intriguing. The two sexy male characters that are conveniently the only people who can touch her without dying from her powers are obnoxious, but what can we expect from a dystopian YA novel? The thing is, a lot of the issues with this book are issues typically associated with YA novels, and in most books, they can be overlooked. BUT THIS BOOK HAS SOME OF THE WORST WRITING I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE.

The chapters (which vary in length, sometimes 1, 2, 3, or 15 pages long) are fraught with sad attempts at profound metaphors. Allow me to provide you with a few examples:

“Raindrops are my only reminder that clouds have a heartbeat. That I have one, too.”

I've never heard about clouds with a heartbeat, but whatever makes you happy I guess.

“I only know now that the scientists are wrong.

The world is flat.

I know because I was tossed right off the edge and I've been trying to hold on for 17 years. I've been trying to climb back up for 17 years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand.”

I think we can all agree that this metaphor could've been made without the declaration that the world is flat, but that line will definitely cause the reader to do a double take!

“I am nothing but novocaine. I am numb, a world of nothing, all feeling and emotion gone forever.  I am a whisper that never was.”

.....this speaks for itself. or maybe it doesn't speak, since it's novocaine.

“Every butterfly in the world has migrated to my stomach.”

this imagery both disturbs and confuses me

"My eyes are 2 professional pickpockets, stealing everything to store away in my mind."

quick writing lesson: when a number is less than ten, you write it out in word form!! also what. just what.

"They want to delete every point of punctuation in my life from this earth."

“And we are quotation marks, inverted and upside down, clinging to one another at the end of this life sentence. Trapped by lives we did not choose.”

punctuation metaphors are really a theme here. quite possibly the only theme of this series.

"My mouth is sitting on my kneecaps."

"My jaw is dangling from my shoelace."

"My eyelashes trip into my eyebrows; my jaw drops into my lap."

There are so many other normal ways to just say she was surprised! I simply cannot understand the thought process behind these absurd sentences.

"My stomach is a flimsy crepe, my heart is a raging woodpecker, my blood is a river of anxiety."

"I crumble to the floor, folding into myself like a flimsy crepe."

The fact that a crepe metaphor was used at all, let alone twice in one book, is completely bizarre.

[…]his lips his lips his lips are 2 pieces of frustration forged together.”

This pattern of crossing out and repeating phrases is repeated several times throughout each chapter, and it is sooooo irritating.

To conclude, this book series gave me the same vibes as most soap operas: terrible quality, the plot is filled with intrusive twists that make no logical sense, and the characters have about as much depth as a puddle.

I will admit that I was entertained by this series, hence the two stars instead of one. But I was entertained in the same way a train wreck might be entertaining. This series is so bad it's hilarious. The fact that someone wrote this, reread it, thought it was decent, an editor read this, also thought it was decent, and then had it published is so strange to me.

If you are the type of reader who enjoys plots that aren't thought out whatsoever, if you can stomach the cringiest of writing phrases, if you are okay with the most muddled and rushed endings ever, and if you enjoy the most cliche events possible , you may be able to enjoy this series. Or maybe you can enjoy it while seeing it for the ridiculousness it is. However, if you read this and think that you have walked away with some profound and thought provoking quotes like a majority of people on the internet seem to think, please reevaluate. Expand your reading horizons. Try some classic literature. Or something.

anyways this is not as harsh as it sounds, please don't be offended if you are a huge fan, just my opinion. :)

[matchaskiiess]

I’ve actually been laughing at this review of shatter me for a while now idek why 💀

[brunhielda]

Because this is becoming THAT blog-

The one where I review old movies we all have already seen, but I personally, have not seen for years until recently.

I just watched “An American Tale.”

If you were a child of the 90s, you just thought- “There are No Cats in America 🎶? THAT American Tale?”

Yes.

If you had that thought, you likely already know. If you have not had the absolute joy- buckle up. I am going to rant about a classic.

First of all- This is Don Bluth.

His movies do not get worse with age.

They get BETTER.

And American Tale is example number ONE.

No, it is not fond memories or nostalgia glasses, you can breath, and then go treat yourself to a viewing.

Secondly- the man did not dumb down or sanitize his history.

He said “I’m going to tell the immigrant story” and then opened with a fucking ethnic cleansing.

I said what I said.

The movie is set in the early Russian Empire, a time full of anti-Semitic sentiment and enforced laws, also seen in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Fiddler on the roof might actually be tamer on the subject.

Every other historical note in this movie is on point and easy enough to look up in a history book, if you have the common sense to realize that names have been altered.

The Statue of Liberty was not built by a pigeon, for example. It was built by a Frenchman. (Frederic Auguste Bartholdi).

I don’t know of an “honest John,” but I did guffaw out loud when he started taking names of the dead at funerals to add to his vote count. Ghost votes were very real, one of the reasons people are still so twitchy about voter fraud today.

I do not recall a moment in 1886 when the minorities of New York managed to run off prominate members of authority… but with how on point everything else is? It would not shock me.

Thirdly- Bluth DID NOT FLINCH

I don’t remember who said it first, but both Bluth and Spielberg had a belief that you could put very sad and scary things in children’s films, as long as the ending was happy.

This movie has multiple nightmare moments. Cats, monster waves, more cats, bugs and fish, and of course, the horrifying “Mouse of Minsk” (iykyk).

The thing is, it’s not even how they are drawn. Like, yes, the image is scary, but it’s the storytelling around it. It’s the lighting change. The soundtrack. The horrific sound effects. Seriously- whoever did foley on this film deserves all the awards- you make me scared of the kitty kats, and I LOVE cats. 🐈

Some people will question whether or not it is appropriate for small children. I would say maybe wait until they are six, and watch it with them, but they should watch scary things if they can. Being scared in appropriately safe space teaches you how to react to fear and handle moments when you are scared in real life. It is my major argument for Halloween. But each parent has to do as they think is best for each individual child. In any case, watch this one first before showing it to your kids- definitely more scary than you remember.

Finally- the animation on this film is a national treasure. I honestly hope this film is in the Library of Congress collection.

There are animation techniques here that don’t exist anymore.

Sparks. Sparkles. Glimmers. Stars in the Night Sky. Smoke billows.

Actually, I almost paused the film on a smoke billow. Sony is doing some things in the recent “Spiderverse” trilogy that are insane- and part of it is their mixed animation.

All the smoke billows? Hand drawn.

They look the same as Bluth’s smoke in this film, which is making me wonder if one of their artists studied under him. Maybe not- maybe they just did their homework on good hand drawn cloud formations. Either way, realizing how close they got to the master work in this film made me appreciate them even more.

Speaking of insane animation-

I don’t know WHO Bluth felt he had to show off to, but this man could DRAW WATER and he fucking knew it.

Like water is hard to do, ok? Like hands, Da Vinci had notebooks full of sketches of the substance, proving it to be the bane of the artistic existence.

Most water in hand drawn animation comes in two forms-

Flat water color with pretty things floating in it to distract you-

Or drawn over a live video of water that they spliced into the image.

Even that was hard to do, and they used a technology no longer available to us. It looks pretty cool honestly.

But no, not DON fucking BLUTH.

Not only can this man hand draw water without the underlying video, but he draws it moving in multiple different ways. He shows it from the top, side, and sinking underneath (with moving bubbles and shifting light, no flat blue for him).

He turns it into a NIGHTMARE FUEL WAVE MONSTER.

He ADDS it to SCENES it DIDNT HAVE TO BE IN!

The more I watched this film, the more I realized that if Milt Kahl had the head swaggle, Don Bluth had water, and by God was he going to use it.

He wrote plots AROUND the idea of water, so he could showcase it in every scene. “Rock-a-doodle,” and “Pebble and the Penguin” come to mind. “Anastasia,” “Thumbelina” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven” all feature action scenes in water. Heck- the one in “All Dogs Go To Heaven” came out of no where, and makes so much more sense if it was just Bluth wanting to show off.

“An American Tale” had the travel by boat sequence and our main hero being thrown over board. He could have left it there. NOPE. There were puddles and sewers and fire hoses and action scenes at the docks.

And the few scenes without water? Let’s throw some scary sparks in there. Maybe some smoke billowing. For funzies.

Also- we’re going to have a Love Song with the most incredible Night Sky you have ever seen and a Comedic song featuring fun house mirror distorted reflections because WHY NOT???

I think he was trying to make sure Disney regretted him leaving, the way you dress up when you know your toxic ex will be there, and I love that for him. 🩷

Also- the backgrounds are all beautiful water color. I love a good water color.

Also- yeah, the sound track holds up. The songs are just as catchy as they ever were- if you have ever seen this movie you WILL find yourself singing along.

As previously mentioned, when it comes to the scary parts, the composer UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT and the music easily fits into a good horror film.

And finally- the music at the finale when everything is made right, and the happy ending is finally here, is the most heart breaking thing you will ever hear. You will cry. Watch the movie, but bring the tissues. 🤧

This movie is definitely worth a watch.

This movie is more than worth a watch, it should be mandatory for elementary history and college animation classes alike.

But also it’s just fun. 🤩

[ilovecoralineandotherbooks]

God, you're so beautiful ... even when you lie to me.

Tahereh Mafi - these infinite threads

[stargazineyes]

Me when Aiden Crawford, Aaron Warner and Jack Ross (only men i love)

[su4vz]

The only good thing that Juliette’s mother (sry I mean Ella’s 👀 👀) did was growing back her hair

Dumbass also decided she liked the buzz cut

Like can u imagine if she kept it…

[bookhighlightss]

Okay so I'm done with half of shatter me and....

1. Aaron is only hurting juliette till now THATS NOT HOW YOU WIN A GIRLS HEART

2. Adam is so nice to juliette how is everyone hating on him I don't understand and from the booktoks he has a character underdevelopment and I'm not ready to watch that happen

3. Where is the booktok aaron warner IM WAITING FOR BOOKTOK AARON WARNER AAAAHHHHH

4. I love kenji tho ik he only appeared once till where I have read but I love him

Anyways... book review done I'll probably add more to this after I'm done with the book

[simpingforwomen]

Warner: my father gave me these scars as birthday presents

Kenji:

[starrynightsxo]

guys, just finished restore me.

what the hell was that???

spoilers below...

JULIETTE IS ELLA??? SHE HAS A SISTER??? SHES THE SUPREME COMMANDER OF OCEANIAS KID?? SHE AND WARNER HAVE MET BEFORE???? HER AND NAZEERA KNOW EACH OTHER (that one was obvious tbf)

[crippling-pages]

Finished book 1 of the Shatter Me series, and may I just say

Warner is the most delulu man I can ever met read.

He's also kinda crazy. Scratch that, really crazy. But sort of hilarious. I don't really know what you guys see in him, as of now. And now I'm a bit concerned for his mental health.

Adam seems alright. I don't know when I'm supposed to start hating him (because apparently Adam is the bad guy???)

Jame is my child. If he dies or if anything bad happens to that angel I will CRY.

Kenji>> I'm gonna be completely honest, I wanted to read Shatter Me not because of Warner, but for Kenji, and my boy is slaying.

I actually love Juliette a lot but there's something about her... ehhhh yeah. She's slaying though <3

But yeah. I have Unravel Me from the library right next to me, so I'll be reading that next. I'll keep yall update.

Thank you for listening to my Book Talk. Adiosss

[yourfavouritewerido]

I have big news

Tahereh Mafi is making a spin off series to shatter me!!! I am so excited for this book!! It is about james and this girl Rosabelle who works for the reestablishment, and she is an assassin. It’s set ten years in the future and James is on the island that the reestablishment is on in a jail cell, so… idk what going to happen

I am so so so excited for this book, but the only thing is that it comes out in April 2025😭😭😭

[readingdaydreams]

Just finished Ignite Me and I’m minutes away from beginning Restore Me.

The Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi has not let me down. I’m so captivated by the storyline and I’m so sad I’m coming close to the end.

☁️

Ignite Me thoughts:

So far this is my favorite out of the three I’ve read.

I just knew a group of Omega Point was still alive. I just knew it.

Adam pisses me off so much but I hope he starts to calm down within these last reads because sir?? You and Juliette broke up THREE times and you still have the nerve to say “it doesn’t count.” What?? Lmao

Please tell me I’m not the only one in love with Kenji? Like I get the Warner hype and I do love him… but Kenji?? Oh he’s my favorite 👀 I sincerely hope nothing happens to him, I’ll cry.

☁️

[astralesha]

every time i finish a book on my bookshelf i stick this on the back cover. a song from my likes that fits the vibe, my favorite quotes, a rating, and i use a color that i feel fits the book

i literally look forward to doing this the whole time i’m reading

[booklovers-hub]

Books are easily destroyed, but words will live as long as people will remember them.

~Aaron Warner

[andreai04]

That's all I ever was, I realize. A spare part kept in captivity. A backup weapon in the case that all else failed.

Shatter me.

Break glass in case of emergency.