Shatter Me, Tahere Mafi
Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper Teen
Date: November 15, 2011
Pages: 354 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Teen, Romance, Supernatural, Superhero, Comic Book
ISBN: 9780062085481
Publisher Description:
“You can’t touch me,” I whisper.
I’m lying, is what I don’t tell him.
He can touch me, is what I’ll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Strange things.
Bad things.
No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.
But Juliette has plans of her own.
After a lifetime without freedom, she’s finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she’d lost forever.
Book Trailer:
Cover and Title Critique: Um….I am conflicted about this cover. It makes this look like Prom 2012. Are we going to prom? Do I need a poofy dress and no one told me??! This is a DYSTOPIAN novel which starts off in an insane asylum, moves on into a totalitarian government compound, and has a total super hero vibe by the time you finish. Just because there is a dress on page 243 (don’t quote me on that–I’m rounding numbers here) does not mean you portray this as a novel where the girl spends most of her time in ball gowns. Again, why the cover a model with a a wind machine? That is not who Juliette is. Who is this PR person? Could you imagine if they had put a picture of Katniss trying on her interview dress on the cover of the Hunger Games (this is no Hunger Games…but still). There are dresses in the Hunger Games, but the Hunger Games are not about dresses or pretty girls….you see what I am saying? AM I MAKING SENSE HERE? I mean…it is pretty…but ugh (le sigh)…I don’t hate it…but I think there was potential for a more commercial cover. Does that make me a horrible practical person–that I think in commercial terms as well?
This book is not meant to be pretty–it is meant to evolve into kickassness (Just thinking of you Mafi–I really like where you are going by the end of the novel). In regards to the title–I get it, but this book has been optioned as a movie by Fox (congrats to the author–YA lit is the new cashcow fountain of youth for movie studios). I am not sure the title is strong enough for a movie–I am kinda thinking they might change it (sadface–I hate when they do that). Can I just categorize the entire marketing of this as too glittery, too romance novely (is that a word–or should I just make one up–crappy romnovely)?
Alice says: Like it!
I really liked this book. I’ve read other reviews and seen some of the complaints but I want to start off with the pros–who doesn’t like to be complimented first before being told they were too this or too that? Tahereh Mafi is an AMAZING writer. YA is littered with writers that are JUST. SO. BAD. Mafi is not just good–she is immensely talented. She uses words beautifully. I love when I find an author I am excited about. Mafi–I am excited about you. You are going places.
So what did I think of the plot, the characters? I like Juliette. Look–if you’re looking for a character that is cut and dry, Juliette is not your heroine. She is in an insane asylum when the book starts off (and has been for way too long) and she reads like she is in an insane asylum (get this girl an ATAVAN). She is one step away from writing on the walls in her own blood. Her thoughts are jumbled, she is hurting and her world is bleak. Mafi works you through her layers of thought, careful to unravel a raveling person–which is wonderful and novel. She takes time to do it too. I heard complaints about how this is a slow process–um…no. It takes time to do this…and I appreciated it. It is realistic and well written. The government is erasing all things–religion, art, language, music, nature….and she is stuck in a room hearing about it. Let her have her moments to lose her mind, ok?
Juliette is cursed has a power that is at the center of the entire plot story–one that I think any comic book reader will immediately trace back to its origin–ROGUE from X-Men (yay X-MEN!!!). I could not write a decent review for this book without acknowledging, without spoiling too much, that Mafi borrows heavily from X-men mythology/ idontevenknowhoworwhattocallthis. I’ve noticed this type of borrowing/being influence in many of the books I love so I will leave it at that. Does this bother me? I don’t know. I will compare it to sampling in music. I think there is X-men sampling here–but at least in the first part of the trilogy, I will say it doesn’t bother me–much (because it is only sampling so far. Juliette is Juliette. She is not Rogue–yet.
Mafi’s dystopian world is one of her strongest features in the book. There are so many descriptions of what went wrong that I wanted to dogear and discuss with people. I loved it. It is dark and ominous–and still full of discussion and teeming with people who are angry and not sure what went down exactly. It is still falling apart! YES!!! Most dystopian worlds are already set. Authors just show you. Not this world–its crumbling, revolutions (yes–multiple forms) are still everywhere, and everyone is still in shock and trying to grapple with what is. No one has adapted to the new ways of living, new ways of eating, the new governments–this is what you want to see if you are a dystopian fan. You want disorder. You do not want it wrapped up in a neat bow. It was like dystopian porn. This world was a nice surprise.
So, were there character’s to fall in love with? Yes–but they would be a spoiler for you (SADFACE). But when you meet him, you will know and love him too. You will love his whole street (don’t say I didn’t warn you!!). I think the relationship I am referring to (damn cryptic writing) is Mafi’s strongest writing–relationship speaking. Juliette and Adam (the inevitable love interest) were an interesting choice. He is not your typical YA boy toy–no sparkling skin or fangs here readers (sorry….I will try to keep my Twilight distaste to a minimum at RHR–once a post, ok?)! He has tattoos and is a military boy! Gasp! Swoon! Could it be readers–a bad boy? I laugh as I write this–all that was missing was the motorcycle and a lip ring. Their relationship and history is worth the read (you just have to get through some of the heavy metaphors that run through Juliette’s lovesick traumatized mind. There is quite a bit of metaphor written into the prose in this novel, but I think it is part of the charm (most of it revolves around the dreamboat, sexypot, terminator, Adam. Sorry, my sarcasm has ended. I did like this novel, I swear. It is just early on Saturday–and I never get to cross words out. I now know why Mafi had so much fun doing it in the novel!
Ok–so…on the serious note…fantastic dystopian world and setup, great setup for a second novel, good heroine (though in major need of love meds).
Rabbit says: Grades 9-12
Harperteen has this at 13+. I would leave it at a grades 9-12. This is a violent book. I would say if you let your kids read the Hunger Games, this is somewhere in there. The world is bleak, the government is incredibly violent, and the themes of torture are not without needing to be discussed with younger kids. The reading level, like I have said before–might be younger than a 9th grade reading level, but the themes would have me leave it at a grades 9-12. There is an attempt at rape, overt sexualizing of the main character, severe torture and violence, and the way it is written itself may be a bit confusing for those who are younger (from an emotional level).
Caterpillar says: Ecology on the brain…
So much about this book made me thing about Ecological anxiety in YA and children’s books. I should preface that I just watched the Lorax movie, and read the book, and have been thinking about how much anxiety there is in books aimed at teens and children about ecological issues and political issues. Shatter me had paragraphs dedicated to ecological anxiety and political unrest. So did Anna Carey’s Eve, the book I read last week. So does Lois Lowry’s the Giver (one of my favorites). So do so many others that everyone is reading today….
Are children anxious about the environment? Are they anxious about our political models? Are authors? Are we, the readers? We buy these books. They are constant NYT Best Sellers…..something in them must be striking a chord within our subconscious….it must be either comforting us or hitting that place that causes anxiety and pleasure (hello Freud).
Maybe this is a better question–will children grow up to be concerned with these things if they have grown up reading these things? I remember how influential Charlotte’s Web was to so many of us who read it when we were younger. Maybe 10 kids in my class went vegetarian for weeks after reading it. Now–many of us are actual vegetarians or vegans. Remember Stuart Little….did he not make you think about mice traps? If Dystopia is the current trend (and it is), and it is FULL of ecological (and political) anxiety–will it awaken more awareness for environmental issues and political issues in our children–in ourselves?? I can seriously list at least 20 books on the Children’s and Young Adult best sellers that are riddled with this type of ecological anxiety and political questioning. It is not subtle. It is not subversive. It just is…….
Thoughts? Discussion? PAINT THE ROSES!!!
If animal rights were the cause of my generations children’s books, there is an underlying anxiety subconsciously being written into so much of today’s literature…..and it is certainly wrapped up in ecology and the functionality of capitalism to best serve the planet and its inhabitants.
Rabbit Hole Review 