Today we have an awesome guest review from the wonderful Michele from Just a lil’ lost… If you’re looking for great review of YA titles, or awesome photography check out Michele’s blog. You can also follow her on twitter @JustaLilLost.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, a review by Michele
Touted as “When Hunger Games meets X-Men”, Tahereh Mafi’s debut novel Shatter Me doesn’t disappoint. The readers are first introduced to Juliette as an emaciated prisoner in a dilapidated asylum. Her powers which had imprisoned her, have now caught the attention of several key figures. In a world that’s now a ghost of what it once was, Juliette struggles to listen to her instincts on who can or can’t be trusted while learning to accept that her Rogue-like powers will tempt people to exploit her for their own agenda.
At only 23 years old, Mafi has excelled at penning a phenomenal debut novel. Filled with romance and dystopian intrigue, I absolutely could not put this book down. The narration style allowed the readers to feel like they were in Juliette’s head, living the confusion and uncertainty as she thinks and rethinks many of her thoughts, simply (and yet so brilliantly) illustrated by the crossed out words strikethroughs. The description and imagery is so vivid & imaginative, looking at the world in a different way. One particular analogy stuck out at me, where Mafi writes that the sun is like a negligent parent, only there half the time.
I actually also found the story reminiscent of another favourite book/movie of mine, V for Vendetta, where an imprisoned girl finds herself in a world where it is governed by fear and corruption. I had finished this book over a week ago and it has taken me this long to write my review. I felt I couldn’t find the right words to do this book justice. Mafi is an extremely talented young writer, making something as simple as a touch so coveted and yearned for.
Shatter Me is available on November 15, 2011.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5 stars)
Michele
Follow Michele on twitter @JustaLilLost
Check out her blog Just a lil’ lost…
