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Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1)

Tahereh Mafi

Start date: November 1, 2022

Finish date: November 30, 2022

Discussion: Series of the Month 2022

Why we're reading this: November SOTM
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Series of the Month 2022

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What Members Thought

Mar 25, 2011 Christie rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2011

I was among the many who couldn't wait for the day Shatter Me finally released. Then I was lucky enough to score an early copy of this highly anticipated and greatly hyped dystopian novel. Heck yeah! So I started reading and was a little put off by the author's writing style. Yes, I just might be the only person on the face of the earth who didn't find the author's prose beautifully unique. The lack of punctuation (commas are your friend), overuse of metaphors (& the word butter), and the author I was among the many who couldn't wait for the day Shatter Me finally released. Then I was lucky enough to score an early copy of this highly anticipated and greatly hyped dystopian novel. Heck yeah! So I started reading and was a little put off by the author's writing style. Yes, I just might be the only person on the face of the earth who didn't find the author's prose beautifully unique. The lack of punctuation (commas are your friend), overuse of metaphors (& the word butter), and the author's apparent addiction to the strike through tool seriously distracted from a novel I could have probably found a way to like a bit more. Some of the metaphors didn't even make sense or fit with the scene. It felt like I was stuck in an insane character's stream of consciousness that just refused to end (when I desperately needed it to). I didn't find the premise unique. I felt like a premise we've seen in books, movies, television, and even comic books was used with the hope readers would find it fresh and new because of the author's disjointed writing style. Maybe for some, but I'm not falling for it.

Did I hate this book? Nope. I just feel like it could have been so much more, but got seriously weighed down by the writing. Metaphors are cool, but I needed less of the pretty and more action and character development. I did really like Adam. He is a perfect male lead. Not quite sure how I feel about Juliette. She seemed to have badass potential, but as the novel progressed she started to become a little codependent (and horny) for my taste. After a life of exclusion, lack of human touch, and then being imprisoned in isolation you'd think she'd maintain her guarded persona (she didn't). She quickly rolled over and put all her faith in a boy (a cute boy, but still). I need a strong protag who keeps her priorities straight, and Juliette just didn't fit the bill.

I also felt like the plot progressed too smoothly. There were several obstacles, but they were all overcome quickly with a solution that was just a little too convenient. I wanted more survival mode, but it seemed all the action and conflict took a backseat to the romantic elements.

Will I read the next in this series? While Shatter Me's conclusion didn't leave me pining for the sequel, curiosity just might persuade me to pick up the next.

P.S I feel calling this a dystopian was kind of stretching it. Yes. It does have dystopian elements, but it felt a little more sci-fi to me. Not that this is bad. I dig sci-fi.

P.P.S Dear Authors and Publishers, Please stop comparing your next big release to the Hunger Games or Harry Potter (or in this case X-Men). There will never be another Katniss or Harry and when I pick up a book that has been compared to one of the greats and find it to be nothing like it at all I get kind of pissed and start questioning your credibility. Let the readers decide.

Cover Thoughts: I thought this was gorgeous when I first saw it online. In person it is pretty horrendous. ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Trisha rated it it was amazing

grr! I hate when I type up a big review and goodreads decides to delete it!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the writing style.I thought the love story was well planned out (and made sense, it wasn't just an attraction based on looks!!). I also liked the villain.
I love that all the characters are a perfect shade of gray - none are so good you can hardly look at them and none are so bad you want them dead.
I can't wait for the next one! ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Feb 09, 2017 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was so awesome! It was such an unusual book at the start and one I wasn't sure I would be able to stand reading and then Tahereh Mafi has this magical way of hooking you and you have to know what comes next. I loved the romance in it. I loved the addition of Kenji towards the end of the book as well as James. Warner is such an evil guy you want to hate and then you read a journal entry and he sounds like he's a normal guy who might just care about Juliette. I guess I can now say I have ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, series, mixed-reviews, challenged, girl-power, young-adult, paranormal, science-fiction, book-about-books, dystopia

Started slowly, but I could love Adam Kent. There were some plot issues, but I forgive them. I liked Juliette and was jealous that Adam loved her.

Likes:
(view spoiler)

Neutral: ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 17, 2015 Tasha rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish, young-adult, dystopian-post-apocalyptic

I got to page 118 and I just can't keep going. I don't like the characters or the writing. Especially the writing. Sometimes I don't know what she's talking about (petals on her cheeks falling off...?). And the crossed out words lost their impact after the 50th time in 20 pages.

A lot of people on BookTube rave about this series and love the writing, so I really wanted to like it. But I just can't get into it. I gave up when I found myself wishing Warner would kill Juliette just so that it would ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Asmaa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, series, books-i-heart, aaah-l-amour, caliente, book-titles-that-rock, crush-on-the-writing, you-make-me-smile, z-2012-reads, z-2012-amazing-reads

Third five stars in a row, either i'm lucky picking up good books or i'm a total "5-stars-w**re"...
anyway, i'm reading too fast and i'm way behind in my reviews (view spoiler)
hope i can catch up by the week-end. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2018 Keri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, uno-challenge-2018, series-in-progress, uno-challenge-2021

This book was SO GOOD! Very early on, I was completely sucked in, reading chapter after chapter wanting to know what would happen and find out more! Short chapters (which are my favorite) made it even easier to fly through.
I can’t wait to continue this series and see what happens.
I love Juliette and Adam, love James, love Kenji and am so excited to learn more about everyone in the Omega Point and learn more about that. Even though Warner seems super creepy and disturbing, I’m curious to learn mo ...more

Like · see review