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A review by book_bound
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
2.0
(Disclaimer: I realize my rating isn't a "pretty" picture of this book and my opinions are strong. However, please respect my them.)
I flew through this book, but this time it didn't indicate how much I liked it. In fact, I am rather on the unpopular side of the spectrum; there were heaps of problems within this title. I was also unpleasantly surprised by this, since a lot of book reviewers and booktubers (that I trust) raved about it. Instead, I was left feeling a little shaky about it all.
First. This is such a stereotypical Dystopian YA novel that sets the bad standards for the entirety of the YA genre. There was nothing I found original.
Girl is different.
Girl has power.
Girl falls in love with boy.
Boy falls in love with girl.
Another boy falls in love with girl.
"Unexpected" love triangle.
Problem happens.
Society needs girl.
Girl needs to help society.
That's it. That's the synopsis. There are slight variations between the lines, but it couldn't hide its predictable plot.
What mainly bothered me throughout the novel was the overly heavy, overly intensified insta-love. The plot was overshadowed by it. I mean don't get me wrong, I am a romantic myself, but I understand perfectly well that romance can wait when society is literally in shambles and I need to run for my life.
Also, the language was a little off-putting. It was a jumble mess of metaphors and similes that at times confused me. (Not that I'm incapable of understanding, but that the images sewn together were too thinly described). Sometimes too, Juliette's thinking process was overly dramatic. Everything was crushing her bones, burning her lungs, etc.... For example:
"I can shoot a hundred numbers through the chest and watch them bleed decimal points in the palm of my hand. I can rip the numbers off a clock and watch the hour hand tick tick tick its final tock just before I fall asleep."
I did catch two descriptions that were rather off, and thus contradicted each other. When Juliette describes Adam's hair. In one part she states:
"Adam tells him, running a hand through his messy blond hair."
And then in another part she contrastingly says:
"I never thought his dark hair would be so soft. Like melted chocolate."
Ok, this is a silent rule between author and reader. Reader should justifiably expect that the author remains consistent with his/her descriptions. Yet, here the rule was broken. Haphazardly. She gave two opposite descriptions of him and it threw me off. How am I supposed to envision this character if he changes physically from scene to scene?
The crossing-out of lines didn't bug me like I see it did with some other people. It helped convey the desires she was holding back in a simple way.
I flew through this book, but this time it didn't indicate how much I liked it. In fact, I am rather on the unpopular side of the spectrum; there were heaps of problems within this title. I was also unpleasantly surprised by this, since a lot of book reviewers and booktubers (that I trust) raved about it. Instead, I was left feeling a little shaky about it all.
First. This is such a stereotypical Dystopian YA novel that sets the bad standards for the entirety of the YA genre. There was nothing I found original.
Girl is different.
Girl has power.
Girl falls in love with boy.
Boy falls in love with girl.
Another boy falls in love with girl.
"Unexpected" love triangle.
Problem happens.
Society needs girl.
Girl needs to help society.
That's it. That's the synopsis. There are slight variations between the lines, but it couldn't hide its predictable plot.
What mainly bothered me throughout the novel was the overly heavy, overly intensified insta-love. The plot was overshadowed by it. I mean don't get me wrong, I am a romantic myself, but I understand perfectly well that romance can wait when society is literally in shambles and I need to run for my life.
Also, the language was a little off-putting. It was a jumble mess of metaphors and similes that at times confused me. (Not that I'm incapable of understanding, but that the images sewn together were too thinly described). Sometimes too, Juliette's thinking process was overly dramatic. Everything was crushing her bones, burning her lungs, etc.... For example:
"I can shoot a hundred numbers through the chest and watch them bleed decimal points in the palm of my hand. I can rip the numbers off a clock and watch the hour hand tick tick tick its final tock just before I fall asleep."
I did catch two descriptions that were rather off, and thus contradicted each other. When Juliette describes Adam's hair. In one part she states:
"Adam tells him, running a hand through his messy blond hair."
And then in another part she contrastingly says:
"I never thought his dark hair would be so soft. Like melted chocolate."
Ok, this is a silent rule between author and reader. Reader should justifiably expect that the author remains consistent with his/her descriptions. Yet, here the rule was broken. Haphazardly. She gave two opposite descriptions of him and it threw me off. How am I supposed to envision this character if he changes physically from scene to scene?
The crossing-out of lines didn't bug me like I see it did with some other people. It helped convey the desires she was holding back in a simple way.