Review: 'Shatter Me' by Tahereh Mafi

I have been locked up for 264 days.

I have nothing but a small notebook and a broken pen and

the numbers in my head to keep me company.  1 window. 4 walls.

144 square feet of space. 26 letters in an alphabet I haven't spoken

in 264 days of isolation.

6,336 hours since I've touched another human being.

Juliette hasn't spoken in almost a year. Hasn't interacted with another person in months. She spends her days counting cracks in the walls and peering through the small, dingy window of her cell waiting. Waiting to see a bird fly. Waiting for her life to make sense. Waiting. Then Adam is shoved into her cell. Just like that - everything changes.

As long as she can remember, Juliette has been different. A freak. A danger. The slightest brush of her skin causes overwhelming pain in the recipient and even brief full contact will kill. An accidental murder lands her in a series of juvenile detention centers and psych wards until, finally, she is placed in an asylum where she exists in total isolation and borderline mental breakdown. Juliette is fascinating. She is strong-willed and passionate, but damaged in multiple ways due to her experiences at the hands of her parents, teachers, classmates and jailers.  Every person who might have cared for or about Juliette has betrayed her, yet she remains hopeful of a better existence.  Each day she watches from her tiny window for a bird to fly past; her personal miracle.

There are no flat characters in 'Shatter Me'.  Each character is given a back story, relevance and individuality which makes for a very rich, believable dystopian read.  There are also few characters who do not have at least some redeeming value (though the 'bad guy' truly is a sociopathic monster).  Mafi puts the reader into a police state where fear is a primary motive and neighbors betray neighbors.  The levels of paranoia and desperation demonstrated by the characters of 'Shatter Me' are wonderfully illuminated by Mafi's use of language.

'Shatter Me' is one of the most beautifully written novels I've ever read.  Poignant, thought-provoking and amazingly lyrical.  This is so much more than just another dystopian novel and I highly recommend it to both teen and adult readers.

Book Source: Personal Copy
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 14+ Mature themes, psychological abuse
Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick' by Joe Schreiber

I was going into shock. The pain wasn’t getting any better,

and I thought that I would probably black out before

 I found out how this was going to end. Just as well–

I was never particularly good at finishing things.

 

Perry Stormaire is a regular high school guy, more enthused about his band’s first major performance in New York City than with senior prom. But when his mom tells him he has to take Gobi, their shy, awkward Lithuanian exchange student, to the prom, Perry’s plans for an epic rock show that same night are crushed. After an incident at the prom and an impromptu drive into New York City, Perry realizes that Gobi is actually a trained assassin on a mission to take out targets all across the city. Now Perry and Gobi are on a wild ride around the city in his father’s Jag, with thugs on their heels and explosive revelations at every stop.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is a fast-paced, action-packed YA novel, the likes of which I haven’t read in a long time. Once Perry and Gobi hit New York City and Gobi’s mission begins, the novel is basically one thrilling scene after another. There are plenty of car chases, gun fights and confrontations with members of the seedy NYC underbelly, all wrapped up in snappy dialogue between the two main characters. The action isn’t always that realistic considering the ages (and, in Perry’s case, experience) of the characters, but it is certainly exciting!

For the most part, the novel barrels along at a frenetic pace, but there are also moments of introspection on Perry’s part. Most of these moments have to do with the situation; some are Gobi trying to help Perry understand that his future doesn’t have to be dictated by his parents. These conversations between the two are some of my favorite because they add a certain amount of depth to the novel and give insights into who the characters are beyond this one crazy night.

Schreiber very cleverly begins each chapter with a different essay question from various college applications, and the contents subtly match the prompts. This structure, combined with short chapters that often end on cliffhangers and the action-packed plot, works wonderfully to propel readers through the relatively short novel. The questions also neatly link the plot to Perry’s overarching worries about college and his future.

Although not bursting with deep thought and realism, Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is a great novel for vacations, lazy afternoons, and reading slumps. Pick it up now and look for the sequel in November!

 

Book Source: Local Library

Reviewer: Kimberly

 

Recommended Ages: Officially 12+, but probably more appropriate for 14+ because of language, brief discussions of sex, and violence.

 

Recommended to Readers of:

 

Can't Hardly Wait! YA Coming Soon

Waiting for new books to release makes me as antsy as a kid on Christmas morning.  Here are some upcoming titles I can't wait to get my hands on.

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman (August 2012)

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (August 2012)

Diviners by Libba Bray (September 2012)

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel (September 2012)

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier (September 2012)

Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride (September 2012)

Ironskin by Tina Connolly (October 2012)

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (October 2012)

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (November 2012)

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (February 2013)

Sever by Lauren DeStefano (February 2013)

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (March 2013)

What are YOU waiting to get your hands on?