Novella Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me 1.5
Finished on: February 25, 2013
Released:  October 2nd 2012 by Harper
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 4/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

I really enjoyed getting to read from Warner's point-of-view. It really did change my outlook on him and his plans. This is one of the first times that I have read the novella that comes between books. I haven't read Unravel Me yet and I'm very glad I read Destroy Me first. I don't know if it'll effect how I'd otherwise feel about Unravel Me but I love having the extra information about Warner's side of the story.

I'll be honest; I really couldn't stand Warner at all in Shatter Me. I found him to be pathetic and terrible. While now I can't exactly say that I like him... I do understand him a whole lot better. He has a back story, just like anyone else; a reason behind his actions. His motives aren't all like they seem from Juliette's point-of-view in the first book. Destroy Me definitely made me soften towards Warner.

Just like with Shatter Me, the writing is well-done. I actually enjoyed the writing in this one even more. Warner's thoughts aren't quite as scattered and flow smoother than Juliette's. If you were a big fan of Shatter Me, I recommend reading this novella, even if it's just for some extra time in this world. You get a lot of extra history that you wouldn't otherwise get in the regular novels.

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Finished on: January 27, 2013
Released:  November 15th 2011 by Harper
Source: Library E-book
Rating: 3/5

Summary from Goodreads:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Okay, I gave this a rating of 3 out of 5 on January 27 when I finished reading. Looking back, I really don't remember why only 3. If I were to rate it now after letting it set for almost a month it would get at least a 4. It was definitely a memorable story with memorable characters that I know I really enjoyed. There must have been something off for me at the point when I rated, but considering I can't remember whatever the flaw was, shows it wasn't too big of a deal.

Honestly, it was probably the repetitiveness and crossing out of words that brought the rating down. For me, it took away from the flow of the story. Other readers may really enjoy this type of writing style. I will admit it added a touch of a poetic flair.

I found the storyline to be most engaging the middle. It built up, peaked, then declined again. Oh, but I quite enjoyed the last few chapters also which built up to the next book in the series. It was the characters which really made this novel. Each character was developed so beautifully and each came into there own so well. There's few books where I enjoy each character for their own traits so much.

I have to add that I really enjoyed the romance, too. (:

I'll be looking forward to Unravel Me!

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books. In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.”