Book Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Book Series: Shatter Me, Book #2
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genres: YA, Dystopian
Format: Audiobook (Audible)
Narrator: Kate Simses
Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

My Ranking:

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it's almost time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

THANK GOD FOR KENJI. Juliette and Adam would have been maddening without them. I was practically cheering when Kenji finally started to chip through Juliette's "issues." I was especially glad when he told her how he really felt about her feelings, and her not helping, and being selfish, self-centered and mopey to no end. She needed that slap in the face.

Warner is like honey. It tastes so good in your mouth. But if you try to swallow too much it can choke you. Try to wash away the taste and it's still there. Coating your tongue, sticking to the rough of your mouth and slowly, slowly sliding town your throat. That's how Juliette experiencing Warner made me feel. It was like Adam was water. Cool, calm, refreshing, and just what you need on a hot summer day. But use water to wash away the taste of honey and it doesn't work. It slides over the honey... mixes and mingles with it. But the residue of honey is still there long after the water dries (Later on, after I've written this ... in or around the infamous Chapter 62, Mafi too, refer to him as honey ... I'm only glad I understand him this well).

Oh man.... Chapter 62. Wow. I don't think any YA novel has ever done that for me. To take you so close to the edge with the character. To almost feel what they're feeling. The pleasure, the apprehension, the nerves the action. Only this time, there actually wasn't "action". It was the building of the storm and it was exquisite. How can Juliette not feel anything for Warner. But then her stupid, stupid mind floats back to feelings of Adam and it's over before it's truly begun...

I don't think Juliette ever truly loved Adam. Or, I don't think Adam really, truly loved Juliette. There was this mad desperation and this sense of urgency dripping over everything that they were together. They acted as if they just had to be together without any real substance behind it. It felt too rushed; too forced. And Adam is the most transparent one of all. Kenji and Warner are magnificently layered characters. There's so much to both of them. So much. But Warner. He's the best one of all. Oh god, him with the dog... the dog... my heart broke. And his talks with her talks the "cell". He just gets her.I have always wanted him and Juliette together. It's like he sees the world as a ugly, dark, chaotic mess and he sees himself that way. And then there's a ball of light. Slightly dimmed, a little damaged but beautiful. And he's drawn to it. And he studies it, worships it, respects it, and doesn't want to change it. He just wants to help it glow... that I can believe in. Not Kent... not for me. I like how he calls her "love."

His dad is an evil jerk... Mr. Anderson... the tool.

Had I not already bought the next audiobook I doubt I would have continued the book. It's beautifully stylized, but underneath it all, there's not that much there.

I talk less about Juliette, because she kind of bugs me. I don't get her. She's always saying how she's changed, she's changed. I don't completely believe her declaration at the end. But I will be happy to be proved wrong in the next chapter, so to speak. Although that last line "Mass chaos is in my future... and I'm leaving my gloves behind." Damn, I like that!

Okay, this book I loved! I complained a lot about Shatter Me. But this book makes the story more complete. I am glad the "over explanation" balanced out. But most of all, I am glad for Warner.

Warner just might be the character, out of every other evil character, that I truly love to hate. He's brutal and he's blunt, and he can be cruel. But he's scarred and he's real and he deserves Juliette's love in the end. I think she knows that... I hope she knows that. And if she doesn't... I will love him for her.

Kate Simses portrays a brilliant narration of this world, these characters. And her interpretation of Warner continues to fascination me. His words ooze from her lips with this deliberately slow, seductive cadence that has underlining robotic, dissociative quality that's just like ... wow.