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Edited by Vaishali
Title: ‘Unite Me’
Author: Tahereh Mafi Series: (Shatter Me#1.5 #2.5) Publisher: Harper Collins Year of Publication: 2014 Version: Paperback, 197 pages ISBN 10/13: 9780062327963 Genres/themes: YA/ Fantasy, Science Fiction, dystopian, romance, paranormal, Post apocalyptic R E V I E W...
‘Unite Me’ by Tahereh Mafi is a novella bind up, split into ‘Fracture Me’ (From Adam’s point of view) and ‘Destroy Me’ (Told from Warner’s point of view). The titles themselves are indicative enough, stressing how Juliette’s departure would affect both of these men; Losing Juliette for Warner would destroy him, but losing Juliette for Adam would only fracture him.
This novella is very telling – it highlights just how much and how far each of these men will go to fight for Juliette’s love. Warner is ardent, unrelenting, unwavering and inexorable in his efforts to attain her. He will do despite the conditions. Adam is also ardent but only to an extent, and when a boundary presents itself, Juliette seems to become a secondary goal for him. His love seems provisional. Adam underestimates Juliette to such a degree, that when I read ‘Fracture Me’ , it was more than surprising to see what he actually thought of her. Whereas Warner overestimates Juliette, believing in her capabilities to the ninth degree.
F R A C T U R E M E
I was immensely bothered while reading Adam’s POV; it took me longer than a week to gain some kind of a reprieve from what I had just read. His take on Juliette was deprecatory; he has little to no belief in her, his thoughts rather insulting and critical, and such a contrast to what actually comes out of his mouth. I really didn’t want to dislike him, but after reading ‘Fracture Me’ it was undeniably foreseeable. The only facet worth of value is Adam’s relationship with James, and his friendship with Kenji.
I failed to find the symmetry and logic of his judgments when he was always the one to uplift Juliette, providing her with a base to realise her own strength. Adam’s affections seemed inadequate, and Juliette appeared to be a point of burden for him, only needing her because he desired the role as protector, and Juliette just happened to be the meek enabler. Adam is easily loved when we see him through Juliette’s eyes, but Adam from an objective outlook is vastly different. Adam’s psychology stems from his own personal ordeals, and I can’t help but wonder if Adam actually loved Juliette, or was his relationship with Juliette a product of his need to safeguard?
Adam has always assumed the parent role for James and in James’s life, having a huge responsibility as a provider since he was a child, and it seemed that he assumed that same role with Juliette herself. I can wholly understand that James is his priority (as he should be), but he utterly and disappointingly gave up on Juliette not just as a potential lover, but as a friend.
As impartial as I tried to be, I think the reason Adam affronted me to such as degree was because I’m invested in Juliette and her rehabilitation, and to poke around in Adam’s mind, examining his deplorable thoughts was more than dispiriting. Kenji fought much harder than Adam for his best friend. I wanted to believe that he was more than Warner’s opinion of him but that didn’t happen.
D E S T R O Y M E
Onto greener pastures! ‘Destroy Me’ is a fantastic addition to the series. Warner is exactly the laboured soul that Juliette thinks him to be. Her absence itself brings him physical and emotional pain; she simultaneously weakens and strengthens him. Reading this broke my heart, seeing Warner's relationship with his dad broke my heart, everything about him breaks my heart. Tortured people always tend to be the most interesting just because they are so much more than they appear to be. Warner endures and survives because he has to, because he knows no other way, and he hadn’t truly lived until he met Juliette - she changed everything for him.
His life is regimented, structured for organisation and compartmentalisation which opposes his chaotic thoughts and emotions – or rather that’s how he manages his highly feeling nature. He combats his pain and internal agony with uniformity and practiced control in his external environment. He very clearly struggles with mental health such as OCD, anxiety and PTSD, and just like Juliette he has coping mechanisms in place to challenge his issues. Warner’s character is illustrative – he can still fight and survive despite the weight of his mental incapacities, and coping with them is attainable.
Warner is alone in this world with the exception of Delalieu, (still don’t know how to pronounce his name) and Juliette is the one person who makes him feel less alone. His thought processes and mode of thinking is so divergent from Juliette’s own narrative. Though he is just as much at war with himself as Juliette is, he makes the best of what he was given. His thoughts are clear and concise, and I was glad to see the world through his eyes. The manner in which he thinks about Juliette is endearing and reassuring. How on Earth is it possible to not fall in love with him!
'Unite Me' was fully satiating, more so with the addition of Juliette’s beautifully written and poignant journal entries.
I gave this book 4 stars -
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M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read --------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Shatter Me' by Tahereh Mafi ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Unravel Me' by Tahereh Mafi ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Ignite Me' by Tahereh Mafi _______________________________________________
F A V O U R I T E Q U O T E S:
“She’s found the cracks in this cast I’m forced to wear every day, and it petrifies me. That this girl would know exactly how to shatter me.”
“Torture is not torture when there’s any hope of relief.” “I grieve nothing. I take everything. It’s the only way I know how to live in this battered body. I empty my mind of the things that plague me and burden my soul, and I take all that I can from what little pleasantness comes my way.” “But there are some things I do not forgive. I don’t consider myself a moral man. I do not philosophize about life or bother with the laws and principles that govern most people. I do not pretend to know the difference between right and wrong. But I do live by a certain kind of code. And sometimes, I think, you have to learn how to shoot first.” “I’ve come to believe that the most dangerous man in the world is the one who feels no remorse. The one who never apologises and therefore seeks no forgiveness. Because in the end it is our emotions that make us weak, not our actions.” “I could live here, I think. Live where gravity does not know my name. Here I am unbound, untethered by the chains of this life. I am a different body, a different shell, and my weight is carried by the hands of friends. “I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground. Gone right through it. Never in my life have I felt this. Nothing like this. I’ve felt shame and cowardice, weakness and strength. I’ve known terror and indifference, self-hate and general disgust. I’ve seen things that cannot be unseen. And yet I’ve know nothing like this terrible, horrible, paralyzing feeling, I feel crippled. Desperate and out of control. And it keeps getting worse. Every day I feel sick. Empty and somehow aching. Love is a heartless bastard. I’m driving myself insane.” L E A V E A C O M M E N T A N D L E T' S T A L K A B O U T
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