Photo Credits: Zoltan Tasi
Edited by Vaishali
Title: ‘Unravel Me’
Author: Tahereh Mafi Series: (Shatter Me #2) Publisher: Harper Collins Year of Publication: 2013 Version: Paperback ISBN: 978-0-06-208554-2 Genre/s: YA fantasy, dystopian, science fiction, romance R E V I E W...'We have plenty of time, is what Castle should have said. We have all the time in the world, is what he should have said to me. But he didn’t because what he meant tick tock is that our time tick tock is shifting. Its hurtling forward heading in an entirely new direction slamming face-first into something else and tick tick tick tick tick It’s almost Time for war”
‘Unravel Me’ unravels every facet of Juliette and her life in order for her to become… because how can one become when they do not decipher? 'Unravel Me' by Tahereh Mafi recommences the epic, heartrending narrative of Juliette Ferrars and the devastating marvel of her calamitous touch. I was slightly hesitant going into this after reading a short extract from 'Unravel Me', and Juliette seemed to be struggling a great deal with adjustment and finding her place in this new world and I wasn’t sure I would be able to bear more of this young girl's heartache.
'Hell is empty and all the devils are here’
Although Juliette is now free from the clutches of Warner and the Re-establishment, she now faces a whole new set of challenges, the biggest being the horror of utilising her ever-growing powers after a lifetime of hiding amid her fear, alongside her general anxiety about acclimating to her new environment- Omega Point. Juliette has to tackle her lack of belief in herself and her mistrust. Though she may be in a place of safety she cannot run from her problems, still the ever-present threat she was thought to be. Regardless of what she had escaped in 'Shatter Me', Juliette’s internal conflicts are still with her and despite this oncoming war planned in the shadows, she's in a bigger war with herself. She is just as insecure, fearful, and terrified of herself and what having these catastrophic powers could mean for her and those she cares for.
“I am the consequence of catastrophe”
Though she escaped the asylum, Juliette still very much feels like a prisoner, and her past is catching up to her because no matter how one wants to move on, memories can’t be forgotten and trauma has long term effects - effects that cannot be altered overnight. She struggles greatly with moral dilemmas, ethical conundrums, her identity, her purpose and her place with this new group of people (who though they have gifts she can’t seem to feel more dissociated from them if she tried). Juliette transitions a lot through this book and life is still not easy on her and neither are her circumstances. Her mental stability is precariously balanced and I admire the representation of mental health and what it is like to be amidst the whirlwind of an anxious mind in all its sporadic rubble and nebulous glory.
Juliette is her own roadblock; her own enemy because she stifles her own potential and hinders it in equal measure with consistent thoughts of self-doubt and worthlessness, all contingent on her inability to outsource her mental misery. Juliette falters under the pressure she puts on herself to get things right, never wanting to align herself with her gift of pain. Always a desirer or love, always a bringer of pain.
“Loneliness is a strange sort of thing. It creeps up on you, quiet and still, sits by your side in the dark, strokes your hair as you sleep. It wraps itself around your bones, squeezing so tight you almost can’t breathe. It leaves lies in your heart, lies next to you at night, leaches the light out from every corner. It’s a constant companion, clasping your hand only to yank you down then you’re struggling to stand up. You wake up in the morning and wonder who you are. You fail to fall asleep at night and tremble in your skin. You doubt you doubt you doubt
Do I Don’t I Should I Why won’t I And even when you’re ready to let go. When you’re ready to break free. When you’re ready to be brand-new. Loneliness is an old friend standing beside you in the mirror, looking you in the eye, challenging you to live your life without it. You can’t find the words to fight yourself, to fight the words screaming that you’re not good enough never enough never enough. Loneliness is a bitter, wretched companion. Sometimes it just won’t let go.”
'Unravel Me' follows on two weeks from when Juliette, Adam and Kenji arrive at Omega Point which is the rebel resistance/refuge where all the supernaturals have been residing under their leader, Castle, who is in charge of this whole movement. The people of Omega Point have been training for war, and now that Juliette has been welcomed into this sanctuary she must do the same.
Making little to no progress since her arrival Castle assigns Kenji to work with her in helping her establish and control her gift. Juliette and Adam have an exceedingly difficult time in this book with their individual struggles as well as being in a relationship as new revelations are brought to light, which change their lives for the worse.
Right from their first scene together we realise that Adam is keeping something from Juliette, a concern that nags at her. Juliette has never hoped when it came to Adam for the simple reason that everything was too good to be true and unfortunately it is. Yes, there is a reason why Adam can touch her to his own detriment and to Juliette’s own fear. Her lethal touch is more deadly than she had ever imagined, and this story is centralised around Juliette accepting herself and her powers with the help of Kenji – who has a mammoth role in this remarkable sequel.
“The truth is a painful reminder of why I prefer to live among the lies.”
Juliette slowly and surely learns to live in this new place independently from Adam, she understands that her feet need to find the ground without Adam being the platform, and she proves to be stronger with each passing day. She adapts to working with others and realises that every person at Omega point has a purpose. She takes and makes the effort to change, to run from the victim she has always been and understands her options, to build a life for herself.
“All I know is that it’ll never be safe for me to rely on someone else again, to need constant reassurance of who I am and who I might someday be. I can love him, but I can’t depend on him to be my backbone. I can’t be my own person if I constantly require someone else to hold me together.”
Warner’s words still run through Juliette’s mind. A phantom that questions her new purpose, he still proves to be a point of ambiguity. She cannot deny their similarities for they are just as much different as they are similar, and Juliette soon understands that she may only ever be the one person who can understand such a tortured soul of fatal depravities. Warner knows what he is and he is unwaveringly unapologetic for it and I love him for it.
“I’m falling. I’m falling apart and into his heart and I’m a disaster.”
With such a repressed heart comes the point when control will burst at the seams. Juliette has suppressed, caged and repressed her emotions for so long that she doesn’t realise just how deep the darkness inside of her reaches and just how much rage she is capable of. All she needs is a trigger and all hell will break loose which is what she fears most, because deep down she knows what is inside of her and is too scared to unleash it all.
Her power is so immense that she just might destroy the world if she doesn’t grapple for control. She can't accept what she is and although she endures hardship in this book I can’t say that I didn’t feel invigorated and proud of her even when she released these uncontrolled bursts of power.
“White, hot rage. It’s all I know right now. The world looks so black – and – white from here, so easy to demolish and conquer. This is anger like nothing I’ve ever known. It’s an anger so raw, so potent it’s actually calming, like a feeling that’s finally found its place, a feeling that finally sits comfortable as it settles into my bones. I’ve become a mold for liquid metal; thick, searing heat distributes itself throughout my body and the excess coats my hands, forging my fists with a strength so breathtaking, an energy so intense I think It might engulf me. I’m light – headed from the rush of it. I could do anything. Anything.”
Juliette and Warner grow closer, and Warner is not as crazy as he seems. We see a more human side to him. He is eloquent, intelligent, competent and confident. He is intense and gentle, but just as insecure. We see a completely different side to him, proving him as being more than he ever came across as. Juliette has choices, and she must choose between Warner and Adam who are both relentless in their fight for her.
“Our lips touch and I know I’m going to split at the seams. He’s kissing me like he’s lost me and he’s found me and I’m slipping away and he’s never going to let me go”
I am glad that we find out more about the state of the world in this book, as well as the abilities the people of Omega Point have, though I still would have liked a better education of the world. Kenji is hugely important to this series and he is absolutely necessary for Juliette and her own growth. Though he may be jovial in nature and use humour for diffusion he is integral to Omega Point’s whole system of function. Everybody knows him and everybody respects him and Juliette starts to see him as more than a funny guy – their relationship is one of the best I have come across and I think everybody could benefit from having a Kenji Kishimoto in their lives !!
He is funny, kind, the smart ass best friend everybody wants, helpful (though not always), obnoxious, hard-working (though we don’t really learn what he does exactly besides using his invisibility to scout when they go on missions outside of Omega Point) and also delivers real tough love to Juliette when she needs it the most even if she doesn’t want to hear it. He has a will of steel and a heart of gold and a strength that is more than admirable. He is built for endurance and Kenji is essential for Juliette because he teaches lessons that she needs to know. She would have had little support if Kenji had not been a huge supporter and enabler for her. These novels would without a doubt not be the same if he had not been in them, he is too precious to the storyline!
“On the darkest days you have to search for a spot of brightness, on the coldest days you have to seek out a spot of warmth; on the bleakest days you have to keep your eyes onward and upward and on the saddest days you have to leave them open to let them cry. To then let them dry. To give them a chance to wash out the pain in order to see fresh and clear once again.”
Brendan and Winston! They work so well as a twosome. Their relationship is hilarious, their squabbles are entertaining and Winston’s sarcasm and irony add such an element of entertainment to the story.
When we first met Sonya and Sara (the healer twins) I thought that this could be a brilliant set up for female friendship and Juliette would finally connect with the same gender. The relationship between them however left a lot to be desired for and it didn’t really evolve in a way I hoped it would. There is notable awkwardness in their scenes together but maybe their role is to be more of an aid for Juliette than actual friends.
James is another incredible addition to this story and the dynamic between him and Adam is heart-warming to see - especially in the first book. It’s nice to see Adam not in relation to Juliette but in a different role to lover. I also love James’s relationship with Kenji; it’s full of love and strength. James and Adam personality wise are complete polar opposites. Where James is inquisitive, confident, sociable, optimistic and open, Adam is the brooding, reserved, though still highly feeling older brother. He loves James and lives for him, he has been elemental in both of their survival.
There is much angst mostly from the main characters, Adam, Juliette and Warner, but I do love angst and drama and conflict and evolution and growth and this sequel is ripe with it, brimming to the surface with tension and suspense. It’s a continuation of Juliette’s love story and self-blossom, and now that Warner has joined the mix it’s even more complicated with more integers at play. It was an incredible read, one that I continue to revisit constantly.
'Unravel Me' destroyed me, it was too much, too overwhelming, too fulfilling and the twists and turns were never ending. Warner warmed my heart, won my heart and broke my heart a multitude of times. He is irrevocably up there with my favourite fictional characters. My heart bled for Adam also, but he did drag Juliette down; he proved to be a hindrance in Juliette’s life. He seems to be full of bitterness and anger, and while I don’t fault him for it either considering his own past it was a shame to see them crumble. Warner on the other hand seems to shape Juliette’s confidence, makes her see her potential, treats her like an equal and has so much belief in her its endearing.
“He has a hundred thousand million kisses and he’s giving them all to me.”
Juliette’s journal entries are astoundingly heartfelt and profound. They are full of despair, loss, hurt, dissonance, romanticism, hope, dejection, defeat and anguish, making the reader feel the same as a consequence. They are raw, brutal and real enough that my own emotions were tumultuous and disorderly - i felt everything. Juliette is a beautiful, bountiful butterfly with an idealist's lilting desire for the most basic human instinct. 'Unravel Me' was emotionally challenging for me as it triggered my own anxieties and qualms because my emotional state was always rendered to Juliette’s. As a sensitive person it's safe to say that crying is a given when i read, there really is no escaping it; I certainly shed more tears than what i consider to be natural, but simultaneously I wouldn’t have it any other way because if i leak away my own turbulence with stories so precious, it has to be worth it. The narrative of this book makes a person feel everything. 'Unravel Me' is full of heated touches, tender words, igniting passions and it is a literal and figurative jackhammer on the senses. Tahereh Mafi plays with the truth that to touch and to feel are the most powerful forms of connection, vital to experience the world. This series pays tribute to empiricism; it's the empirical touch at its best!
“Nothing in this life will ever make sense to me but I can’t help but try to collect the change and hope it’s enough to pay for our mistakes.”
I gave this book 5 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 ---------------------------------------
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R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Shatter Me' by Tahereh Mafi ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Ignite Me' by Tahereh Mafi ● BOOK REVIEW: 'Unite Me' by Tahereh Mafi _____________________________________________ CONTENT BELOW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Character Gifts:
Adam’s power – he can disable people’s powers much like Akos in Carve the Mark. His gift functions as a defence mechanism, so in order to protect himself his body disables any person (who has powers) it deems as a threat. His gift seems to be an extension of himself - as he shuts himself off from people to prevent himself from harm, his ability is in exact alignment, shutting off external energies automatically in an attempt to prolong his own survival. Adam has been in survival mode for the entirety of his life, he has always had to fight and his gift aids him in this endeavour to extinguish.
Warner’s power – he can tap into and sense people’s energies. He can also take people’s powers and use them as his own. He is intuitive, emotionally intelligent and highly feeling because of it. He can also feel people’s emotions which is ironic how he claims to be an unfeeling, apathetic person when his gift is exactly one of empathy. Juliette’s power - She superhuman strength which results in the aptitude to eradicate and abolish. Adam’s power diffuses hers and fights with hers. In opposition, Warner’s gift can understand Juliette on an emotional level (without her ever having to verbalise her thoughts) and his gifs absorbs hers. Her gift strengthens and empowers Warner whereas it weakens and declines Adam. Adam's and Juliette’s gifts clash while Juliette’s and Warner’s gifts meld. If you’re one for reading between the lines, the relationship between each of their gifts implies who would potentially be the beter suitor for Juliette :D
F A V O U R I T E Q U O T E S:
We’re running out of time, he said. As if time were the kind of thing you could run out of, as if it were measured into bowls that were handed to us at birth and if we ate too much or too fast or right before jumping into the water then our time would be lost, wasted, already spent. But time is beyond our infinite comprehension. It’s endless, it exists outside of us; we cannot run out of it or lose track of it or find a way to hold on to it. Time goes on even when we do not.” “I love it when he tells me that he likes the way I feel because it goes against everything I’ve heard my entire life and I wish I could put his words in my pocket just to touch them once in a while and remind myself that they exist” “But sometimes I think – sometimes I wonder – if I were a monster, surely, I would feel it by now? I would feel angry and vicious and vengeful. I’d know blind rage and bloodlust and a need for vindication. Instead I feel an abyss within me so deep, so dark I can’t see within it; I can’t see what it holds. I do not know what I am or what might happen to me. I do not know what I might do again.” 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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