“‘She was never meant for you. She was never meant for any of this. That girl was sentence to death the moment I named her Juliette.’ Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is. Nothing in her world is what it seemed. She thought she’d defeated The Reestablishment. She thought she’d finally taken control of her life, her power, and her pain. But a lifetime of lies unravelling before her changed all of that. Stronger, braver, and more resilient than ever, Juliette must fight for life and love. But first she has to survive the war being waged against her mind. She has to remember who she was.”
What is the book about?
Juliette Ferrars always knew that her life had been horrible and that she had gone through some torturous times. She always knew that no one would ever understand what she went through. But she never thought that her life was as messed up as she had just discovered. Everything was a lie. She wasn't even actually Juliette Ferrars. It turns out her entire existence was a lie and everyone she ever knew was keeping secrets from her. She thought she had finally taken control of her own life and taken down The Reestablishment, but now after millions of secrets were uncovered, everything has changed and Juliette is back where she started, in the hands of people who couldn't care less about her. Now, Juliette has to fight for what she had and she has to be stronger and braver and smarter than she ever was before. If she wants to defeat The Reestablishment once and for all then she has to be better than she ever thought possible. But before that she has to remember her past life and remember everything that they took away from her, or she will never be able to get back what she lost...
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
After finishing Restore Me, I just couldn't believe what had happened and I needed to read more. Restore Me had ended in one of the most shocking cliff-hangers that I have ever experienced and I just had to get my hands on the next book or I was actually going to burst. I was so anxious to find out what was going to happen next and I just had to pick up Defy Me. Even before reading it, I knew that Defy Me was going to be so good and I had no doubt in my mind about it. After reading the blurb, I was even more intrigued; I was desperate to read it and needed to get back into the book. It was so shocking and I had so many theories about the book that I just knew I had to start reading soon or I wouldn’t be able to distinguish the real plot from my own imagination. From the very first word, I already knew I was reading another perfect book and I knew I was going to love it. It was like I had never left and I was back with the characters I have grown to love. Defy Me grasped my attention as soon as I opened the book and it didn’t let go, not even as I turned the last page and prepared for another adventure.
Who was your favourite character and why?
I can't believe I'm still having to type this all out when I think it's pretty clear that my favourite character is still, and I'm pretty sure always will be, Kenji. Oh my gosh – it's just every time he appears on the page I can't help but smile. It's like his character just radiates positivity and I know inside he is feeling all sorts of grief and pain, but just seeing him makes me want to smile. When I never thought I could love him anymore he said one thing that, even now, I can't help laughing about it. Tangled has always been my favourite Disney movie and when I saw that can he felt exactly the same, I couldn’t help but tell everyone (well, everyone that cared). He actually said, “Tangled is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's about fighting for freedom and true love.” Reading this also made me realise that this is what the story of the Shatter Me books is all about, and hearing this from Kenji made me so happy and yet so sad because here he is with no one to fight for and yet he keeps going and keeps plastering that smile on his face because he knows he needs to be there for his friends. It just hurts me so much to see him so alone and that I can’t be there for him breaks my heart. He is one of the best supporting characters I have ever read about and I can’t wait to read more about him.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
It didn't take much time for me to answer this question because, as soon as I read this, I knew that my favourite part just had to be the ending. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. This was my literal reaction. I just sat staring into space, smiling like an absolute idiot after reading it. I don't want to say much about it because it will ruin the book and it is a pretty big spoiler, but I feel the need to say that it is a very happy ending and I just couldn't stop squealing. This is probably one of the longest series I have read and the fact that Tahereh Mafi has not just developed the whole taking over the government plot line, but also the romance has really made this series so much more enjoyable. I love the books that I read, but sometimes I feel like the authors don't truly develop the romantic plot as much, so I always feel like I'm missing something because I don't get to see the characters develop their relationship much, so the fact the Shatter Me series has really gone deep into Juliette and Warner’s relationship makes me love the series so much. I can't wait to see what happens next and I have high hopes as I still have a whole book and a few novellas to go. I just hope this happiness gets to continue longer into Imagine Me because the characters do deserve it.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, Defy Me was an absolutely incredible book and the only thing I can think about is how there was just so much going on and it was so incredible and just that it was a great read. One thing that I loved was Juliette’s incredible transformation. I know I have said this in quite a few other reviews and you're probably getting confused about how many transformations Juliette can go through, but I think (and hope) that this is the last one because I truly believe that now she's finally comfortable in her own skin and is the true version of her. I was so surprised how easily I got used to the fact that she was now going by Ella and I just adjusted so quickly that the only real explanation for that is that that was the true her all along. She has just come so far from the girl trapped in the asylum and I'm just so proud to have such a strong female character in the books. Another thing that I really loved about Defy Me was that the book included Kenji’s point of view. I knew in the very beginning that there was something missing in the other books that I really needed and, as soon as I saw his name plastered on one of the pages, I knew this was it. Just looking at the first word written from his perspective made me sure I was going to love it more than any of the other books. It was the perfect addition to an already perfect book. One last thing that I really loved about the book was the ending. The whole novel was like an absolute rollercoaster. There were new things about Warner and Juliette’s pasts appearing around every corner I was constantly on the edge of my seat, afraid of what was coming next. Then, the ending came and I realised that the whole book was filled with crazy, action-packed scenes, but it was just waiting for the perfect ending to finish the ride. Once I finished the book I couldn’t help but think deeply about the beautiful ending and I'm just so excited to pick up the next book and continue the story.
Which book did you like better: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5?
This was probably the hardest question to answer, mainly because Defy Me was just as incredible as my previous favourite book Restore Me. It had everything I loved in Restore Me: the narration from not just Juliette, the crazy new discoveries about Warner and Juliette and their past, and also the perfect ending. However, I had to make a choice and I decided that for me Defy Me was just the better book. The main reason for my decision is that the book included, not just Warner and Juliette’s points of view, but also Kenji’s, which was something that I really needed and once I got it I just felt so happy and fulfilled that I couldn’t help but love this book slightly more. One other thing that also stood out to me was that the ending was perfect in a much more perfect kind of way. I know that makes little sense, but what I mean is that Restore Me ended perfectly because it was a cliff-hanger and made me want to grab the next book and dive right in. However, technically that is not an ending as nothing has ended, it is just waiting for a continuation, and Defy Me continued Restore Me and concluded it so well that I just have to say that it was the better book. But, although I loved Defy Me a little more, that doesn’t mean that I don’t love all the other books and overall I have enjoyed the Shatter Me series so much and I am so excited for the next book!
Would you recommend this book?
I would definitely recommend reading this book as it is one of the most amazing ones I have read so far, but I think it is best for readers over 15, and particularly those who are interested in action, romance and dystopian fiction.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A wild, whirlwind full of romance, surprises and action based in a dystopian world.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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