Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title:  Destroy Me
Author:  Tahereh Mafi
Series:  Shatter Me #1.5 - novella from Warner's POV
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Publication Date:  October 2, 2012
Source:  purchased
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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'm going to keep this review short and sweet...just like the story.  Okay, well, not just like the story, but you know what I mean.  I love novellas because of the insight they provide into a particular character's mind, one that maybe wasn't the main focus of the original book but left you intrigued nonetheless.  And the insight I got into Warner's character in Destroy Me captivated me more than I already was...which is saying a lot because his character was my favorite aspect of Shatter Me.

First of all, I loved seeing Warner's reaction after finding and reading Juliette's journal, his acknowledgement that they were even more alike than he's originally believed, what with the abusive parents and loneliness.  But as he's discovering more about Juliette, he's also discovering things he didn't know about himself.  He has the capacity to love and to feel empathy...and it all scares him but fascinates him all the same.

Poor Warner, misunderstood villain that he is, thinks he might be going crazy after what he's suffered and lost since the events that occurred at the end of the first book.  His abrasive father just might push him over the edge.  But through it all, Warner becomes even more self-aware than he already was.  Half-way through this novella, he's describing the lethal killing machine that he has trained to become, and in almost the same breath, he's declaring himself a coward.

It pained me to read some of the passages, as it becomes evident that Warner is only doing as he's expected in an attempt to appease his over-bearing father.  But I really enjoyed this novella and can't wait to get back to the Shatter Me world when Unravel Me releases early next year.  For those of you who are eagerly anticipating the sequel, as well, I definitely suggest picking this one up...unless you're a Team Adam fan.  Just sayin'...Warner is not very happy with Adam Kent at this point.

My favorite part?  Warner's own admission that he loves long baths.  Me, too!  =D

Rating: 

Labels: dystopian, harper-collins, novellas, post-apocalyptic, shatter me, tahereh mafi