Novella Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me

by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1.5
Release date: 2nd October, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 150 (ebook bought my me)

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:

First, for those of you who have read Shatter Me, don't you think it's amazing how that single line at the top of the cover sounds completely like Warner? It gives me the chills, I can even hear his voice saying it out loud.

There's no way I can write too much without telling everything that happens in this short -but heartbreaking and amazing- novella. Because yes, Tahereh did it again, but this time she accomplished not to only make me like, maybe for the first time in my life, the bad guy, Warner, but almost -if not certainly- fall in love with him.

And we are not talking about a "pseudo-bad-guy-that-deep-inside-is-okay". No. We are talking about a guy that did horrible things to other people, that drove Juliette to the edge of her resolution and at the same time managed to win a spot in my heart.

But in this novella we are able to see a whole new level of Warner's personality. All the layers that we thought were the foundation of his behavior are, in fact, the surface of it and he hides so much deepness that it's dizzying.

What's more important: you thought Warner was evil? Wait until you read this novella and discover what true evil looks like...

Now I can only say that Adam, Juliette's love interest and the good guy, has some serious competition. And if you have read my review of Shatter Me you know that I liked him a lot but after Destroy Me I'm afraid my heart is going to root for Warner 100%, no stop. He deserves a chance. And I hope with all my heart that he will get one.

Alaiel's Rating:

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