“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t know what it’s like to live. Maybe I’m still not human enough to know more than what’s right in front of me.’ I stare straight into his eyes. ‘But I do know what it’s like to hide from the world. I know what it’s like to live as though I don’t exist, caged away and isolated from society. And I won’t do it again. I can’t. I’ve finally gotten to a point in my life where I’m not afraid to speak. Where my shadow no longer haunts me. And I don’t want to lose that freedom—not again. I can’t go backward. I’d rather be shot dead screaming for justice than die alone in a prison of my own making.”
This is why I fell in love with this series. Juliette is such a strong character and the most important thing to remember is that she was not always like this. She grew into it. She’s come so far and we’ve been with her every step of the way and yet she still gets up and fights because she’s been at the very bottom and she will not stop until every single person is freed from that prison. She’s admirable. Formidable. And she’s absolutely, hands down one of the best main characters that I’ve seen in a long time. And I don’t know if that’s because of the writing or the story but everything she does makes sense. Her feelings directly correlate with who she is and what she’s done. The consistency of her character is spot on and does not deviate. Entering into the third book in the Shatter Me series has once again proved what an amazing writer Tahereh Mafi is. I honestly think these books get better with each one and if you haven’t read these yet, stop reading this and go get them!
Remember that guy Warner shot execution style in Shatter Me? The one that came without warning and made Juliette even more frightened? Yeah well, the truth finally come s out and what I thought to be too long of a reveal, I’ve come to realize that it makes sense to the very essence of Warner’s character.
“Judge me,’ he says, ‘all you like. But I have no tolerance,’ he says sharply. ‘For a man who beats his wife. No tolerance,’ he says. ‘for a man who beats his children. Seamus Fletcher was murdering his family. And you can call it whatever the hell you want to call it, but I will never regret killing a man who would beat his wife’s face into a wall. I will never regret killing a man who would punch his 9-year-old daughter in the mouth. I am not sorry,’ he says. ‘And I will not apologize. Because a child is better off with no father, and a wife is better off with no husband, than one like that.”
He is a man with principles and he will not answer for his actions. He does what he does and his high moral compass shocks many. His actions are more honourable than anyone knows and instead of trusting his authority people assume the worst and he rather not correct them because he knows that what he did was right and not rash. And Juliette fell for his cold act like everyone else. And yet in Ignite Me he chooses to confide in her because he genuinely cares for her and this filled in plot holes like Seamus Fletcher here that we didn’t know existed.
This story seems simple and then Mafi throws a curve ball like this one and it just makes me fall harder for Warner and that is not something I thought I would be saying when I started this series. That’s another reason to love this book. Everything you think you know isn’t quite how it really is and that keeps you on your toes. Who wants to read a book where you’ve guessed the entire story within the first 50 pages? No one! Because it gets boring and uneventful. It turns a story into just pages filled with words. No substance. SO like I said, I’m eternally grateful that I was wrong because these books have a special place in my heart and it almost didn’t happen. So don’t assume anything!
Ok, let’s talk about the clearly obvious elephant in the book here. Adam and his relationship with Juliette. That extinguished almost immediately into this instalment and yet Adam can’t let go. Warner makes an observation and he absolutely nails it! He tells Juliette that Adam fell in love with that timid, scared girl he broke out, and makes it a point to say that she isn’t that girl anymore. He calls her a coward too because she can’t come to terms with her feelings for him so she keeps stringing Adam along. You can immediately tell he’s in love with her and it’s that painful best friend is in love with me but I have a boyfriend type scenario, a popular choice for any love triangle. I found myself fighting for Warner and yelling at Juliette. Two things I never thought would happen haha!
“I like the way I feel about myself when I’m with him. Warner thinks I’m strong and smart and capable and he actually values my opinion. He makes me feel like his equal—like I can accomplish just as much as he can, and more. And if I do something incredible, he’s not even surprised. He expects it. He doesn’t treat me like I’m some fragile little girl who needs to be protected all the time.’
‘That’s because you’re not fragile,’ Kenji says. ‘If anything, everyone needs to protect themselves from you. You’re like a freaking beast,’ he says. ‘I mean, you know—like a cute beast. A little beast that tears shit up and breaks the earth sucks the life out of people.”
This is one of my favourite moments in all of Ignite Me. And this is solely because this is where Juliette lists all the reasons why she’s falling for Warner. It melts your heart and fills your eyes with tears. It’s powerful stuff. And I find it really honest. You can see her struggle to cope with her feelings throughout this whole book and it’s a really strong internal fight, that she faces alone. She’s not that naïve girl anymore. She can tell who the real Warner is and she’s frightened of her change in opinion of him. All this stuff is realistic too! It’s an important decision to make and takes her time and this is where she lays it all out and finally confides with her only friend who she can turn to, Kenji. And this is what he says.
“What am I going to do?’
‘About what?’
I hesitate. ‘About everything.’
Kenji makes a strange sound. ‘Shit if I know.’
‘I don’t want to do this without you,’ I whisper.’
He leans back. ‘Who said you’re to do anything without me?”
And this is why I once again love Kenji. He’s so adorable and cares for Juliette so much!!! (And yes all of these exclamation points are necessary haha!)
And if he couldn’t get any better, his teasing of Juliette when he sees Juliette’s jaw drop to the floor as she watches Warner working out in sweatpants was literary gold! And yes, this was most definitely included.
“Kenji pulls up next to me. Nods at Warner. ‘SO this gets you going, huh?’
‘I’m mortified.’
‘I’ve never seen him in sweatpants before.’ I try to sound normal. ‘I’ve never seen him in shorts.’
Kenji raises one eyebrow at me. ‘I bet you’ve seen him in less.’
I want to die.”
And here I am laughing at myself like an absolute crazy person as I write this haha!
But how can you not?
This came as a close second to Warner and his sweatpants but I think it’s a great bit of humor that’s also hilarious! Ever wonder how they smuggled Juliette into Warner’s compound? Well, that mystery is now solved. It was a black bag and perfect for a body. Yup, that’s right it was a body bag!!
“Don’t worry,’ he smiles. ‘I cut some holes in it for you.”
He’s so courteous haha!!
We see the most out of Warner in this book and his humour doesn’t stop there!
“Do you never get exhausted being so wholly unbearable? You have as much charisma as the rotting innards of unidentified roadkill.”
Ok, keep in mind this was earlier in and he has since grown to being slightly better at communication haha. Although this is a little morbid and much darker humour, he nailed it! Adam has been in this downward spiral ever since they discovered his incompatibility to Juliette. And I’m not shocked at all that it was Warner who called him out! You go Warner!
“This isn’t about Adam or Warner,’ I tell him. ‘This is about me and what I want. This is about me finally understanding where I want to be in ten years. Because I’m going to be alive, Kenji. I will be alive in ten years, and I’m going to be happy. I’m going to be strong. And I don’t need anyone to tell me that anymore. I am enough, and I always will be.”
What a revelation!!! The character growth for Juliette is substantial!
That’s all for now. This was such an amazing read and I am curious to see how Restore Me works as this was originally the ending to the trilogy. But I’m excited nonetheless because I have fallen for each and every character in this book. And so I’ll finish here but as a taste, I’ll leave two of my other favourite moments that both relate to the beautiful love story blossoming between Juliette and Warner.
The first is unconventional and it’s an outsider perspective into the first hints of love sparking between the two. And yes, it’s my two favourites from Omega Point, Winston and Brendan.
“I’m—right, I’m so confused.’ Brendan says blinking. ‘Right then—what just happened? Was he smiling at you? Genuinely smiling at you?’
‘Looked to me like he was in love with you.’ Winston says, frowning. ‘But that’s probably just because my head is messed up right?”
(They were definitely RIGHT!)
And this lovely one line from our infamously sour bad boy, Warner himself.
“You are perfect. Every inch of you. Perfect. Don’t hide from me.”
If this doesn’t give you Feysand vibes I don’t know what will!