Book Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

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.

My Rating: 

Destroy Me is told entirely from Warner’s perspective, meaning that the excessively flowery prose and the endless strikethroughs that contributed to my lack of enjoyment of Shatter Me were thankfully not present. Instead, Warner’s thoughts are clear, methodical, and organized – a contrast that is even more striking once Juliette’s diary is found.

Mafi easily explains Warner’s actions as a result of his upbringing. While his father’s actions had made him hardened against the world, he does, in fact, have a heart. Throughout Shatter Me, I found myself wondering if instalove was the only reason for Warner’s fascination with Juliette; in Destroy Me, this obsession only deepens as Warner learns just how much he truly understands Juliette. And while I was never on a “team” before, since I didn’t particularly care for Adam or Juliette, I’m inclined to admit that Warner might just be better suited for her after all.

The highlight of this e-novella, though, was definitely Warner’s tentative friendship of sorts with Delalieu. Born over coffee and inadvertent gratitude, it was a surprisingly adorable (and entirely unexpected) relationship.

Overall, Destroy Me was a pleasantly surprising read. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Warner’s thoughts – even if most of them were focused on his obsession with Juliette – so I may just have to give the rest of the series a try.