Shirin has spent so much of her life telling herself that everyone is out to get her, that nobody cares who she really is, that she shuts herself off from everyone, even those who really do care about her.Īnd then, as if out of nowhere, he said, “Now-forgive me if I’m saying this incorrectly-but is it-Sharon?” He looked up, looked me directly in the eye. The time period is set a year after 9/11, and although the event itself is only referenced once or twice, the mindset of people hasn’t changed in a year and it focuses on the experiences of Shirin dealing with hate. The book also shows unfair double standards: Shirin’s brother, Navid, is never discriminated against because he’s just considered an ~exotic~ hottie.
Let me just preface by saying that I was not the biggest fan of Shatter Me, but this book has changed my mind about Tahereh Mafi’s writing skills.Įssentially, the book tells the story of the main character, Shirin, after she moves to a new school in a small white town. I’ve never been at a loss of words when writing a book review, but this book has genuinely shaken me. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It terrifies her-they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds-and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.īut then she meets Ocean James. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments-even the physical violence-she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day.
Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.
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