Kenji
She’s screaming.
She’s just screaming words, I think. They’re just words. But she’s screaming, screaming at the top of her lungs, with an agony that seems almost an exaggeration, and it’s causing devastation I never knew possible. It’s like she just—imploded.
It doesn’t seem real.
I mean, I knew Juliette was strong—and I knew we hadn’t discovered the depth of her powers—but I never imagined she’d be capable of this.
Of this:
The ceiling is splitting open. Seismic currents are thundering up the walls, across the floors, chattering my teeth. The ground is rumbling under my feet. People are frozen in place even as they shake, the room vibrating around them. The chandeliers swing too fast and the lights flicker ominously. And then, with one last vibration, three of the massive chandeliers rip free from the ceiling and shatter as they hit the floor.
Crystal flies everywhere. The room loses half its light, bathing the cavernous space in a freakish glow, and it’s suddenly hard to see what’s happening. I look at Juliette and see her staring, slack-jawed, frozen at the sight of the devastation, and I realize she must’ve stopped screaming a minute ago. She can’t stop this. She already put the energy into the world and now—
It has to go somewhere.
The shudders ripple with renewed fervor across the floorboards, ripping through walls and seats and people.
I don’t actually believe it until I see the blood. It seems fake, for a second, all the limp bodies in seats with their chests butterflied open. It seems staged—like a bad joke, like a bad theater production. But when I see the blood, thick and heavy, seeping through clothes and upholstery, dripping down frozen hands, I know we’ll never recover from this.
Juliette just murdered six hundred people at once.
There’s no recovering from this.
I shove my way through the quiet, stunned, still-breathing bodies of my friends. I hear Winston’s soft, insistent whimpers and Brendan’s steady, reassuring response that the wound isn’t as bad as it looks, that he’s going to be okay, that he’s been through worse than this and survived it—
And I know my priority right now needs to be Juliette.
When I reach her I pull her into my arms, and her cold, unresponsive body reminds me of the time I found her standing over Anderson, a gun aimed at his chest. She was so terrified—so surprised—by what she’d done that she could hardly speak. She looked like she’d disappeared into herself somewhere—like she’d found a small room in her brain and had locked herself inside. It took a minute to coax her back out again.
She hadn’t even killed anyone that time.
I try to warm some sense into her, begging her now to return to herself, to hurry back to her mind, to the present moment.
“I know everything is crazy right now, but I need you to snap out of this, J. Wake up. Get out of your head. We have to get out of here.”
She doesn’t blink.
“Princess, please,” I say, shaking her a little. “We have to go—now—”
And when she still doesn’t move, I figure I have no choice but to move her myself. I start hauling her backward. Her limp body is heavier than I expect, and she makes a small, wheezing sound that’s almost like a sob. Fear sparks in my nerves. I nod at Castle and the others to go, to move on without me, but when I glance around, looking for Warner, I realize I can’t find him anywhere.
What happens next knocks the wind from my lungs.
The room tilts. My vision blackens, clears, and then darkens only at the edges in a dizzying moment that lasts hardly a second. I feel off-center. I stumble.
And then, all at once—
Juliette is gone.
Not figuratively. She’s literally gone. Disappeared. One second she’s in my arms, and the next, I’m grasping at air. I blink and spin around, convinced I’m losing my mind, but when I scan the room I see the audience members begin to stir. Their shirts are torn and their faces are scratched, but no one appears to be dead. Instead, they begin to stand, confused, and as soon as they start shuffling around, someone shoves me, hard. I look to up to see Ian swearing at me, telling me to get moving while we still have a chance, and I try to push back, try to tell him that we lost Juliette—that I haven’t seen Warner—and he doesn’t hear me, he just forces me forward, offstage, and when the murmur of the crowd grows into a roar, I know I have no choice.
I have to go.
Warner
“I’m going to kill him,” she says, her small hands forming fists. “I’m going to kill him—”
“Ella, don’t be silly,” I say, and walk away.
“One day,” she says, chasing after me, her eyes bright with tears. “If he doesn’t stop hurting you, I swear I’ll do it. You’ll see.”
I laugh.
“It’s not funny!” she cries.
I turn to face her. “No one can kill my dad. He’s unkillable.”
“No one is unkillable,” she says.
I ignore her.
“Why doesn’t your mum do anything?” she says, and she grabs my arm.
When I meet her eyes she looks different. Scared.
“Why doesn’t anyone stop him?”
The wounds on my back are no longer fresh, but, somehow, they still hurt. Ella is the only person who knows about these scars, knows what my dad started doing to me on my birthday two years ago. Last year, when all the families came to visit us in California, Ella had barged into my room, wanting to know where Emmaline and Nazeera had gone off to, and she’d caught me staring at my back in the mirror.
I begged her not to say anything, not to tell anyone what she saw, and she started crying and said that we had to tell someone, that she was going to tell her mom and I said, “If you tell your mom I’ll only get into more trouble. Please don’t say anything, okay? He won’t do it again.”
But he did do it again.
And this time he was angrier. He told me I was seven years old now, and that I was too old to cry.
“We have to do something,” she says, and her voice shakes a little. Another tear steals down the side of her face and, quickly, she wipes it away. “We have to tell someone.”
“Stop,” I say. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
“But—”
“Ella. Please.”
“No, we have t—”
“Ella,” I say, cutting her off. “I think there’s something wrong with my mom.”
Her face falls. Her anger fades. “What?”
I’d been terrified, for weeks, to say the words out loud, to make my fears real. Even now, I feel my heart pick up.
“What do you mean?” she says. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s . . . sick.”
Ella blinks at me. Confused. “If she’s sick we can fix her. My mum and dad can fix her. They’re so smart; they can fix anything. I’m sure they can fix your mum, too.”
I’m shaking my head, my heart racing now, pounding in my ears. “No, Ella, you don’t understand— I think—”
“What?” She takes my hand. Squeezes. “What is it?”
“I think my dad is killing her.”
Kenji
We’re all running.
Base isn’t far from here, and our best option is to go on foot. But the minute we hit the open air, the group of us—myself, Castle, Winston, injured Brendan, Ian, and Alia—go invisible. Someone shouts a breathless thanks in my direction, but I’m not the one doing this.
My fists clench.
Nazeera.
These last couple of days with her have been making my head spin. I never should’ve trusted her. First she hates me, then she hates me even more, and then, suddenly, she decides I’m not an asshole and wants to be my friend? I can’t believe I fell for it. I can’t believe I’m such an idiot. She’s been playing me this whole time. This girl just shows up out of nowhere, magically mimics my exact supernatural ability, and then—right when she pretends to be best friends with Juliette—we’re ambushed at the symposium and Juliette sort of murders six hundred people?
No way. I call bullshit.
No way this was all some big coincidence.
Juliette attended that symposium because Nazeera encouraged her to go. Nazeera convinced Juliette it was the right thing to do. And then five seconds before Brendan gets shot, Nazeera tells me to run? Tells me we have the same powers?
Bullshit.
I can’t believe I let myself be distracted by a pretty face. I should’ve trusted Warner when he told me she was hiding something.
Warner.
God. I don’t even know what happened to him.
The minute we get back to base our invisibility is lifted. I can’t know for sure if that means Nazeera went her own way, but we can’t slow down long enough to find out. Quickly, I project a new layer of invisibility over our team; I’ll have to keep it up just long enough to get us all to a safe space, and just being back on base isn’t assurance enough. The soldiers are going to ask questions, and right now I don’t have the answers they need.
They’re going to be pissed.
We make our way, as a group, to the fifteenth floor, to our home on base in Sector 45. Warner only just finished having this thing built for us. He cleared out this entire top floor for our new headquarters—we’d hardly even settled in—and things have already gone to shit. I can’t even allow myself to think about it now, not yet.
FAQs
How many pages is Defy Me? ›
| ISBN-13: | 9780062676405 |
|---|---|
| Publication date: | 02/04/2020 |
| Series: | Shatter Me Series , #5 |
| Edition description: | Reprint |
| Pages: | 384 |
At the end of the torture, Juliette still remembers her prior life as Juliette, but also remembers herself as Ella–memories of her time before Sector 45 coming in hot and heavy–memories of Warner, and of the other children of the supreme commanders.
What is the ending of Defy Me? ›Kenji and Nazeera to the rescue.
The reluctant lovebirds arrive at the compound where Juliette and Warner are being held, and manage to help them escape. And with Emmaline's help, their mission is a success! They make it onto the plane and fly away!
The fifth book, Defy Me, was published on April 2, 2019. The sixth book , Imagine Me, was published on March 31, 2020. The seventh and final book, Believe Me, was published on November 11, 2021.
Is Shatter Me appropriate for 14 year olds? ›Kids can read whatever they want :)
I think this is absolutely great for kids for the age 10-12 it is a great book with so much entertainment and it is great for kids who want to expand reading curriculum!
Aaron calls her Ella, by her birth name and she doesn't mind, but Aaron also calls her Juliette. In the end, she finally decides she will keep her name as Juliette Ferrars but Aaron decides to call her Ella privately but also Juliette. In Believe Me, they finally get married.
Do Juliette and Warner sleep together? ›Juliette discovers that she has the ability to control her lethal touch, therefore having the ability to touch anyone she wants. With this realization, she can choose whoever she wants to be with, and Juliette recognizes her love for Warner. She admits this to him, and they go on to sleep together.
Is Kenji in love with Juliette? ›Juliette and Kenji are best friends. They are there for each other during difficult times, and comfort each other when they're hurt. Numerous times, Kenji has helped Juliette through her "boy problems", and supported her when she was weak or just in need of a friend to talk to.
Can Juliette touch anyone? ›The story is in a dystopian setting and follows Juliette. Juliette cannot touch anyone. Her touch can be literally lethal.
Does Juliette's hair grow back? ›In Defy Me, Juliette's hair grows back to its original length after Evie Sommers applies a chemical to make it grow faster.
Why do Adam and Juliette break up? ›
In Unravel Me, things were going great until Juliette finds out that whenever she touches Adam, she is hurting him. She is in shock and decides to break up with Adam because she believes she is hurting him.
How did Warner betray Juliette? ›They believe there is still poison in her system. Warner is trying to confess everything to Juliette, but she distracts him with nakedness. Afterward, he finally tells her, and she runs out horrified. Kenji comes in to find out why Juliette is so upset.
Will Shatter Me be a movie? ›Fox-based Chernin Entertainment will produce the film. The screenwriter is Mike Le. There is currently no cast or director for the show.
Is Ignite Me spicy? ›Ignite Me is a spicy standalone paranormal romance set in the Immortal Vices and Virtues Universe.
Why can Adam touch Juliette? ›Power Negation: Adam has the ability to disable other abilities. This is why he can usually touch Juliette without being harmed and why Warner is not able to sense his energy. However, the ability is not constant and can be turned off both through concentration or lack thereof.
Is it ends with us inappropriate for a 12 year old? ›No. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover is not appropriate for children or Young Adults. It is only appropriate for Mature Adults aged 17 and over. It contains adult themes, including domestic violence, and explicit romantic content.
Is you appropriate for 15 year olds? ›We're going to say no unless your family is incredibly permissive with sexual content. We'd stick with 17 and up for the YOU series on Netflix. If you have a teen who digs horror, this will appeal to them as Joe is a hard character to hate (it's true, we're sorry to say it!).
Is me before you appropriate for a 12 year old? ›Age Appropriate For: 12+. This romance is meant to elicit as many tears from viewers as possible with its story about a relationship between a wealthy quadriplegic man and the working-class girl who is hired to be his companion and caretaker.
Does Juliette shave her hair? ›That night Warner and Kenji find out that Juliette had moved into Anderson's old quarters, drunk some of his most expensive alcohol, and also shaved her head. Warner takes care of Juliette, and even though she tries to seduce him, he manages to stay away from her.
What race is Juliette? ›| Juliet Capulet | |
|---|---|
| Family | Lord Capulet (father) Lady Capulet (mother) Tybalt Capulet (cousin) Rosaline Capulet (cousin) |
| Spouse | Romeo Montague |
| Nationality | Italian |
Why is Juliette a vampire? ›
Powers. Legacy Vampire Physiology: Being born a Legacy vampire, Juliette has inherited a variety of powers and abilities that make her superior to the more common vampire.
What chapter does Warner kiss Juliette? ›Shatter Me Series
Warner & Juliette chapters/moments/quotes - chapter 62 (Unravel Me) His lips touch my bare stomach. It's just a whisper of a kiss but something collapses in my skull.
Warner confesses his love.
Warner divulges what a monster his dad really is. Then he confesses his love for Juliette. He asks her to deny that she loves him back, and she CAN'T ANSWER.
Juliet is the only child of Lord and Lady Capulet. She has been promised in marriage to Paris. At a party, she meets Romeo and instantly falls in love with him, even though he is her 'enemy' and a Montague.
How old is Kenji? ›Kenji is fifteen years old and appears to come from a very rich family, as he states that he lives in a mansion that is equipped with a bowling alley. However, his father is very distant, and apparently spends most of his time with his girlfriend, Candy.
Is Adam a bad guy in Shatter Me? ›Adam is the good guy (the really, super, amazingly nice, stunningly attractive good guy). He starts out on your good side immediately.
Does Roka like Kazama? ›Roka has once stated that they shared a 'bond that cannot be separated', although no one takes it seriously. She seems to have feelings for Kenji as she refers to him as her "important person" and gets easily jealous when other girls like Takao, Funabori (or in the manga) Hata Takafudou approach him.
Does Juliette shave her head Shatter Me? ›Juliette shaves her head.
She meets with a few children of supreme commanders around the world (including Warner's ex-gf).
Juliette's touch can inflict intense pain. She was incarcerated after she killed a small boy trying to help him up when he fell. Her parents hated her and wanted rid of her.
Why can't Juliette be touched Shatter Me? ›This book starts the Shatter Me series. In this dystopian world, the main character, a girl named Juliette Ferrars is confined in an insane asylum, kept in total isolation. The reason for this is because she is considered a lethal weapon to mankind. Her touch can literally suck the life out of you.
Does Juliette get pregnant? ›
She and Avery Barkley become parents during season 3. Around season 3, Juliette never wanted children or have a daughter because of her mother wasn't exactly a great role model growing up. Juliette already messed up a lot of people lives when they support her and she was afraid she would mess up Cadence's life.
What happens to Juliette's baby? ›Avery gets arrested after getting drunk and trespassing. Juliette bails him out and, when Avery tells her that he wishes he had never met her, she decides to keep the baby and raise it on her own.
What happens to Juliette's mom? ›Jolene Barnes was Juliette Barnes' mother. She had many drug and alcohol problems over the years and eventually, committed suicide after murdering her daughter's ex-boyfriend Dante.
Does Sam cheat on Juliette? ›Rumors swirled that Sam and Juliette were unfaithful, but now Juliette's setting the record straight. "You guys will see," Juliette hints before confirming, "Yeah, he totally did." As to whether she cheated, Juliette hedged. "I don't know," she says.
Is Adam immune to Juliette? ›Castle shows Juliette that he has psychokinesis. He also introduces her to Brenden who is very pale and very blond and his eyes are very blue. He lets her in to see Adam, who is healing well with the help of healers. He is shocked to see that Adam is immune to Juliette.
Do juliette and warner kiss in Unravel Me? ›Warner comes to Juliette's room. He tells her he accidentally channeled her power into Kenji. Juliette and Warner kiss but then Juliette breaks away saying Adam's name, feeling guilty.
Does Brendan have a crush on Juliette? ›Brendan has a thick British accent and uses words such as "bloody" and "blimey". In Unravel Me, it is shown that Brendan has a slight crush on Juliette, but Kenji tells him it won't happen.
Why does Juliette cut her hair? ›Juliette moves out of the room she shared with Warner and into Anderson's old quarters, where she finds a cabinet of alcoholic beverages. She gets drunk and cuts her hair in an act of self-destruction.
Why was Juliette Ferrars adopted? ›Biography. The Reestablishment chose Evelyn and Eric Ferrars to be Juliette's adoptive parents because they were desperate for kids, and the Reestablishment wanted Juliette to grow up in natural environment to see if she would develop any special powers like her sister Emmaline did.
Is there a kiss in Shatter Me? ›There's a lot we love about the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi—the poetic writing, the dynamic characters, the kissing, the dystopian setting, the kissing, the fast-paced action. Did we mention the kissing? Let's revisit some of our favorite YA kissy scenes!
Is Shatter Me series on Netflix? ›
Shatter Me is not available for streaming.
Where can I watch the Shatter Me movie? ›- Netflix.
- Apple TV.
The Shatter Me series romanticizes abuse; click here for an ongoing, in-depth commentary about abuse romanticism in this series and others.
Is Unravel me appropriate? ›Age Range: Lexile.com suggests an age range of 14-17 (and up, though they don't write that and I wish they did), and I agree, though o think it would still be okay for even 13. It's not filled with language issues but has hints at intimacy, but even that is mild in comparison to some YA literature.
Is Ignite Me appropriate for 13 year olds? ›Aria C well, teen genre really is between the ages 13-19 and honestly could go for older ages. this book is for the older teen years. i'm thirteen too, but i don't mind/care reading those scenes. But it is about what you're comfortable with, since you're the one reading it.
How can Kenji touch Juliette? ›At first, Juliette believes Kenji touched her skin, but Warner admits what happened. He has the ability to take other mutants' powers. As Juliette was pushing him away from Adam, her ability flowed through him. He then channeled it to Kenji.
What age is Shatter Me for? ›Storyline. Set in a dystopian future, "Shatter Me" follows the life of 17-year-old Juliette Ferrars, who has been locked away for a crime she never intended to commit--a crime caused by her peculiar "gift" that she herself doesn't even understand.
Is Defy Me the 4th book? ›Defy Me is the fifth book in the Shatter Me series.
Is Defy Me the fifth book? ›Description. Juliette and Warner's story continues in the thrilling fifth installment of Tahereh Mafi's New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series. Juliette Ferrars isn't who she thinks she is.
How many pages are in Shatter Me Book 4? ›
| Publisher | HarperCollins; Reprint edition (March 5, 2019) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 464 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0062676377 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0062676375 |
Juliette is 17 in the first four books, and she is 18 in the last two books. Adam and Juliette met back when they were just seven years old.
Is Shatter Me series spicy? ›Does Shatter Me Have Spicy Scenes? There are no real explicit scenes in the Shatter Me book series, but there are some moments concerning consent or some scenes that could make readers uncomfortable.
Who does Adam Kent end up with? ›Adam and Alia spend most of their time together along with James in Believe Me. Mafi confirmed they are a couple.
How old is Kenji in Defy Me? ›He is 20 years old and 5'10" with eyes as pitch-black as his hair.
Is there a 7th Shatter Me book? ›Believe Me (Shatter Me, book 7) by Tahereh Mafi.
Can you skip the novellas in Shatter Me? ›The Shatter Me Novellas
Go figure. It is totally possible to read the “main” six novels of the Shatter Me series in order without the novellas, but if you just can't get enough, they are out there.
While above ground, Juliette sees Warner, the commander of Sector 45 and her former captor. Although only 20, Warner is a ruthless, violent officer of the government. He has also confessed his love to Juliette and is the only other person who can touch her without feeling pain.