Review of Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
(Attention: Imminent Spoilers)
Synopsis:
With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn't know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won't keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that's not all he wants with her.
(Synopsis from Amazon.com)
I hate to start off with a negative review, but I wanted to start by posting the reviews I've written this year on goodreads. Unfortunately, it appears I am way behind on my reviews and this is the only one I've written. I have a lot of catching up to do.
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I really wanted to like this series.
I really wanted to like this series.
I really wanted to like this series.
I didn't like this series.
I’m seriously disappointed right now. The first book was pretty good, the second book was alright, the short stories were really goodfor some strange reason, but this book was just so bad. I had high hopes for it too, but it just didn't deliver.
The first 250 pages were just filled with everyone bitching at each other. It was one angst-filled conversation after another and some of them just felt like they were the same exact conversation repeated, and the story wasn’t progressing. Nothing really happened in this book, until the very end. I've been team Warner since the beginning, but I liked him because he was Warner, I don’t like the whiny guy pretending to be him in this book. It reminded me of Spike in BtVS, except Spike was still Spike when he became Buffy-whipped. I’m just so ridiculously sick of this whole “You bring out the good in me” shit, because… it’s just so stupid if I’m being honest.
And Adam. Adam.
I couldn’t stand Adam in this book. I kind of liked him for part of Shatter Me, but that was short lived. However, much like Warner, he just wasn’t Adam in this book. The things he said to Juliette weren’t alright, and thank the lord she realized that, but he just wasn’t acceptable. The fact that he just wants a weak little girl who he canprey on take control over is beyond creepy. Seriously, he’s a creep, poor Alia.
Juliette, even though she bugged me frequently, was the only character who developed as a character in a realistic and positive way. I’m glad she found her power, and realized she’s a strong and independent person. But then, it still felt like she needed a man to make her feel whole. I think I would have liked this series a whole lot more if there was more action, and wasn’t a love triangle, or really a love story at all. Because all this was, was a ridiculous love story in the middle of the end of the world.
The only characters I genuinely liked were Kenji and James. Kenji was hilarious, as always, and I really enjoy his platonic, best friend’s relationship with Juliette. James is adorable, and I loved the scene where he keeps bugging Warner and asking him all these questions. He’s the best.
Now speaking on the whole brother thing. That was interesting to me, I wanted to see more of Warner interacting with Adam, and especially James, for the first time as brothers. But we didn’t get that because all that seemed to matter was the ridiculously stupid love story.
I was also expecting some sort of explanation as to the world of this story. But there was none of that. This series has the least developed dystopian world out of all the books I’ve read. I get that the environment is being destroyed, makes sense. But how and why did the Reestablishment take over? What is going on outside of this sector? How in the hell did Anderson take over? He doesn’t seem particularly strong or a good, powerful speaker which is a quality all dictators have. All he does is hide and have his army do the work, which, how did he even develop an army if all he does is hide? The only reason he is scary is because of all the people he has manipulated, but how has he manipulated them? He’s not scary on his own. If everybody is as unhappy with this new society as they seem to be, then how have they not overpowered this little asshole, yet? Rant over. Also, can we please have some explanation as to the development of these powers? With Warner’s mom it seems to imply that they weren’t always there, because she got them later in life. So, I’m left to assume that all of a sudden due to the environment or radioactivity, or some shit, these powers occurred. But can we talk about that? Like, I’m sorry, but that needs an explanation.
And also, Juliette being able to not only contain her power enough to touch people now, but also being literally indestructible, seems a little too convenient. I’m starting to feel a little bit of Mary-Sue-ness coming on. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before, but it’s there for sure.
I hated the intimate scenes between her and Warner. Okay, I get it, it’s a young adult book and it’s risky to put a sex scene in. So don’t, don’t put a sex scene in. But don’t get super far into it and then fade to black right before the deed actually happens. And if you do, don’t continuously have these scenes. Do it once, let the readers know they are now officially boning, and leave it at that.
I liked the ending. There was a real fight, and if I don’t think too much about how unbelievable Juliette’s new powers are, it was pretty kickass. But… not one person died? Seriously, we’re in a war and the good guys that we’ve grown attached to just somehow miraculously make it out alive? It was very unrealistic. I understand wanting a happy ending, but not everybody is going to survive a war, it’s just not how it is.
And the ending, ending was incredibly abrupt. An epilogue or something would have been helpful here. Like, cool, you overthrew the current leader and declared that you are the new leader.would that really work? Maybe that’s how Anderson became leader, because there’s no other explanation I can think of.
I could probably go on, but I’m gonna end this here because I can see no other end in sight. Overall, I thought this story was contrived, ridiculous, and nothing really happened. And it makes me sad because I really wanted to like it. Also, part of me wants another sequel or a spin-off to know what happens next, and I know if Miss Mafi wrote one, I would most certainly read it. Ugh… I hate that about myself…
Edit:: I just realized, this series is totally the dystopian novel equivalent of Dawson's Creek, difference is that Dawson's Creek is a guilty pleasure of mine..
Rating::
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I hate to start off with a negative review, but I wanted to start by posting the reviews I've written this year on goodreads. Unfortunately, it appears I am way behind on my reviews and this is the only one I've written. I have a lot of catching up to do.
--
I really wanted to like this series.
I really wanted to like this series.
I didn't like this series.
I’m seriously disappointed right now. The first book was pretty good, the second book was alright, the short stories were really good
The first 250 pages were just filled with everyone bitching at each other. It was one angst-filled conversation after another and some of them just felt like they were the same exact conversation repeated, and the story wasn’t progressing. Nothing really happened in this book, until the very end. I've been team Warner since the beginning, but I liked him because he was Warner, I don’t like the whiny guy pretending to be him in this book. It reminded me of Spike in BtVS, except Spike was still Spike when he became Buffy-whipped. I’m just so ridiculously sick of this whole “You bring out the good in me” shit, because… it’s just so stupid if I’m being honest.
And Adam. Adam.
I couldn’t stand Adam in this book. I kind of liked him for part of Shatter Me, but that was short lived. However, much like Warner, he just wasn’t Adam in this book. The things he said to Juliette weren’t alright, and thank the lord she realized that, but he just wasn’t acceptable. The fact that he just wants a weak little girl who he can
Juliette, even though she bugged me frequently, was the only character who developed as a character in a realistic and positive way. I’m glad she found her power, and realized she’s a strong and independent person. But then, it still felt like she needed a man to make her feel whole. I think I would have liked this series a whole lot more if there was more action, and wasn’t a love triangle, or really a love story at all. Because all this was, was a ridiculous love story in the middle of the end of the world.
The only characters I genuinely liked were Kenji and James. Kenji was hilarious, as always, and I really enjoy his platonic, best friend’s relationship with Juliette. James is adorable, and I loved the scene where he keeps bugging Warner and asking him all these questions. He’s the best.
Now speaking on the whole brother thing. That was interesting to me, I wanted to see more of Warner interacting with Adam, and especially James, for the first time as brothers. But we didn’t get that because all that seemed to matter was the ridiculously stupid love story.
I was also expecting some sort of explanation as to the world of this story. But there was none of that. This series has the least developed dystopian world out of all the books I’ve read. I get that the environment is being destroyed, makes sense. But how and why did the Reestablishment take over? What is going on outside of this sector? How in the hell did Anderson take over? He doesn’t seem particularly strong or a good, powerful speaker which is a quality all dictators have. All he does is hide and have his army do the work, which, how did he even develop an army if all he does is hide? The only reason he is scary is because of all the people he has manipulated, but how has he manipulated them? He’s not scary on his own. If everybody is as unhappy with this new society as they seem to be, then how have they not overpowered this little asshole, yet? Rant over. Also, can we please have some explanation as to the development of these powers? With Warner’s mom it seems to imply that they weren’t always there, because she got them later in life. So, I’m left to assume that all of a sudden due to the environment or radioactivity, or some shit, these powers occurred. But can we talk about that? Like, I’m sorry, but that needs an explanation.
And also, Juliette being able to not only contain her power enough to touch people now, but also being literally indestructible, seems a little too convenient. I’m starting to feel a little bit of Mary-Sue-ness coming on. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before, but it’s there for sure.
I hated the intimate scenes between her and Warner. Okay, I get it, it’s a young adult book and it’s risky to put a sex scene in. So don’t, don’t put a sex scene in. But don’t get super far into it and then fade to black right before the deed actually happens. And if you do, don’t continuously have these scenes. Do it once, let the readers know they are now officially boning, and leave it at that.
I liked the ending. There was a real fight, and if I don’t think too much about how unbelievable Juliette’s new powers are, it was pretty kickass. But… not one person died? Seriously, we’re in a war and the good guys that we’ve grown attached to just somehow miraculously make it out alive? It was very unrealistic. I understand wanting a happy ending, but not everybody is going to survive a war, it’s just not how it is.
And the ending, ending was incredibly abrupt. An epilogue or something would have been helpful here. Like, cool, you overthrew the current leader and declared that you are the new leader.
I could probably go on, but I’m gonna end this here because I can see no other end in sight. Overall, I thought this story was contrived, ridiculous, and nothing really happened. And it makes me sad because I really wanted to like it. Also, part of me wants another sequel or a spin-off to know what happens next, and I know if Miss Mafi wrote one, I would most certainly read it. Ugh… I hate that about myself…
Edit:: I just realized, this series is totally the dystopian novel equivalent of Dawson's Creek, difference is that Dawson's Creek is a guilty pleasure of mine..
Rating::
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