“Third time’s a charm” is not always the way when it comes to the last book in a trilogy; the final book is often the most incendiary, the most divisive.
When it comes to Tahereh Mafi‘s “Ignite Me” — the final chapter of her “Shatter Me” series — however, the author is relieved. Her fans have been decidedly accepting of the way she chose to close out the series, honoring her choices rather than shoving the tear-stained pages in her face while shouting, “Why!?”
“To be perfectly honest, I was terrified to let things play out the way that I knew they needed to, because I knew that no matter what happened, there would be a group of people who would be unhappy,” Mafi told MTV News as she sat on the couch, powering through a cold to celebrate today’s (February 4) release of “Ignite Me.”
“I really did [anticipate readers being upset with the end],” she added. “And now that the book is out I’m hearing from a lot of people and I’m relieved! I think even for people who didn’t get the exact ending that they wanted, I think they are sort of like, ‘OK, I get it.’ And I think that’s what I really wanted.”
The “Shatter Me” series — for those who haven’t already consumed the first two books, “Shatter Me” and “Unravel Me” — tells the tale of Juliette Ferrars, a girl imprisoned by new government order “The Reestablishment” because she can kill with only the touch of her hand.
Over the course of the series, Juliette discovers that she’s not alone in her curse, that there are others like her with gifts — and they want to overturn the oppressive new order.
Like any good YA novel, there’s also a love triangle in play — between Juliette and loyal fellow mutant Adam and seemingly evil government higher-up Warner, who is also not what he seems. The whole thing is like a really sexy version of “X-Men.”
One scene in particular in “Unravel Me” — between Juliette and bad boy Warner — earned Mafi a unique honor: the “Fan Yourself” award from Epic Reads’ reader-voted Book Shimmy contest.
The passion that inspired so many readers to click “vote,” as you can imagine, will likely see a lot of folks waiting with breath that is bated to find out who Juliette ends up with in the end: Adam or Warner. Or… neither?
Still, given the early response to the last book on Amazon.com I’m guessing we’re not going to have another “Allegiant” experience on our hands with the tears and the hand-wringing and the tears.
Love affairs aside, Mafi says that it’s Juliette and her transformation that’s the real focal point of the series.
“I sat down to write one night and I just couldn’t shake the image of this girl who had suddenly popped up into my mind,” Mafi said of Juliette’s incarnation. “All I knew about her — all I could picture of her — was that she was terrified. She as all alone. She was curled into herself in a dark corner, confined somewhere. And she had been locked up for a crime she didn’t intend to commit.”
As the books progress —and Juliette learns how to interact with others both romantically and otherwise —she becomes a fuller character, one less plagued by emotional tics (early books feature crossed-through words, as if the girl is editing herself) and her past.
“Honestly, at the end of the day, it’s not about the boys — it’s about a girl who was lost and broken and desperate to find out who she was and understand her sense of self and her self-worth,” Mafi said. “It was really great to watch her grow up. She’s like my little sister and I got to see her grow into a young lady. And that was really rewarding.”
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