Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Destroy Me 
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: October 2, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me #1.5
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Pages: 150
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Shatter Me*

“I’ve come to believe that the most dangerous man in the world is the one who feels no remorse. The one who never apologizes and therefore seeks no forgiveness. Because in the end it is our emotions that make us weak, not our actions.”
― Tahereh Mafi, Destroy Me

Synopsis
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. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Let me start off this review by saying I love Warner. I also love Adam, but for different reasons. Warner is so much more complex, and he is certifiably insane. As a psychology minor, I find him fascinating. For me, he's a case study. Does that sound cold? I mean, I do care about what happens to him. I felt horrible for him when Juliette shot him. He was so delusional that he never saw it coming.

Destroy Me shows Warner's side of things, and I was thrilled to enter Warner's mind. While it's clear in Shatter Me that Warner is obsessed with Juliette, we get to see how obsessed he really is in Destroy Me. And trust me, he's cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Through Warner's POV, his past actions are explained. Suddenly, the reader is able to understand Warner's behavior more and sympathize. We even see his softer side. But he still has a screw loose and could use some much needed therapy.

While Destroy Me offers a different perspective and a little more insight into Warner's actions, I don't think it added much to the series. Almost nothing happened besides Warner's father arriving and a rehashing of past events. We already knew Warner's father was a horrible father figure, and his abuse produced the walking, talking trauma that is Warner. There was some world building, but, as with Shatter Me, very little. The romance seems to overwhelm everything else, and it's hard for me to get a clear picture of this dystopian world without more detail or background.

As for the twist at the end, I have to say, Mafi, you are evil. Now I want Unravel Me more than ever. You knew that ending would torture readers!

If you love Warner, read this novella. It also includes an Unravel Me excerpt and official paperwork, files and such from Juliette's file and the Reestablishment. Is it necessary to read this before Unravel Me? No. But it's a short, fun read if you have time.