Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi was book number 26 in this years attempt at the 100 Books in a year challenge (yes, I realise this is doomed) and the final instalment in the Shatter Me Series.

I have reviewed the rest of this series before, which you can find here. and I was super excited for the final instalment, which picks up the narrative from the point it was left in one of the novellas released in between the main novels. It begins with the storm caused by Emmaline completely unraveling, she lifts the allusion the re-establishment forces her to cast all over the world, making the populace believe that the world is ending due to climate change, which is what allows them to take so much control. As she is doing this, Emmaline invades Juliette’s mind, as she searches for a way out of the loneliness and agony she’s been forced to endure. She’s seems to hope that if her mind occupies another’s body, it means she can die and Emmaline is distraught when she finds that this won’t work. The strain this puts on Juliette’s mind causes her to lose consciousness. At this point their position is given away and the re-establishment invades their hide out, abducting Juliette is the process.

<p value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">The narrative then flicks between the aftermath of the attack and Juliette in captivity in Oceania (the re-establishments base in New Zealand). She undergoes a treatment that intends to erase Juliette's personality and memories, also forcing Emmaline out of her mind at the same time. This is so that she can receive future treatments in order to transfer Emmaline's consciousness into her mind completely. In summary, the books ends with a dashing and daring rescue and the good guys triumph. The narrative then flicks between the aftermath of the attack and Juliette in captivity in Oceania (the re-establishments base in New Zealand). She undergoes a treatment that intends to erase Juliette’s personality and memories, also forcing Emmaline out of her mind at the same time. This is so that she can receive future treatments in order to transfer Emmaline’s consciousness into her mind completely. In summary, the books ends with a dashing and daring rescue and the good guys triumph.

I enjoyed it but honestly, the ending didn’t feel like an ending. I genuinely had to google to check that it was the end of the series because the ending felt so abrupt. It does tie everything up but it felt a little rushed. I also felt like this book lacked a little of the depth the other books had, like it was just trying to wind down the clock to the ending. The overall arc of bringing down the re- establishment had a nice conclusion but I didn’t enjoy how Warner’s character regressed in Juliette’s absence, as it took away from the growth they had both achieved during the series as individuals helping to heal each other’s trauma. It also kind of reinforces an unhealthy idea of codependency and that the right girl can ‘cure’ a violent guy. Although, in turn, for two people who have experienced the kind of things they have, it’s unlikely that their relationship would be 100% healthy.

If you’re interested, here is the link to the Goodread’s page on the book. I thoroughly recommend the rest of the series, so, overall, I don’t think this book detracts too much from that but I was definitely a little disappointed.

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