Book details
Tahereh Mafi - Author
This dystopian story centres on a young woman whose touch can kill and whose abilities attract the attention of those seeking power. Juliette faces choices about whether others will use her as a weapon.
Book Analysis
Sign in to see how this book fits your child and family preferences.
Sign in for personalised guidanceHow the book presents it: The contrast supports a reading that the story values restraint and regard for others over controlling power.
Talk about: How does Juliette’s understanding of responsible use of her abilities change?
How the book presents it: The stylised narration, with its unusual metaphors and sentence patterns, shapes how Juliette’s thoughts and the story are presented.
Talk about: Does Juliette’s way of narrating make her thoughts clearer or more difficult to follow for you?
The story connects personal agency with control: Juliette shows empathy and self-restraint amid attempts to control others. Romance and high-stakes choices also sit alongside the dystopian conflict.
The book includes imprisonment and starvation, gunfire, injuries and deaths, past abuse, bullying, sexual harassment, and passionate physical intimacy. These episodes may be worth considering in light of your reader’s sensitivities.
If Juliette is treated as a weapon by others, what choices does she seem to have—and what might help her decide how to use her abilities?
Consider reading the opening together or trying a short passage first: the prose uses unusual metaphors and sentence patterns, and Juliette’s distinctive voice shapes how the story is told.
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
Limited information
Checked: 11 October 2026.
Relevant to: Power and restraint; Distinctive narration
Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.
Suitabook