Ignite Me

Juliette Ferrars is the narrator and protagonist of Ignite Me. She has powers of super strength that initially manifested in Shatter Me as lethal touch, which meant that anyone who had skin-to-skin contact with her (aside from outliers Adam Kent, her ex-boyfriend, and Aaron Warner Anderson, her love interest in this book) was violently injured or killed. As a result, Juliette was institutionalized and isolated for a year. This experience left her eager for contact (both physical and emotional) with others and highly empathetic.

Over the course of Ignite Me, Juliette continues to gain control of her powers, which she learns to wield with increasing skill throughout the novel, leading her to increased confidence that manifests in her determination to become the new leader of her society following the defeat of The Reestablishment’s oppressive regime. Accessing anger becomes an important skill for Juliette, who uses this emotion to motivate her, as opposed to her previous tendency toward self-pity, which precluded action.

Though much of Juliette’s journey in Ignite Me coincides with her growing romantic relationship with Warner, the novel emphasizes this relationship as something that supports Juliette’s personal growth, rather than something that dictates her actions for the sake of the relationship itself.