Series: Darkest Minds #1
Publication Date: 1st January 2013
Pages: 496
Book Source: HarperCollins Australia & NetGalley
Synopsis: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a government ′rehabilitation camp′. Ruby might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America′s children, but she and the others had emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes
Thurmond with her life. Now on the run, she is desperate to find East River,
the only safe haven left for kids like her, and she joins a group of other
runaways who have escaped their own camps. Liam, their brave leader, is falling
for Ruby, but she can′t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her
parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of
all Liam. But there are also other forces at work, people who will stop at
nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government.
Ruby
will be faced with a terrible choice - and one that may mean giving up her only
chance at having a life worth living.
My Thoughts:
The child population of the US has been
infected with the disease IAAN killing most but survivors don't get off
easy, they're endowed with psychic abilities so terrifying, children are forced
into internment camps for so called rehabilitation.
The reader is drip-fed details which works in
part as we're learning along with 10 year old Ruby, making for a murky,
chilling experience but when Ruby escapes Thurmond at 16 the still sketchy
details had me questioning and analysing, and some things just didn't add up.
Piecing together details works for me, I don't need it spelled out but just
omitting details is poor form. I'm not sure where The Darkest Minds sits
yet, I'll reserve harsh judgement till the next installment.
Ruby annoyed me at first, all that "poor
me" whining got old but she grows and matures over the course of the novel
and by the end she's almost kick-ass. With Ruby on the run from the government and other evil factions is sweet, idealistic, naive, trusting Liam, morose, realistic Chubs (he really grew on me) and Zu who's just adorable.
Alexander Bracken doesn't shy away from
dishing out violence, death, and downright nasty activities and I love that ...
no sugar coating or downplaying dark dealings.
I wasn't blown away as I was with Divergent but The Darkest Minds is dark and
dangerous and anything psi related; telekenisis, mind reading, mind control I just eat up!
US cover - love it!
Hmmmmmmmm I am thinking I need to check this out! Thanks for the great review!!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure, I will wait for your judgement on book 2, whenever it comes out
ReplyDeleteLet me start off by saying the US cover blows! Okay...now because I haven't read Divergent (yet) I'm not sure what I think about this genre of book. I keep putting Divergent on hold at my library and then having to return it unread. I think this calls for a purchased copy instead!! LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good. The premise is interesting, and I like the fact that the main character really grows and matures throughout the story. Great review!
ReplyDeletesounds fantastic! A little different than the usual dystopian affair, but I'm not reading this until I read Divergent.
ReplyDelete