When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, something about her has changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby 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 its mysterious leader. But there are 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, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.
The Darkest Minds http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/74/f0/58/_darkest-minds-1338596188.jpg Featured
Editor reviews
Average editor rating from: 2 user(s)
I lose my mind for anything that includes a training montage or teenagers discovering their special powers. It’s the reason I have seen The Craft, The Karate Kid, and the X-Men movies a ridiculous number of times. It’s also the reason I was in heaven reading The Darkest Minds.
A virus has wiped out almost an entire generation of kids, but those who survived have exceptional abilities which frighten the adults around them. Herded into “rehabilitation camps”, they are labeled by color. Reds are able to create fire, Oranges can control minds, Yellows can manipulate electricity, Greens are brilliant, and Blues are telekinetic. Before you join me in spending hours debating which ability you’d prefer, know that life is not rosy for the kids. If they manage to escape the camps, like our heroine Ruby, they may spend the rest of their lives being hunted by a variety of different agencies, all for nefarious purposes.
This is a premise I love, but even better are the characters. Ruby is well-developed and likable. She is haunted by so much–her powers, her past, and her fears for the future. Author Alexandra Bracken realistically describes the way she pushes through everything that scares her and becomes a brave protector of her friends. And what friends she has! It would be unfair to reduce them to Liam, the leader, Chubs, the brain, and Zu, the silent child. They are characters that the readers want to prevail, even when it seems like the entire world is against them.
The Darkest Minds is the first in a series, but the novel ends in a way that it could be a standalone title, albeit a sad one. The film rights have already been purchased, and I will be the first in line for the movie or the sequel, whichever comes first.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Excellence
This one is going to be huge.
I lose my mind for anything that includes a training montage or teenagers discovering their special powers. It’s the reason I have seen The Craft, The Karate Kid, and the X-Men movies a ridiculous number of times. It’s also the reason I was in heaven reading The Darkest Minds.
A virus has wiped out almost an entire generation of kids, but those who survived have exceptional abilities which frighten the adults around them. Herded into “rehabilitation camps”, they are labeled by color. Reds are able to create fire, Oranges can control minds, Yellows can manipulate electricity, Greens are brilliant, and Blues are telekinetic. Before you join me in spending hours debating which ability you’d prefer, know that life is not rosy for the kids. If they manage to escape the camps, like our heroine Ruby, they may spend the rest of their lives being hunted by a variety of different agencies, all for nefarious purposes.
This is a premise I love, but even better are the characters. Ruby is well-developed and likable. She is haunted by so much–her powers, her past, and her fears for the future. Author Alexandra Bracken realistically describes the way she pushes through everything that scares her and becomes a brave protector of her friends. And what friends she has! It would be unfair to reduce them to Liam, the leader, Chubs, the brain, and Zu, the silent child. They are characters that the readers want to prevail, even when it seems like the entire world is against them.
The Darkest Minds is the first in a series, but the novel ends in a way that it could be a standalone title, albeit a sad one. The film rights have already been purchased, and I will be the first in line for the movie or the sequel, whichever comes first.
The Darkest Minds is intense from the start. I was sucked into the story starting on page one, entranced by the story and I barely stopped reading until I turned the last page. It was dark, thrilling, and a bit scary at parts. I never knew exactly who I could trust and I loved trying to call the shots, even though I was wrong most of the time.
Alexandra Bracken has written a story that is so intricately woven and so beautifully written. It takes an exceptional book for me to want to put down a book to flag a quote, and there was something on every page that had me marveling at the lyrical nature of her prose.
I love Alexandra Bracken's characters. They are all so dynamic and diverse. Even in this hard time for the characters, there is such a focus on great friendships. I loved Ruby - she was such a fabulous main character. She had unwavering strength and a good hearted nature. Liam, oh Liam. I cannot wait to see more of him in the sequel, as he was another character who was just so good and what a hottie too!
The plot builds until the very last moment. The ending was brutal, but even though I didn't see it coming, it was such a Ruby move, so I could accept it. I cannot even imagine where Alexandra Bracken will take readers next, but wherever that is, sign me up.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken was one of those few books I could find no criticism for. It was just stunning and was everything I was looking for in another Alexandra Bracken read. The wait since Brightly Woven has been a long one indeed, but The Darkest Minds is the book that made that wait worth it. Another masterpiece from Alexandra Bracken and a book I will be sure to reread over and over again.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
The Best Book of the Year
I sat here for the longest time trying to wrap my head around the amazing book that The Darkest Minds was. I was blown away by the sheer brilliance the pages contained and really cannot gather the words to express the love I feel for this book. It was everything I was hoping for, but it was also more. This book was so drastically different from Alexandra Bracken's debut, Brightly Woven, but it still held the same exceptional strength and has become an instant favorite.
The Darkest Minds is intense from the start. I was sucked into the story starting on page one, entranced by the story and I barely stopped reading until I turned the last page. It was dark, thrilling, and a bit scary at parts. I never knew exactly who I could trust and I loved trying to call the shots, even though I was wrong most of the time.
Alexandra Bracken has written a story that is so intricately woven and so beautifully written. It takes an exceptional book for me to want to put down a book to flag a quote, and there was something on every page that had me marveling at the lyrical nature of her prose.
I love Alexandra Bracken's characters. They are all so dynamic and diverse. Even in this hard time for the characters, there is such a focus on great friendships. I loved Ruby - she was such a fabulous main character. She had unwavering strength and a good hearted nature. Liam, oh Liam. I cannot wait to see more of him in the sequel, as he was another character who was just so good and what a hottie too!
The plot builds until the very last moment. The ending was brutal, but even though I didn't see it coming, it was such a Ruby move, so I could accept it. I cannot even imagine where Alexandra Bracken will take readers next, but wherever that is, sign me up.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken was one of those few books I could find no criticism for. It was just stunning and was everything I was looking for in another Alexandra Bracken read. The wait since Brightly Woven has been a long one indeed, but The Darkest Minds is the book that made that wait worth it. Another masterpiece from Alexandra Bracken and a book I will be sure to reread over and over again.
User reviews
Average user rating from: 6 user(s)
The Darkest Minds begins with a little bit of background on the main character of Ruby. Ruby is one of the survivors in a world where all the children have disappeared. Taken to camps and tortured. But some look to escape. This book comes out on Tuesday so I don’t want to spoil anything about it. I highly recommend it if you enjoyed The Hunger Games or the X-Men Movies. It has a read X-Menish feel to the book. Don’t start this book until you have the time to dedicate to it.
Alexandra Braken writes with a unique style. She takes the time to develop her characters. While this may seem to make the novel move slowly at first, it is needed because you need to develop an attachment for Ruby. The second half of the book moves at the speed of light. I highly recommend this book to teens and for teen collections.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Great Great book
Not every book I read hits me like a ton of bricks, in a good way. Not every book I read leaves me with a “Oh My God,” feeling. Not every book leaves me anticipating the sequel worse than anticipating The Hobbit 2. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a new dystopian novel for teens. There have been many to come out since Suzanne Collins “rebooted” the genre with The Hunger Games, some are too copycat and not very good. Not The Darkest Minds!!
The Darkest Minds begins with a little bit of background on the main character of Ruby. Ruby is one of the survivors in a world where all the children have disappeared. Taken to camps and tortured. But some look to escape. This book comes out on Tuesday so I don’t want to spoil anything about it. I highly recommend it if you enjoyed The Hunger Games or the X-Men Movies. It has a read X-Menish feel to the book. Don’t start this book until you have the time to dedicate to it.
Alexandra Braken writes with a unique style. She takes the time to develop her characters. While this may seem to make the novel move slowly at first, it is needed because you need to develop an attachment for Ruby. The second half of the book moves at the speed of light. I highly recommend this book to teens and for teen collections.
Vivid Characters
Action
Love
Romance
There is no crazy love triangle (*cough Hunger Games *cough) to pull at your head and cloud your judgement. There is no lover's quarrel (Tris and Four) to confuse the emotions. There is simply Ruby and Liam.
I do believe that Liam is one of my new favorite protagonists. He is loyal, determined, and 100% honest. He loves Ruby regardless of her powers. They are the new Romeo and Juliet. I am SO glad to see this will be a series because I need more Liam pronto. as much gushing as I do for Liam, I should note that the other characters aren't half bad either. Ruby is pretty cool in that I-really-can't-do-anything-right kind of way. She grows on you. She also gets better with her powers, which makes for a pretty interesting conclusion in this book. But one of my other favorites in this story is Chubs. The legally blind book nerd. How can you not love a character that makes references to Watership Down and Lord of the Flies? He's witty and full of all sorts of dry humor. He makes such a great addition to this motley crew of X-men quality superkids.
For the fans of drama, there is plenty between these pages. Each chapter layers the complicated plot a little more. The action begins almost instantly with a pretty shocking and gruesome scene, and it doesn't stop. There are twists and turns to keep you guessing (even if some were pretty obvious). Best of all, there is a cliffhanger ending that actually works, even if it leaves you feeling that your heart has suddenly jumped into your throat. Side note: I strongly dislike cliffhangers that leave you asking a million questions about the entire plot or saying WTH to yourself. The Darkest Minds doesn't do that. The ending truly works, even if it's not a fairy tale inspired outcome (this is a dystopian afterall).
I encouraged everyone to read this one. It is wonderful. Refreshing even. Like all trends, things start to feel stale after a while. I mean, there are only so many ways you can write the end of the world/civilization without repeating someone's ideas, right? That seems to be the case with the majority of the newer novels hitting the market. They feel familiar. Too familiar. But, alas, The Darkest Minds did not conjure up any old memories or comparisons as I read, which was delightful. So, if you've read this one, I would love to discuss it! I think there could be some great conversations to spring from this gem.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Incredible! New favorite!
I thought my heart would only beat for Tris and Four, but now I have met Ruby and Liam. Ohmysweetgoodness. What a wonderful combination in The Darkest Minds.
There is no crazy love triangle (*cough Hunger Games *cough) to pull at your head and cloud your judgement. There is no lover's quarrel (Tris and Four) to confuse the emotions. There is simply Ruby and Liam.
I do believe that Liam is one of my new favorite protagonists. He is loyal, determined, and 100% honest. He loves Ruby regardless of her powers. They are the new Romeo and Juliet. I am SO glad to see this will be a series because I need more Liam pronto. as much gushing as I do for Liam, I should note that the other characters aren't half bad either. Ruby is pretty cool in that I-really-can't-do-anything-right kind of way. She grows on you. She also gets better with her powers, which makes for a pretty interesting conclusion in this book. But one of my other favorites in this story is Chubs. The legally blind book nerd. How can you not love a character that makes references to Watership Down and Lord of the Flies? He's witty and full of all sorts of dry humor. He makes such a great addition to this motley crew of X-men quality superkids.
For the fans of drama, there is plenty between these pages. Each chapter layers the complicated plot a little more. The action begins almost instantly with a pretty shocking and gruesome scene, and it doesn't stop. There are twists and turns to keep you guessing (even if some were pretty obvious). Best of all, there is a cliffhanger ending that actually works, even if it leaves you feeling that your heart has suddenly jumped into your throat. Side note: I strongly dislike cliffhangers that leave you asking a million questions about the entire plot or saying WTH to yourself. The Darkest Minds doesn't do that. The ending truly works, even if it's not a fairy tale inspired outcome (this is a dystopian afterall).
I encouraged everyone to read this one. It is wonderful. Refreshing even. Like all trends, things start to feel stale after a while. I mean, there are only so many ways you can write the end of the world/civilization without repeating someone's ideas, right? That seems to be the case with the majority of the newer novels hitting the market. They feel familiar. Too familiar. But, alas, The Darkest Minds did not conjure up any old memories or comparisons as I read, which was delightful. So, if you've read this one, I would love to discuss it! I think there could be some great conversations to spring from this gem.
I thought that it was really clever to have written Ruby the way she is. Even if her childhood was ruined beyond repair, she isn't as broken or destroyed as you'll expect her to be. I thought that she was really fragile at the start, because of what she did to her parents and her best friend, and she was, but in a different way entirely. She was fragile in a way that she didn't want to hurt people, not fragile in the way that people hurt her. I thought that this was brilliant.
Ruby is smart, aware, guarded, kind, thoughtful, selfless and very brave, very very brave. In the final pages of the book, it was so obvious what she was going to do, but that made it all the worse when she did it. It broke my heart, that last bit of sacrifice, and I can only hope that Ruby has the ability to bring back memories.
Throughout the entire book, I have wondered what Red's powers are. I thought that maybe they were the worst of all the colours, because a lot of people consider red bad, you know, like blood. I reckon that we might find out what they are truly like in the next book...
The Drakest Minds is one of the best books to be written, and it is certainly shouldn't be missed.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
One of the best books this year!!
This must be one of my favourite books of the year (well last year now, 2012)! I underestimated it by far, and I'm awfully angry at myself for thinking so, but I guess that worked its favour as well, as I was truly blown away. The Darkest Minds is filled to the brim with heart-wrenching moments, magical characters and a style of writing that just captures your heart and soul. Its near impossible to describe in words how awesome this book was. It draws you in and steals your breath away, really easily. This book is gonna be the type that will make everyone who reads it, fall in love.
I thought that it was really clever to have written Ruby the way she is. Even if her childhood was ruined beyond repair, she isn't as broken or destroyed as you'll expect her to be. I thought that she was really fragile at the start, because of what she did to her parents and her best friend, and she was, but in a different way entirely. She was fragile in a way that she didn't want to hurt people, not fragile in the way that people hurt her. I thought that this was brilliant.
Ruby is smart, aware, guarded, kind, thoughtful, selfless and very brave, very very brave. In the final pages of the book, it was so obvious what she was going to do, but that made it all the worse when she did it. It broke my heart, that last bit of sacrifice, and I can only hope that Ruby has the ability to bring back memories.
Throughout the entire book, I have wondered what Red's powers are. I thought that maybe they were the worst of all the colours, because a lot of people consider red bad, you know, like blood. I reckon that we might find out what they are truly like in the next book...
The Drakest Minds is one of the best books to be written, and it is certainly shouldn't be missed.
-I thought that the camp idea was brilliant, but I don't believe it was the right thing to do, of course.
-Writing style was perfect!
-The ending was so sad...
In The Darkest Minds, Ruby is taken to Thurmond, a kind of work camp for kids with special powers, the survivors of a disease that destroyed most of the USA’s population of children. There are five different kinds of powers, and Ruby is an Orange, which basically means her powers are mental-based. But Ruby manages to get herself labeled as a Green, but years later, when she’s about 17, she’s discovered as an Orange. A terrorist organization helps her escape the camp, but when it when it becomes clear that the group's motives might not be entirely altruistic, Ruby runs. She meets up with Liam, Chubs and Suzume, who are escapees from another camp. As they search for a fabled safe haven for their kind, Ruby and Liam become closer, even as she struggles to keep her deepest secrets from him and the rest of the group.
Even though she's been abused and suppressed for years, Ruby isn't a fragile little dandelion, waiting to be blow over by whoever comes along. She's caring, thoughtful, incredibly guarded, and selfless; her final act of sacrifice at the end of the novel had me wanting to beat my Kindle into my bed, even though I sort of knew it was coming. And I cannot express my silly joy over the fact that Liam is a good ol' North Carolina guy. Go Tar Heel boys that aren't painted to be complete country hicks! It gives me hope that there actually are guys like that in my home state, just waiting to be discovered. ;) Suzume is possibly the most adorable preteen ever…yeah, she is. And Chubs, he just rules. He’s the cynical, practical voice that keeps optimistic Liam somewhat grounded, and I love the friendship that grow between him and Ruby. It’s so good.
Oh, I wish I could just gush on it a fountain of spoilers, this book is awesome! There are so many scenes between the kids that are so, so, so wonderful and realistically done. Some kids-have-powers books can be corny and contrived, but this one…I love it! So if you like dystopians and sci-fi and great stories, go read The Darkest Minds!
Thank you SO MUCH to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley.com for letting me view this galley!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
so...awesome...LOVE IT!
Can I just love on this book? A lot? The Darkest Minds is completely fantastic! It's full of emotion-twisting moments, captivating writing and awesome characters (Chubs, I love you, man!). This is one of those books that I devoured. I slipped into the story and let myself get wrapped up in it, which was probably a bad idea since the novel tried to rip out my heart and stomp on it a couple times. But it was so worth it!!
In The Darkest Minds, Ruby is taken to Thurmond, a kind of work camp for kids with special powers, the survivors of a disease that destroyed most of the USA’s population of children. There are five different kinds of powers, and Ruby is an Orange, which basically means her powers are mental-based. But Ruby manages to get herself labeled as a Green, but years later, when she’s about 17, she’s discovered as an Orange. A terrorist organization helps her escape the camp, but when it when it becomes clear that the group's motives might not be entirely altruistic, Ruby runs. She meets up with Liam, Chubs and Suzume, who are escapees from another camp. As they search for a fabled safe haven for their kind, Ruby and Liam become closer, even as she struggles to keep her deepest secrets from him and the rest of the group.
Even though she's been abused and suppressed for years, Ruby isn't a fragile little dandelion, waiting to be blow over by whoever comes along. She's caring, thoughtful, incredibly guarded, and selfless; her final act of sacrifice at the end of the novel had me wanting to beat my Kindle into my bed, even though I sort of knew it was coming. And I cannot express my silly joy over the fact that Liam is a good ol' North Carolina guy. Go Tar Heel boys that aren't painted to be complete country hicks! It gives me hope that there actually are guys like that in my home state, just waiting to be discovered. ;) Suzume is possibly the most adorable preteen ever…yeah, she is. And Chubs, he just rules. He’s the cynical, practical voice that keeps optimistic Liam somewhat grounded, and I love the friendship that grow between him and Ruby. It’s so good.
Oh, I wish I could just gush on it a fountain of spoilers, this book is awesome! There are so many scenes between the kids that are so, so, so wonderful and realistically done. Some kids-have-powers books can be corny and contrived, but this one…I love it! So if you like dystopians and sci-fi and great stories, go read The Darkest Minds!
Thank you SO MUCH to Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley.com for letting me view this galley!
Ruby's life turns into a disaster the day she turns 10. She wakes up and her mom and dad no longer know her daughter. For real, they have absolutely no memories about her. You will later realize that she accidentally used her powers on her parents, and erased all their memories of her. Her parents call the cops, but the PSF soldiers get there before they do. They take her to a rehabilitation camp, where you can imagine, is nothing as it is said to be. They don't treat them good, and care for them like they promised their parents. They run dangerous tests on them and use them like lab rats. Ruby is classified as a "Green" but is really an "Orange", which later you will realize, saved her very life. A couple years after she is there, the reds and oranges are taken from the camp, never to be seen again.
After that, she becomes even more rare and valueable to the "Children's League", which is an government organization to "save" children from the camps, but really uses the children's power for their own purposes.
I adored this book so, so much, but I gotta say what I liked most about this book was the premise. I just had fallen in love with this made-up world, where there was powers and evil villians. I know that sounds so wrong, since I should be pitying them because their life sucks, but...I don't know it just managed to get my attention and keep me reading to the very last page. The descriptions helped alot, since they were so profound and I could picture them perfectly in my head.
On to the characters: I really loved Ruby. There I said it. She was just so honest, and caring, it was so hard not to love her. From the beginning, I felt for her. She went through so much at such a young age, and that made her that much smarter and stronger. So, in a way, it helped her alot.
Liam...what to say? He was so great...smart, funny, compassionate, caring, and hopeful. I can't think of one bad thing to say about him. From the start, I KNEW I would love him, because of...just the way he was. Ok, that is my best I can do about describing my feelings for him.
The other minor characters like Chubs and Zu, were such a huge, GIGANTIC part of this story too! I have to give them some credit :D
The ENDING to this story was just so...heartbreaking and sad. I was (seriously) cying and screaming "WHY, OH WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?" So, if you don't like sad endings...don't read this book, but the good news? It does make me want to read the second book VERY badly.
Overall, this book was incredible and awesome and I would recommend this to everybody!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Loved this book so much!
When I first read this description, I was drawn in by just reading the first two sentences. As I read even more, I was just about dying in ancticipation. You want to know why? I'm now a 100% sure that I have mentioned before my love for supernatural powers, and this is no exception.
Ruby's life turns into a disaster the day she turns 10. She wakes up and her mom and dad no longer know her daughter. For real, they have absolutely no memories about her. You will later realize that she accidentally used her powers on her parents, and erased all their memories of her. Her parents call the cops, but the PSF soldiers get there before they do. They take her to a rehabilitation camp, where you can imagine, is nothing as it is said to be. They don't treat them good, and care for them like they promised their parents. They run dangerous tests on them and use them like lab rats. Ruby is classified as a "Green" but is really an "Orange", which later you will realize, saved her very life. A couple years after she is there, the reds and oranges are taken from the camp, never to be seen again.
After that, she becomes even more rare and valueable to the "Children's League", which is an government organization to "save" children from the camps, but really uses the children's power for their own purposes.
I adored this book so, so much, but I gotta say what I liked most about this book was the premise. I just had fallen in love with this made-up world, where there was powers and evil villians. I know that sounds so wrong, since I should be pitying them because their life sucks, but...I don't know it just managed to get my attention and keep me reading to the very last page. The descriptions helped alot, since they were so profound and I could picture them perfectly in my head.
On to the characters: I really loved Ruby. There I said it. She was just so honest, and caring, it was so hard not to love her. From the beginning, I felt for her. She went through so much at such a young age, and that made her that much smarter and stronger. So, in a way, it helped her alot.
Liam...what to say? He was so great...smart, funny, compassionate, caring, and hopeful. I can't think of one bad thing to say about him. From the start, I KNEW I would love him, because of...just the way he was. Ok, that is my best I can do about describing my feelings for him.
The other minor characters like Chubs and Zu, were such a huge, GIGANTIC part of this story too! I have to give them some credit :D
The ENDING to this story was just so...heartbreaking and sad. I was (seriously) cying and screaming "WHY, OH WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?" So, if you don't like sad endings...don't read this book, but the good news? It does make me want to read the second book VERY badly.
Overall, this book was incredible and awesome and I would recommend this to everybody!
I loved the premise from the moment that I read it, and Alexandra really pulls it off well. She breathed her own breath of fresh air into the genre and wrote some awesome ideas and scary elements to the chilling world she has created in The Darkest Minds. The plot was woven together wonderfully. Alexandra told us what we needed to know at the moment and then filled in the details later by showing them and acting them out. While I admit I was a bit confused with some of the lingo and exactly what happened (I thought I missed something), I later saw how she put it all together.
Ruby is an amazing main character. I loved how much she grew and changed in this story, and I really admire the person she turned into at the end even more so than the one that I connected with at the beginning. I love her fighter spirit and how much she cares for and would do anything for the people that she loves.
There is also a great cast of secondary characters. Liam, so crushworthy and such a born leader. Speaking of, I admired how the romance in here was subtle, ie no insta love. I appreciated how they got to know each other, and even though there was physical attraction, there was also an emotional connection. On to the others though. Chubs, ever loyal to those he cares about, and full of surprises. Zu, the precious and strong younger character that you want to shield and hope the best for. And then there were the characters like Clancy that I never knew what exactly to make of. There are also some awesomely written antagonists, that make me want to scream at them and wonder at their methods and how they sleep at night.
All that said, I must warn that this is a dark book for mature teens. There's some (not on every page or anything though) cursing that I found slightly offensive, but given what was going on, I could overlook. There is also some fairly descriptive talk about injuries/blood. (All of this is in arc the advanced reader copy)
Back to what I loved-- I so can't wait to get the next book in this series, and find out more about what happens to Ruby and what comes of the incredibly brave but heart wrenching choices that she made.
Bottom line: Absolutely loved and recommend. Wonderful start to a new trilogy.
Awesome quote:
She didn't know there were two of me now; split between everything I had wanted and everything I would now have to be. One of me... would stay... (The other) thin as a wisp of air and had struggled so long just to be.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Absolutely loved and recommend. Wonderful start to a new trilogy.
Let the fangirling commence. Oh my goodness, what a story. I loved it from the first word to the last emotional scene. Alexandra has created a story with a unique plot, amazing characters, and she is one heck of a writer. I couldn't believe the emotional roller coaster that she took me on and this masterpiece that she wrote with the OMG moments, did she seriously just do that to this character that I love, she made me laugh, want to cry, want to rip people's hair out, and mostly just sit in awe of how beautifully she crafted The Darkest Minds.
I loved the premise from the moment that I read it, and Alexandra really pulls it off well. She breathed her own breath of fresh air into the genre and wrote some awesome ideas and scary elements to the chilling world she has created in The Darkest Minds. The plot was woven together wonderfully. Alexandra told us what we needed to know at the moment and then filled in the details later by showing them and acting them out. While I admit I was a bit confused with some of the lingo and exactly what happened (I thought I missed something), I later saw how she put it all together.
Ruby is an amazing main character. I loved how much she grew and changed in this story, and I really admire the person she turned into at the end even more so than the one that I connected with at the beginning. I love her fighter spirit and how much she cares for and would do anything for the people that she loves.
There is also a great cast of secondary characters. Liam, so crushworthy and such a born leader. Speaking of, I admired how the romance in here was subtle, ie no insta love. I appreciated how they got to know each other, and even though there was physical attraction, there was also an emotional connection. On to the others though. Chubs, ever loyal to those he cares about, and full of surprises. Zu, the precious and strong younger character that you want to shield and hope the best for. And then there were the characters like Clancy that I never knew what exactly to make of. There are also some awesomely written antagonists, that make me want to scream at them and wonder at their methods and how they sleep at night.
All that said, I must warn that this is a dark book for mature teens. There's some (not on every page or anything though) cursing that I found slightly offensive, but given what was going on, I could overlook. There is also some fairly descriptive talk about injuries/blood. (All of this is in arc the advanced reader copy)
Back to what I loved-- I so can't wait to get the next book in this series, and find out more about what happens to Ruby and what comes of the incredibly brave but heart wrenching choices that she made.
Bottom line: Absolutely loved and recommend. Wonderful start to a new trilogy.
Awesome quote:
She didn't know there were two of me now; split between everything I had wanted and everything I would now have to be. One of me... would stay... (The other) thin as a wisp of air and had struggled so long just to be.
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