The Bookshelf Review: Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published December 18th 2012 by Disney Hyperion

Synopsis:

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had 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.

My Thoughts/Review:

I am so glad that I started this book right away when it came out this month. It was so worth it and satisfying. I knew I would love this book from the start. Any books that have a premise with people or children with powers or starts comparing it to the X-men you can bet that I will love it. This book had everything in it, that I just knew I would love, from the characters to the premise to the love and to the corrupt government and world.

Alexandra Bracken has an amazing voice and talent in writing. She draws you in and takes you on a tumbling adventure filled with characters that pull on your heartstrings. I fell in love with every single character, they really jumped off the page and into my mind. I loved watching how Ruby grew from the beginning to the very end. She shows how much a person can gain courage and self-esteem with the things that you have to go through to learn. I did like that things moved at a fast pace from one place to another.

One thing, in the beginning, that I didn't like so much was the confusing use of flashbacks and going back and forth. The book starts with a prologue and then it flashes back to before things start to happen and then goes back to present day leaving us with wanting to find out exactly what happened with Ruby's parents. Then later in the book it goes back to show us exactly what happened with her parents. What I didn't like exactly was the harsh flashbacks, there was nothing leading up to the going back and forth, it just happens. I liked where the flashbacks where put into the story, I just wish they were more seamlessly flowed into the book.

Liam, Chubs and Zu (short for Suzume) become Ruby's friends in the book and it is one of the reasons why I loved this book. They all have there own little spark and brought so much character to the book. The adventure they go on is so thrilling and exciting when all they want is for life to be normal, like the disease never happened. The story brings you on an adventurous roadtrip with a bunch of kids that just happen to have extraordrinary abilities where they are against all odds trying to fit into the world they live in.

I loved the uniqueness that this story brought and how you get to go on a mind blowing adventure with all of the surprises and how the twists and turn overwhelm you just as they do the characters. The situation with the Slip Kid and his character was completely unexpected to me and added to the story. It really gives the story another dimension and path to go in. I really want to know how he will play into the next book. The ending, with everything that happens, is so shocking that you will definitely be surprised even if you guess it before hand, because you don't actually think that that will happen, because why would Ruby do that. I hated how it ended but it is what makes the story so good and what makes me want to read the sequel immediately.

This is one of the best series I have read in 2012. If you haven't bought it yet, you most certainly need to. I recommend it to everyone of all ages. I am really looking forward to the second book in the series, so badly. Definitely check it out, you will not be disappointed. =]

Overall, I give this book:

"An adventurous roadtrip of a read that just happens to include teens with extraordinary abilities, an amazing mindblowing read that was very hard to put down." =]
5 out of 5 Stars

Links to Check it Out: