REVIEW: Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken

“The darkest minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces.”

Charles Carrington Meriwether IV , The Darkest Minds

Ruby’s life is split into two parts: Before Birthday #10, After Birthday #10. Since then, it has been the grey walls of Thurmond, fear of the White Noise, powers that she fears, and masking these fears under an emotionless face. Then she is broken out of Thurmond, a feat never heard of before, by people she has never known. Not trusting their intentions, she runs away from them, and smack into Black Betty. Liam, Chubs, and Zu plan on finding the mythological personality, “the Slip Kid” and she joins too. She needs to find some answers. She needs a home.

Another dystopian novel –one without me needing to go around writing Ruby Liam Chubs Ruby Ruby on everything I own (shoes, bags, alarm clocks)

Why you ask?

Dystopian world with people divided on the basis of powers/profession/abnormals/normal – check

One faction that has superiority over the others – check

Rebels revolting against everyone else– check

Heroine exiting her life past and embarking on a journey to discover herself – check

Amazing world building that usually accompanies dystopian novels – Ahem.

How about none? Technically the world building was average, but for all the powers the kids possess, the world created for them is hardly futuristic.

I LOVE the characters. I do. I do. But will I love them for the rest of eternity? The answer is no, and maybe it’s because of the slew of dystopian novels I’m eating. The story starts out with a quartet –I LOVED LITTLE ZU – but then she leaves (no don’t cry – she doesn’t die, just leaves) and the quartet becomes a trio – which is not typical (which means it’s a refreshing change from heroine and boyfriend saving the world from Armageddon). Ruby, Chubs, and Liam remind me of the magical trinity – Hermione, Harry, and Ron, the last two sometimes swapping roles. I liked that. Chubs isn’t your average sidekick. I loved that. 

The narration is good, not extraordinary. I often felt that Bracken’s writing was repetitive.

Anyways, because of the PLOT I travelled with Black Betty at almost record breaking speed, when.

The End happened.

So this is me in search of Book 2:

Suffice to say, I finished reading Never Fade (Darkest Minds #2) soon after. It was okay, just another sequel. I'm not spoiling you sweethearts.

VERDICT: 3.5 stars