Before Christmas, I had only ever heard of The Darkest Minds, the fantastic brainchild of Alexandra Bracken, in passing. However, this winter, this deliciously dark novel somehow wound up under the Christmas tree with my name on it. Upon reading the back of the book and deeming it a worthy dystopian read, I asked my mother where she’d found it. “I found it online,” was the vague response. “It got really good reviews…actually, the only complaint was that it was too dark and creepy.”
She’s such a great mother.
The Darkest Minds tells the wonderfully horrifying survival story of Ruby, a girl taken from her family at ten years old to live out her (probably short) life in a labor camp. Ruby is one of only a few survivors of IAAN, a relentless child-killing disease that either eats the kid's brain and kills them, or leaves them with awesome superhuman powers. Naturally, Ruby is gifted with one of the most dangerous abilities, but she manages to narrowly avoid detection by the camp overseers until she is sixteen…then, of course, she’s found out, and has to escape in a rather spectacular and twisted manner. (No more on that because spoilers.)
Like I said, it’s a book worthy of the dystopian genre. In fact, this book is so amazing, it requires a paragraph entirely separate from the synopsis to fangirl over its brilliance. I loved Ruby as a character, and she develops flawlessly in this book. Bracken’s voice is truly enrapturing; Ruby does not start out as a strong heroine, but we get to see her slowly become one, which is amazing. Her voice is so heartfelt and unique, and from page one I was utterly sucked in. Even better, Ruby isn’t the only character who develops. As Ruby’s companions open up to her, we catch glimpses into their inner desires and fears, making them seem every bit as well-rounded and lovable as our protagonist, Ruby. And of course, I must reiterate this book’s delightful creepiness a final time. If you enjoy a good YA dystopian story like me, you know how difficult it can be to find books that are as dark as you want them to be. Since this is the YA genre, most authors seem to tread lightly over the darkest topics, as though making their story too scary will turn teens away. Not so with Alexandra Bracken! This book is refreshingly twisted and grim, without being over-the-top horrifying or unrealistic, giving it just the right feel for a dystopian.
In short, if you’re looking for a perfect way to kick off 2015, this is a must-have for your New Years’ reading list! Now, on to the sequel.
Happy New Year!
Kyra Z, TAB member
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