The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds
By Alexandra Bracken
The Darkest Minds book #1
Hardcover: 488 pgs
Published: December 18, 2012
By: Disney-Hyperion
Goodreads Link
Rated: 4.1 out of 5 Stars
Related Reviews: In the After Light - #3; Never Fade - #2

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.

The world building in this book was phenomenal. I loved the world that Alexandra created; a dystopian society that was hit with a devastating virus, killing off most children. The ones that didn't die from the virus became.. different. Ruby is one of those children, locked away in an abusive camp with thousands of other children. In this book, she finds herself, and learns to trust others again. I fell in love with Liam instantly, with his outgoing personality and instant trust in her. He is a wonderfully written male character. The "Slip Kid" is a complex and intricate character, and I tried so hard not to hate him (without success). I thought that the 'colors' to describe the types of abilities was pretty cheesy, but effective. The chemistry between Liam and Ruby is instant and absolute. The ending was awful, and I won't give any details, but it was the worst possible ending that could happen without any of the main characters dying. Sigh. On a good note, the Psi generation is ready to fight back, and I'm hoping that the resistance stands up in the future books to try to take back their world. I will definitely continue reading this series, and I look forward to the third book.

The Darkest Minds book #3: October 28, 2014

"Did you know...you make me so happy that sometimes I actually forget to breathe? I'll be looking at you, and my chest will get so tight...and it's like, the only thought in my head is how much I want to reach over and kiss you." -Liam to Ruby

"It feels like we should do something,' he said. 'Like, send her off on a barge out to sea and set her on fire. Let her go out in a blaze of glory.' Chubs raised an eyebrow. 'It's a minivan, not a Viking.'" -Chubs & Liam

"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."

Book reviews relating to this one:

Connect with Alexandra Bracken: AlexandraBracken.com; Twitter; Goodreads.

Tags: dystopian, the Darkest Minds, urban fantasy.