The Darkest Minds

Today’s post is on "The Darkest Minds” by Alexandra Bracken. It is 488 pages long and is published by Hyperion. The cover is black with an orange symbol like a trident on it, the trident and the title are the same color. The intended reader is young adult but anyone who read X-Men comics, likes dark dystopian stories, or just very well written books should enjoy this if not love it. There is no sex, some language, and little gore but nothing really to scare the more delicate minds. It is told from first person point of view of Ruby. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- 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.

Review- Like so many of my recent posts I had to read this one for grad school but I truly enjoyed this book. It is well written, has interesting characters, and the story is just good. The plot does more things than just more the story along .But I have only have one, just one,  minor complaint about the main character Ruby and that is when she is rescued from the camp she keeps one tracker on her. I knew it was a plot device from the beginning but I was and am willing to overlook it. That is the only problem I had with the book. I loved everything else. I grew up reading comic books, watching odd shows, and reading even odder things; so this book was a perfect fit for me. Ruby is interesting, sympathetic, and engaging. The side characters were enhanced the story, the mystery of what is really going on is still there but the ending is in a good place. I like how Ruby does not give into either the darkness around her or her own weakness. I say weakness because she does not feel that she really has anything to give anyone and she does not know to help herself or others around her. But she does let that stop her from doing everything she can even if that is perhaps questionable. I look forward to the next book with anticipation.

I give this one Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.