The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1) in What's the Name of That Book???

Dec 03, 2018 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was ok

Shelves: dystopian-and-post-apocalyptic, young-adult, fantasy-and-sci-fi, cotton-candy

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

No one is more surprised than I am by how much I enjoyed this book!

Is it ridiculous? Yes.

Is it inconsistent? Yes.

Is it original? No.

But none of that mattered! I enjoyed it!

Well, I enjoyed it at first - but eventually I just got fed up with all of Ruby's stupid decisions. My enjoyment tapered off. I may not bother to continue the series - but maybe I will, if I'm looking for some mindless fluff with a side of angst (my favorite kin ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2018 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, age-ya, dystopia

Ruby has been a prisoner at Thurmond since the disease called IAAN killed most children and gave the surviving children special powers. Ruby's Orange-level mind control powers would have put her in danger, but she managed to evade notice by making the PSFs believe she was a Green. But six years later, she finds herself in danger of discovery, and aided in escaping the camp by members of the Children's League.

The Children's League isn't actually the rescue Ruby hoped for. She finds herself rescue Ruby has been a prisoner at Thurmond since the disease called IAAN killed most children and gave the surviving children special powers. Ruby's Orange-level mind control powers would have put her in danger, but she managed to evade notice by making the PSFs believe she was a Green. But six years later, she finds herself in danger of discovery, and aided in escaping the camp by members of the Children's League.

The Children's League isn't actually the rescue Ruby hoped for. She finds herself rescued from the League by three other runaways: Liam, Chubs, and Zu. They're looking for the East River, a camp of runaway kids where they might actually be safe. The camp is run by a mysterious figure called the Slip Kid, who helps other kids find their way back home. Ruby finds herself growing to trust her three new friends, and there's a growing attraction between her and Liam. But without the ability to control her powers, Ruby is afraid to let anyone get close.

I wanted to read the book before the movie comes out this summer. The beginning was a little rough for me: the narrative skipped around a lot, and Ruby seemed to be holding back a lot of information. However, in light of recent news about immigrant camps here in the US, the horrors lived through by the kids at Thurmond felt very relevant. The story picked up once Ruby found Liam and the others. I loved how she slowly came to trust the others, especially Chubs. Although I think this book might have had better editing (I kept noticing things I do in my own work, like repeating phrases in the same paragraph), the story had a great pace and lots of twists.

I was a little bit confused at the end - (view spoiler) Looks like I'll have to read the next book! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 30, 2011 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned, bea

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, she didn't know her world was about to change. She knew about the disease sweeping through the country's children--it was impossible to miss when kids kept dying. She didn't know that surviving the disease was the worse outcome.

Surviving, it turns out, was another word for changing--waking up one day with abilities that used to be the impossible stuff of movies; waking up with strange powers that most of the kids, especially Ruby, can't begin to understan When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, she didn't know her world was about to change. She knew about the disease sweeping through the country's children--it was impossible to miss when kids kept dying. She didn't know that surviving the disease was the worse outcome.

Surviving, it turns out, was another word for changing--waking up one day with abilities that used to be the impossible stuff of movies; waking up with strange powers that most of the kids, especially Ruby, can't begin to understand. Or control.

Now sixteen, Ruby knows just how dangerous she is. She knows she'll never be allowed to leave Thurmond, the government camp set up to "rehabilitate" other kids like her.

She also knows that she has to escape to survive.

On the run, desperate to get away, Ruby soon falls in with other kids looking for a sanctuary called East River. Ruby knows she can't let anyone get close--not after what happened on her tenth birthday--but maybe they can all use each other to get to East River in one piece.

Life outside Thurmond isn't what Ruby expected. Turns out, staying under the radar is hard when you're dangerous. Ruby lost control of her life when she was ten years old. If she can learn more about her own abilities, she might be able to reclaim that control. But everything in life comes with a price. Especially freedom in The Darkest Minds (2012) by Alexandra Bracken.

The Darkest Minds is Bracken's second novel. It is also the first in a trilogy.

This book was one of my most anticipated 2012 reads. I fell in love with Bracken's debut novel Brightly Woven and ever since I could not wait to see what she released next.

Part road trip, part sci-fi adventure, part dystopian The Darkest Minds does not disappoint. With a plot that turns on a dime it is a guaranteed page-turner with an ending that will leave readers anxious for the next installment.

At the same time, The Darkest Minds is so much more than an action-packed read. Ruby's story is heart-wrenching and horrifying but her resilience and her persistence are fierce to behold. The other characters in the story are vibrant and beautifully written--even at their most villainous.

Bracken has created a disturbing world with elements that are both fantastical and uncomfortably possible in our own world. Ruby's voice throughout the novel is as smooth as honey filled with descriptions that bring the eerie Virginia landscape of the story vividly to life. The Darkest Minds is a stunning, sometimes harrowing, start to a series; confirming that Bracken is an author to watch.

Possible Pairings: White Cat by Holly Black, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

*This book was acquired for review from the publisher at BEA 2012 ...more

Like · see review

Mar 03, 2016 Gina rated it liked it

Shelves: supernatural-gothic-scifi, youngadult

Note to self: Stop reading YA books without first checking if they are part of a trilogy. They inevitably are. And then, when you read the first book and think "this is okay" right up until the end and find out the story isn't over, you just have to read the others, even if they are also just okay. Plan ahead! ...more

Like · see review

Jan 17, 2023 Wealhtheow rated it liked it · review of another edition

YA dystopia where an entire generation of kids either dies or gets super powers around their tenth birthday. First few chapters and last few chapters have tension and plot: entire middle section is a road trip that feels like it takes forever.

Like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Liz rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-star, dystopian, young-adult

I was really looking forward to The Darkest Minds because I enjoy dystopians and was a big fan of Bracken’s Brightly Woven. I had especially loved Bracken’s prose and worldbuliding, and since both of those had a place in The Darkest Minds, I figured it would be fantastic. Unfortunately, this one got off to a rough start, and I didn’t start to really enjoy it again until the very end.

Check out my full review here:
http://www.consumedbybooks.com/2014/0... ...more

Like · see review