Book Review: Illuminae

 

Title: Illuminae

Author/s: Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

Series: The Illuminae Files (#1)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

ISBN: 9780553499117

Publishing Date: October 20, 2015

 

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Visit “Illuminae” on Goodreads

“You have me. Until every last star in the galaxy dies. You have me.”

Definitely my ultimate fave when it comes to Young Adult Sci-fi!

We meet Kady Grant and Ezra Mason who just broke up and on that same day their planet, Kerenza IV, was attacked due to illegal settling and mining of its citizens. This then resulted to the start of an interstellar war. Aside from that, they must also face a deadly virus which turns any person afflicted into a madman that kills for no reason.

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. It’s composed of documents, files, messages, interviews and narrated video footages which is truly interactive and informative for readers like me. This is the first book I have encountered in this format. Well, except Miss Peregrine’s for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs which included quite a few vintage photos but aside from that, this is it. This book has more to offer than just photos.

The plot of this book was epic. It was action packed which made me turn each page continuously for hours just out of curiosity on what will happen next. Aside from that, this book made me feel all different sorts of emotion. It made me laugh, it made me cry and even frightened me especially when they have to face the afflicted.

For the characters, they were very dynamic and you can really distinguish each and every one of them even just by their actions. Ezra’s the type of guy that is sweet and funny but he can also be serious when he needs to be. But behind those sweetness and those jokes is a story of a man who grew in a not so perfect family. While for Kady, she’s very smart and independent, maybe a bit stubborn but she’s definitely the type of person that will sacrifice her life not just for the people she cherish but for anyone. That’s just the main characters, but there were others that eventhough where only in a chapter or even only in a few paragraphs, where given the opportunity to show who they are and there significance like McNulty, one of my fave side characters. And as a matter of fact, the characters where so well developed that even just by that very reason, I will surely continue reading this series just to know what will happen to them.

But actually, the main reason I really enjoyed this book was the twist and turns. A bit predictable but there were elements that did surprise me. I badly want this book to be adapted into a movie.

I highly recommend you this book because I did loved it! Again, fave sci-fi of all time! (for now..)

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My Rating: 5/5

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