Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive.
Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.
From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.
MY THOUGHTS
I have learned over the years to be wary when it comes to spin-off books.
When this book first came out, I was hyped for it. I even preordered it. But I didn't get to reading it right away, because I never felt in the mood for it. And as time went on, I grew wary about reading this book.
Here's the thing about spinoffs. Sometimes they go right. Sometimes they bring back the world and the characters you love. Sometimes they give a new perspective in a unique and interesting way. Sometimes they feel necessary.
But, more often than not, I get the letdown spinoffs. This one was that. It's not that I hated this book, it's not that I even disliked it. To be honest, I think it did a better job in the spinoff department than Rebel. But I just felt meh about this whole book. I felt disinterested the whole time, even in really intense scenes. It took me much too long to read this book because I kept taking breaks. I felt like I was forcing myself to read it.
Here's what makes rating this book difficult for me, because I can't fully place why this book didn't work for me. I could say it was the pacing or characters, but I worry that part of it is because I just am not as interested in these kinds of books anymore. I used to love dystopian fiction, but when the world looks more and more dystopian every day, I don't really want to escape into dystopian books. But it's also been six years since I've read In The Afterlight. Six years ago I was graduating from High School. Six years ago, dystopian was my jam. Now, my tastes have obviously changed. This makes me worry whether I would enjoy The Darkest Minds series if I reread it today.
Even though I felt like I was slogging my way through this book, I did like some parts. Once I got, say, 300 pages in, I grew more interested. I do think it added a lot of new details. It answered questions that readers of the original trilogy might have had. I also liked that it didn't kill off any of the major gang, which I have seen spinoffs do in the past. This book kind of shows how disastrous the world is years after the original series, and how the cast still has a lot of work to do. I think it was interesting to have a book from Zu's perspective, even if I had trouble connecting with her in the book.
When this book first came out, I was hyped for it. I even preordered it. But I didn't get to reading it right away, because I never felt in the mood for it. And as time went on, I grew wary about reading this book.
Here's the thing about spinoffs. Sometimes they go right. Sometimes they bring back the world and the characters you love. Sometimes they give a new perspective in a unique and interesting way. Sometimes they feel necessary.
But, more often than not, I get the letdown spinoffs. This one was that. It's not that I hated this book, it's not that I even disliked it. To be honest, I think it did a better job in the spinoff department than Rebel. But I just felt meh about this whole book. I felt disinterested the whole time, even in really intense scenes. It took me much too long to read this book because I kept taking breaks. I felt like I was forcing myself to read it.
Here's what makes rating this book difficult for me, because I can't fully place why this book didn't work for me. I could say it was the pacing or characters, but I worry that part of it is because I just am not as interested in these kinds of books anymore. I used to love dystopian fiction, but when the world looks more and more dystopian every day, I don't really want to escape into dystopian books. But it's also been six years since I've read In The Afterlight. Six years ago I was graduating from High School. Six years ago, dystopian was my jam. Now, my tastes have obviously changed. This makes me worry whether I would enjoy The Darkest Minds series if I reread it today.
Even though I felt like I was slogging my way through this book, I did like some parts. Once I got, say, 300 pages in, I grew more interested. I do think it added a lot of new details. It answered questions that readers of the original trilogy might have had. I also liked that it didn't kill off any of the major gang, which I have seen spinoffs do in the past. This book kind of shows how disastrous the world is years after the original series, and how the cast still has a lot of work to do. I think it was interesting to have a book from Zu's perspective, even if I had trouble connecting with her in the book.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, though I don't think this book was necessary. But, if fans of the series love it and if it makes other readers happy, then it's fine. I just wish I loved it more than I did.
I hereby give this book
2.5 Stars
Meaning: I almost liked it, but not quite
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