Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1)
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Release Date: January 1st 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia (worldwide dates and publisher may differ from those stated)
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a government ′rehabilitation camp′. Ruby might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America′s children, but she and the others had emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now on the run, she is desperate to find East River, the only safe haven left for kids like her, and she joins a group of other runaways who have escaped their own camps. Liam, their brave leader, is falling for Ruby, but she 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 Liam. But there are also 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 - and one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

My Thoughts

I'm in two minds about whether or not I liked this book. On the one hand I loved it, it had all the really great elements of an intriguing and thought provoking read and on the other, it just annoyed me.

I found the story very slow to get going, almost to the point of boredom; then it got interesting and then it slowed back down again. I often felt like I was just on the verge of an important revelation and then my attention would be skirted around it and pointed towards a different direction altogether. I was frustrated - a lot.
The attraction between Ruby & Liam was very slow to heat up, if at all. It was all very familial rather than teenage attraction. I think they make great friends but anything more than that wouldn't feel authentic.

The one character that really did pique my interest only appeared for a short time and then was presumed dead soon after arriving at Thurmond.

The Darkest Minds is a journey - both literally and figuratively, but for all the self discovery and new relationships that Ruby experiences, I just didn't feel a lot of growth from her or the other characters.
A slowly moving storyline that didn't really go anywhere emotionally - there was no real progression within the story, it overall fell flat for me.

I'd like to see where this story goes and so would definitely read the next installment, but The Darkest Minds was only a 3 star read for me :]