Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Illuminae

It was easy to get lost in this book. It was one of the most well researched space sci-fi pieces of media, especially in the young adult genre.

While the plot and external circumstances had very strong involvement, (i.e. BeiTech/the Lincoln) the story seemed very focused on the internal fallout of basically every named character (as much as possible without overcrowding the book).

There is a romance, technically two, but in neither does it feel forced. Between Kady and Ezra, it is a natural development; they had just broken up when the attack had happened, it was not due to a lack of feelings on either side. Throughout the book, they work together to survive. They put petty fights behind them. It's a very nontoxic relationship, and it was really engaging to read.
The other romance is probably mad spoilers, but is also well written. It intentionally goes against the grain of the natural character capabilities, but that is a heavy part of the plot: the breakage of what once was, especially when it comes to the Alexander's personel, body, and mind.

The book was very quippy, and was written from individual perspectives, even when most of it is an outside observer. The writer style and format was all extremely creative, and in some ways, it needed to be. It is interesting to have such a clear example of just how different a movie is from that which a book is capable of.
This book was long, but it went fast, both due to the intriguing use of certain pages and to just pure engagement.

The main plot is Violent with a capital v. It is a rescue mission, a mystery, a zombie apocalypse, and a war. The romance is integral to the character's actions, but as actively involved as it is, they never undermine the important stuff. This is a character driven story: the importance and diversity of humanity (the moral stuff, not a group of people) is heavily explored, especially in the fourth quarter of the book.

This is a crazy good book, with too many twists and turns for me to cover all of it, so just read it for yourself.

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urmigurimgay's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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natalietsai_reading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Such a beautifully written book, it follows Kady Grant and Ezra Mason through the bombing of their home planet, onto spaceships in the black of the universe. Told in transcripts, emails, and commentary by a certain AI, this book is lovable and emotional, and makes you want to read it again and again.
If you love Sci-fi, or books told in unusual formats (such as letters or instagram posts) then you will love this book! I, for one, loved it, and it had me laughing out loud and crying at the same time.

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jessi_c's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I went into this with space adventure vibes of Firefly/Serenity, but I ended up with the horror, space thriller vibes of Serenity. When that tonal shift happened, the story took off and I got incredibly absorbed to the bittersweet end. I was supposed to slowly read this thru the month of Aug and here I am, finished a week in. Going to find the other two books to fill the month. Well done!

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