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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Predictable and forgettable plot. Also got tired of the Liam-Ruby drama, interspersed with mooning about how perfectly they understand each other- I mean, clearly not???
It’s been a while since I read Never Fade, which was the biggest problem I had going into this book. I totally forget most of these characters, what their colors meant in relation to their powers, and all of the various groups that were fighting at the time. I was able to catch onto some of it, but I never fully regained everything I should have to fully enjoy this book. There were many parts that I was confused and unsure of what was really happening. I really should have reread the first two before this one.
However, once I finally got into the meat of this book, I was able to enjoy it more. This book reminds me of Mockingjay and Ignite Me in terms of what is happening. At this point, the rebellion is growing quickly and the leaders, in this case Ruby and her friends, are all hiding in an underground bunker. This can make the whole story move slowly. At some parts, it did drag, especially because of Cole. Ruby and Cole were really close in this book, something I didn’t remember from the other books. Cole is a really pushy leader and totally unlike his brother, Liam. There is sibling rivalry between Cole and Liam which got old quickly. I was already exhausted of Cole’s character halfway through the book and I wanted Ruby to start paying attention to her old friends, especially Liam. Liam got shoved to the side so many times in the book, although he was always bringing up valid and well thought out points to the conversation.
Ruby is a very strong character. She can sometimes get annoying, but she goes through so much character development especially from the beginning of the series to now. All the other characters were also really great. Everyone grew in this book. Chubs is one of my favorites and I loved seeing him get a little bit more confident, especially at the end. Liam is so sweet. I love him. Vida is super strong, but she gets more vulnerable in this book. Her attack and fierceness is always there. Zu made so much improvement in this book, especially as Vida pushes her to be better. The whole group of friends came out really strong.
The plot of this book did get tedious. It was lots of preparation for one final scene for which Ruby wasn’t really there. I did like how the whole series came full circle. It’s just a nice touch that I like to see happen. The final scenes were written really beautifully and everything happened how I hoped it would. It’s so touching how everything works. The only problem that I had with the ending of this book was what happened after the final scene ended. Surely, these kids could never have adapted back to a regular civilian life. Maybe we will get a novella after this book ends?
Anyway, I really enjoyed this series, but I think there is a lot of recapping that needs to be done before reading this one. All of the characters go on really incredible journies. I wish there was a little bit more action and resolution though.
However, once I finally got into the meat of this book, I was able to enjoy it more. This book reminds me of Mockingjay and Ignite Me in terms of what is happening. At this point, the rebellion is growing quickly and the leaders, in this case Ruby and her friends, are all hiding in an underground bunker. This can make the whole story move slowly. At some parts, it did drag, especially because of Cole. Ruby and Cole were really close in this book, something I didn’t remember from the other books. Cole is a really pushy leader and totally unlike his brother, Liam. There is sibling rivalry between Cole and Liam which got old quickly. I was already exhausted of Cole’s character halfway through the book and I wanted Ruby to start paying attention to her old friends, especially Liam. Liam got shoved to the side so many times in the book, although he was always bringing up valid and well thought out points to the conversation.
Ruby is a very strong character. She can sometimes get annoying, but she goes through so much character development especially from the beginning of the series to now. All the other characters were also really great. Everyone grew in this book. Chubs is one of my favorites and I loved seeing him get a little bit more confident, especially at the end. Liam is so sweet. I love him. Vida is super strong, but she gets more vulnerable in this book. Her attack and fierceness is always there. Zu made so much improvement in this book, especially as Vida pushes her to be better. The whole group of friends came out really strong.
The plot of this book did get tedious. It was lots of preparation for one final scene for which Ruby wasn’t really there. I did like how the whole series came full circle. It’s just a nice touch that I like to see happen. The final scenes were written really beautifully and everything happened how I hoped it would. It’s so touching how everything works. The only problem that I had with the ending of this book was what happened after the final scene ended. Surely, these kids could never have adapted back to a regular civilian life. Maybe we will get a novella after this book ends?
Anyway, I really enjoyed this series, but I think there is a lot of recapping that needs to be done before reading this one. All of the characters go on really incredible journies. I wish there was a little bit more action and resolution though.
I don't think I've ever been more sad to end a series.
Like Holy. Shit.
I love these characters all so much, I would probably read a 500 page book about them just doing dumb things like pranking each other and going on road trips and juST ALL BEING SO FUCKING PERFECT.
Also, Alexandra Bracken, I would read your grocery lists. Happily. She's seriously one of the most talented novel writers I have come in contact with.
This book was such a good ending to a trilogy I love so much. I would (and I have) recommend this series to anyone, anywhere.
OH! And now we wait for the movie :)
Like Holy. Shit.
I love these characters all so much, I would probably read a 500 page book about them just doing dumb things like pranking each other and going on road trips and juST ALL BEING SO FUCKING PERFECT.
Also, Alexandra Bracken, I would read your grocery lists. Happily. She's seriously one of the most talented novel writers I have come in contact with.
This book was such a good ending to a trilogy I love so much. I would (and I have) recommend this series to anyone, anywhere.
OH! And now we wait for the movie :)
DNF @ 15%
One whole year and I just couldn’t read it
One whole year and I just couldn’t read it
Definitivamente adoro las distopías, los planteamientos extremistas te hacen pensar en serio en todas las posibilidades no vistas, en las cuestiones que damos por sentado como si siempre fueran a estar allí y esa página en blanco que te plantea este género es abrumadoramente aplastante.
Esta vez me ha sido terriblemente difícil tomar partido, las posturas de Cole y de Liam son tan diametralmente opuestas y al mismo tiempo ambos tienen tanta razón…
El mensaje del libro es tan endemoniadamente profundo que te hace pararte en esa línea fina de hasta dónde una lucha es válida o hasta dónde una resistencia sin violencia pasa a la categoría de utopía. “Si no cambiamos la mentalidad de esos chicos dónde vamos a ir a parar”… ojalá el tiempo no estuviera tan atado a que las cosas funcionen precisamente en función a ese intelecto.
Amé la saga, la pongo incluso varios pasos por delante de LJH y eso aún considerando que siempre he pensado que la visión política y estratégica de LJH es perfecta. “Mentes peligrosas” se diferencia en el peso de decidir qué está bien y qué está mal ante una fuerza tan poderosa como la que provoca la ENIAA en los niños y si visto desde afuera resulta difícil decidir, no quiero ni pensar qué sería tener que tomar decisiones al respecto. Obviamente los adultos tenemos tanto trauma con con control que no medimos los límites entre represión y educación, es necesario enseñar a crecer, a madurar y a pensar, no creer que tenemos las fórmulas perfectas para que el camino sea llano para el resto.
Hemos visto planteamientos similares en series como “Héroes” o “X-Men” pero la diferencia recae en la forma de encarar la confusión, las acciones de control y la explosividad emocional de los niños y he aquí la fuerza de la saga porque el centro está en la emotividad antes que en la diferenciación de fuerzas.
PD: Mátenme pero al único que veo como Liam es al mismísimo Liam Hemsworth.
Esta vez me ha sido terriblemente difícil tomar partido, las posturas de Cole y de Liam son tan diametralmente opuestas y al mismo tiempo ambos tienen tanta razón…
El mensaje del libro es tan endemoniadamente profundo que te hace pararte en esa línea fina de hasta dónde una lucha es válida o hasta dónde una resistencia sin violencia pasa a la categoría de utopía. “Si no cambiamos la mentalidad de esos chicos dónde vamos a ir a parar”… ojalá el tiempo no estuviera tan atado a que las cosas funcionen precisamente en función a ese intelecto.
Amé la saga, la pongo incluso varios pasos por delante de LJH y eso aún considerando que siempre he pensado que la visión política y estratégica de LJH es perfecta. “Mentes peligrosas” se diferencia en el peso de decidir qué está bien y qué está mal ante una fuerza tan poderosa como la que provoca la ENIAA en los niños y si visto desde afuera resulta difícil decidir, no quiero ni pensar qué sería tener que tomar decisiones al respecto. Obviamente los adultos tenemos tanto trauma con con control que no medimos los límites entre represión y educación, es necesario enseñar a crecer, a madurar y a pensar, no creer que tenemos las fórmulas perfectas para que el camino sea llano para el resto.
Hemos visto planteamientos similares en series como “Héroes” o “X-Men” pero la diferencia recae en la forma de encarar la confusión, las acciones de control y la explosividad emocional de los niños y he aquí la fuerza de la saga porque el centro está en la emotividad antes que en la diferenciación de fuerzas.
PD: Mátenme pero al único que veo como Liam es al mismísimo Liam Hemsworth.
3.5 stars
Well, I had to take some time to think about how I liked this installment, how to rate it, how to review it. As I mentioned in my reviews of the first two installments, I have a problem with Bracken's writing. Often I get the feeling that sentences are missing. It's almost like Bracken thinks we are there, witnessing the story, so she hasn't have to mention certain details. It is obvious for her how things are/are happening, so she doesn't think to write them down.
Also in this installment I came to dislike more characters. Not only Ruby, which I kept disliking due to her wanne-be-hero attitude, overprotecting everybody without considering how the other would feel about that, what he or she would want. I also could not always empathise with her feelings, often appearing younger than she was. I really liked Liam in the first two installments but now I felt he was doing the same thing as Ruby. (And the same happened in Through the Dark: I disliked Sam, who to me appeared to be a clone of Ruby, and Mia who came across as way younger than she actually was). I did like Jude (#2) and Colebut they were killed...just couldn't believe it. Until the very last letter of all the The Darkest Minds books, I had hope that they had it wrong and that both Jude and Cole would just turn up... And I liked Chubs and Vida. So cool they ended up together :)
And then the ending... That also left me unsatisfied. I mean, those kids we have been following, aren't bad people, but not everybody is like them, youngsters are known to be quite impulsive (that part of their brain simply takes into adulthood to develop (and not everybody develops it well lol),so you are willing to let these kids run around and grow up to become people who could mess with your mind without you knowing it, whenever they feel like it, or to set you on fire for not liking something that you said to them? I actually quite understand the government wanting a procedure to neutralise the "abilities". I mean, just look at Ruby, how often has she said this would be the last time she would manipulate somebody's mind, but time and time again she decides to do it anyway. And not always because she or somebody else is in danger. I understand why she chose to erase certain memories from Clancy's mind, but again she chose to interfere with somebody's life without considering his or her opinion. And I'm certain that she will do it again....when SHE sees fit. Also, I still don't understand why Ruby didn't see it as a cure. I mean, I understand it suppresses the abilities, it doesn't take them away, and that there are risks involved, but isn't that the case with a lot of "cures"/health procedures we know. But what is the alternative: just let kids die when they don't "change"? Let people run around messing with other people's minds or setting them on fire for not liking something they did or said? Maybe I don't understand because I never knew what Ruby did expect from the cure (except for not wanting to be different)... Something Bracken left out...
Although I didn't like the way it was executed, I did like the story. And it was a fast and easy read. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but I can't. And after rereading my review, I think I'm going to round it down.... So 3 stars it is.
Well, I had to take some time to think about how I liked this installment, how to rate it, how to review it. As I mentioned in my reviews of the first two installments, I have a problem with Bracken's writing. Often I get the feeling that sentences are missing. It's almost like Bracken thinks we are there, witnessing the story, so she hasn't have to mention certain details. It is obvious for her how things are/are happening, so she doesn't think to write them down.
Also in this installment I came to dislike more characters. Not only Ruby, which I kept disliking due to her wanne-be-hero attitude, overprotecting everybody without considering how the other would feel about that, what he or she would want. I also could not always empathise with her feelings, often appearing younger than she was. I really liked Liam in the first two installments but now I felt he was doing the same thing as Ruby. (And the same happened in Through the Dark: I disliked Sam, who to me appeared to be a clone of Ruby, and Mia who came across as way younger than she actually was). I did like Jude (#2) and Cole
And then the ending... That also left me unsatisfied. I mean, those kids we have been following, aren't bad people, but not everybody is like them, youngsters are known to be quite impulsive (that part of their brain simply takes into adulthood to develop (and not everybody develops it well lol),
Although I didn't like the way it was executed, I did like the story. And it was a fast and easy read. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but I can't. And after rereading my review, I think I'm going to round it down.... So 3 stars it is.
Planned to finish this over the weekend but finished it in a day instead. This is definitely one of my fav series. I literally cannot express how much I love it
The first book was my fav. It just gave me such an overwhelming sense of freedom. Probably because it showed the transition from camp to outside. Either way, I felt myself yearning to the point of physical ache for their friendship and their dynamic. And LIAM. My goodness I never thought I’d simp over a southern boy.
This series was seriously a masterpiece.
The first book was my fav. It just gave me such an overwhelming sense of freedom. Probably because it showed the transition from camp to outside. Either way, I felt myself yearning to the point of physical ache for their friendship and their dynamic. And LIAM. My goodness I never thought I’d simp over a southern boy.
This series was seriously a masterpiece.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes