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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love this book. It's my first and favorite science fiction. The romance is a tad generic, but the plot is gritty and deep, and the exploration of AIDAN's feelings makes one question their humanity and what the word human can really be defined as. AIDAN is definitely one of the deepest and most intriguing characters I have ever read about and I am excited to see what else this series entails. Awesome job Kaufman & Kristoff.
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Technically a 4.5* but Kady Grant is a new favorite main character and that gives it 5 stars. This took a while to get used to reading but once your in it, you can't put It down.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
4.5 stars
I read this in 3 days, which is fast for me. I am a pretty slow reader and I usually read 100 pages a day on a good day. So I guess this says a lot about my enjoyment of Illuminae.
The reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because some parts were a bit hard to understand due to the technical vocabulary involved, and also the fact that I am not well-versed in the whole sci-fi genre.
The format is incredibly interesting and original, though sometimes hard to read.
The story isn't that original when you think about it, but there are only so much possibilities of threats/plots in space, so I don't mind.
I read this in 3 days, which is fast for me. I am a pretty slow reader and I usually read 100 pages a day on a good day. So I guess this says a lot about my enjoyment of Illuminae.
The reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because some parts were a bit hard to understand due to the technical vocabulary involved, and also the fact that I am not well-versed in the whole sci-fi genre.
The format is incredibly interesting and original, though sometimes hard to read.
The story isn't that original when you think about it, but there are only so much possibilities of threats/plots in space, so I don't mind.
"Am I not merciful?"
It's been a hot minute since I've read a sci-fi novel and I was so excited to read Illuminae. I had high expectations and I was not disappointed.
The format is unique. Illuminae is told through media such as transcripts, interviews, chat logs, official documents, camera surveillance footages and emails and the format makes this book a work of art. There are some format elements that I enjoyed reading more than others and the format tends to make the plot progression a little choppy at times, but overall a unique reading experience.
Unfortunately, because of the format, it took me a while to become immersed in the story and I didn't get attached to the characters. The main characters, Kady and Ezra, are likable, but because of the limitations of the format, they seem underdeveloped. All I know about Kady is that she's a badass hacking genius and Ezra just faded into the background.
There is one unexpectedly interesting character: AIDAN, who is robotic and logical at times, but most of the time seems almost human, which is super creepy. AIDAN's data, thoughts and justifications are intriguing.
The plot and worldbuilding is the best part. There's a war between a megacorporation and a planet, refugees living in compact spaces, spaceship battles, a deadly virus (which made me question all my life decisions, because pandemic) and a loose cannon of an AI machine. The plot is fast-paced, so much happens and the plot twists are unexpected. I especially enjoyed the last half of Illuminae.
Illuminae has a weird tone, almost like it doesn't take itself too seriously. There's lots of violence, blood, gore, destruction and death, but those moments tend to seem more over-the-top and ridiculous. I also couldn't take the emotional moments seriously because of it. Illuminae is laced with humour and sarcasm and there are some places where it works, but there are others where it's a bit too much.
Overall, Illuminae is a unique, fun and entertaining sci-fi read and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
"The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is if you do something worthy of remembrance."
Really interesting style, surprising and funny at times, enjoyed it