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a_cera_t0ps's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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.
Graphic: Death, Violence, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Pandemic/Epidemic, Body horror, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, and Genocide
Minor: Colonisation, Confinement, Police brutality, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
kathrynleereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First of all, the format is ingenious. An entire story told just through different files and documents? Count me in.
Second, the complexity required by those files. If you take the time to actually delve into the pages (even the ones that don't look too important to the story, like the list of confirmed deceased), you'll be blown away by what you find.
Third, any author who has the ability to make me care about a mass-murdering robot will forever have my loyalty.
If you haven't read the Illuminae Files, I recommend that you drop everything and start now. Even if sci-fi isn't necessarily your cup of tea, I promise you won't be disappointed.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Body horror, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and War
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Genocide
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
urmigurimgay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: War, Abandonment, Cursing, and Medical content
cranedphoenix's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Read book before but forgot about that
Good book, don't care for the romance
Way more interested in
Plan to reread other books, happy I refound in library
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Violence, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Child death
shalia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Violence, Death, and Murder
lava_crown's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, War, Cannibalism, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
stevi_nicole's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, War, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent
itsbumley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Death, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Murder, Violence, Blood, Gore, Suicide, Child death, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Pandemic/Epidemic
booksawyer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I first tried reading Illuminae when I was in 8th Grade, and for some unimaginable reason I DNF’d it after about 200 pages. I don’t think I really understood what was going on.
Now, as a college student who has read a lot more books since then, this book was everything! I loved Kady, Ezra and many members of the supporting cast.
I chose to read this book physically while listening to the audiobook, and I loved that method. It was the perfect balance of the visual formatting of the book with the brilliant audio production. Highly recommend this method if it is available to you!
This book shocked me, excited me, and devastated me through many twists and turns. I felt triumph and failure as the characters experienced ups and downs. This book is so engaging and brilliantly told.
I don’t consider myself a Sci-Fi person. I can’t think of any Sci-Fi books I’ve read beyond teen dystopia, but this book certainly was my cup of tea and it makes me excited to pick up more from this genre.
Overall, Illuminae is a must read and I can not recommend it enough.
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Child abuse
mothreadsbookssometimes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Illuminae is a very YA-friendly sci-fi mystery/thriller (I know it’s not tagged as a thriller, but it is) with minimal swearing (“censored on reports”), and only vague references to sex (jokes about “your sister” and references to acts done prior to the events of the story).
Take it from someone who normally hates thrillers, this book is good. Admittedly, there’s a lot of death and blood (only a few disturbingly gory parts, though), so do keep that in mind, but I didn’t find it too uncomfortable and I’m normally a very squeamish person.
Can’t wait for the next book!
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Self harm
I know it’s a lot of content warnings, so do proceed with caution. I’m not very good with blood/gore, but I only had a couple small parts (see below) that made me uncomfortable. There’s a lot of death, but it’s not vividly gory until about 45% (I think) into the book