Illuminae - Review

Title: Illuminae

Author:  Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Series:  The Illuminae Files #1

Synopsis:  “This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.  This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

     “The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe.  Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it.  With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra – who are barely even talking to each other – are forced to flight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

     “But their problems are just getting started.  A deadly plague has broken out and it mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually by their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on.  As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.”

Review:  I love this novel!  First of all I love the format, There really is no one single narrator; Illuminae is told through a series of recovered documents, emails, instant messages, and more.  The closest thing I’ve read to this is World War Z by Max Brooks, but Illuminae is even more unique than that outstanding novel. 

     Illuminae sucks you in with the invasion of a planet and the frantic flight of two teenagers trying to escape.  The next thing you know there’s a possibly homicidal AI on a spaceship and the people on board are struggling to survive not only the aforementioned invaders, but the crazy AI on-board.  I started reading Illuminae at bedtime and finished at 4 am.  I just could not put it down.  I grabbed the sequel, Gemina, as soon as it came out and loved it just as much (review coming soon).  Run, don’t walk, to go get this book and read it ASAP.  You won’t regret it!

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House

If you like this book you may want to read:

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks