Illuminae by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

Illuminae (Illuminae Files, #1)

by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

For fans of Marie Lu comes the first book in an epic series that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.
 
 “A truly beautiful novel that redefines the form."Victoria Aveyard, bestselling author of Red Queen

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 a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
     But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
      Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
 
“Prepare yourselves for Illuminae.” EW.com
 
[Y]ou’re not in for an ordinary novel experience. . . .  Bustle.com
 
“A truly interactive experience. . . . A fantastically fun ride.” —MTV.com
 
“[O]ut-of-this-world awesome.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred
 
★ “…stylistically mesmerizing.” —Publishers Weekly, starred
 
★ “[A]n arresting visual experience.”—Booklist, starred
  
★ “[A] game-changer.” —Shelf Awareness, starred

“Brace yourself. You're about to be immersed in a mindscape that you'll never want to leave.”  —Marie Lu, bestselling author of the Legend trilogy
 
"Genre: Undefinable. Novel: Unforgettable." —Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of Beautiful Creatures & author of Unbreakable
 
An exuberant mix of space opera, romance, zombies, hackers, and political thrills.”  —Scott Westerfeld, bestselling author of  Zeroes and Uglies
 
Stunningly creative. Smart, funny, and romantic.”  —Veronica Rossi, bestselling author of Under the Never Sky
 
“This is one of those rare books that will truly keep your heart pounding.” Beth Revis, bestselling author of Across the Universe
 
This book is xxxxing awesome.”
Laini Taylor, bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Reviewed by Katie King on

4 of 5 stars

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What's this? I've given TWO books in a row a 4 star rating! Has my seemingly endless 3-stars-or-less streak finally been broken??

I LOVED THIS!! And it's VERY hard to get me to LOVE a book. But I enjoyed it so much that I stayed up late the day I started it, and then hammered out the rest the following evening. I liked this so much I binged it.

I miss it, too. I kind of wish I hadn't binged it because then I would have more time with the characters. Kady and AIDAN especially. Ezra, I wasn't feeling as much. AIDAN was beautiful for a computer.

The plot. The ending. The setting. The writing. THE PRESENTATION. All amazing.

I don't really want to drag this down by pointing out flaws, but there were a few things that held me back on my trajectory to 5-stardom. The relationship was...immature. Maybe I'm just old, but the premise of the break-up was stupid. Kady & Ezra getting back together was stupid. Their declarations of love for each other were forced. I didn't believe much about Ezra & his buddy James. Relationships (platonic & otherwise) were definitely the weakest part. Oh well. Nobody's perfect.

Brb, off to pre-order Gemina!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 10 May, 2016: Finished reading
  • 10 May, 2016: Reviewed