Monday 4 January 2016

Book review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Book: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Series: The Illuminae Files, #1
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Blurb:

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 fight 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 is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be 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.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.





"Sure, the story kicks off with the deaths of thousands of people, but god forbid there be cussing in it, right?"

I swear to you, guys, I was going to take serious notes while reading this book to write a coherent and good review to make you want to read this, but once I started I just couldn't stop.

I mean my notes right now are kind of like this:

→ Kady is badass and smarter than she lets on.
→ Ezra is too precious for this world.
→ General Torrence is a dick.
→ AIDAN is fucking scary.
→ James McNulty made me cry like a baby.

But, come to think of it now... these notes ought to help my review, right? They're all true, by the way and to the point.

But let me tell you what is going on in the book. Only some information, though.

So, the book starts exactly as the quotes says: with the decimation of a small planet by a megacorporation's warship and the death of thousands of the planet's residents. The remaining people are saved by the vessel of another corporation and there starts the pursuit of said vessel by the warship. We're sailing along the Alexander nice and dandy, but that's where things start to get a bit tricky to comprehend, because one of the ships attached to it is being attacked. But, by whom?

For the rest, I am afraid you are going to have to read the book.

But, I am going to help you a little and tell you, there's an AI program (that was running the ship) which is damaged and there are dire consequences from that fact, a deadly virus that its victims will make you read the reports with the lights on, hackers, pilots and lots and lots of deaths. Do those sound interesting to you? Then you better check Illuminae out.

Don't let the format the book is written intimidate you. I've been in your place and understand that you might think that you'll lose the plot, but that is not going to happen. All the files are connected between them and you will definitely understand the story. My advice to you is to read everything on the page, or as much as you can. (except maybe that page with the casualty list, because it'll take you hours to do so. but you can try and find if one of your favourite authors is on the list, I found some)

The main characters are amazing and to me those characters are Kady, Ezra and AIDAN. Kady is the sassmaster, Ezra is a precious cinnamon roll and AIDAN is both parts scary and amazing. I believe you are going to love all three of them and demand they be on the second book (Gemina) as well. I know I do.

You are probably going to cry, laugh, get seriously angry and frustrated, gasp and feel all the feels of the world. And hope. I was hoping and praying a lot while reading. OH! And maybe shit your pants at some parts? Don't say I didn't warn you!

One last advice to you from me: Better to get the physical copy, because I've heard that reading it digitally might be a little weird to the eyes. I saw someone pointing that out, so I guess you'll be better reading a paper copy.

Ezra Mason: You're taping this, right?
INTERVIEWER: Audio only. Camera is faulty.
Ezra Mason: Okay, well for the benefit of the sight-impaired, I am now raising my...oh, dear...yes, it's my middle finger at Mr. Postgrad here.
INTERVIEWER: Mr. Mason...
Ezra Mason: Now I'm wiggling it.
INTERVIEWER: Terminating interview at 13:58 on 03/19/75.
Ezra Mason: Look at it wiggl-

-audio ends-

Rating for Illuminae:

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