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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.

I was so hesitant to read this book for two reasons:

★ It’s SO HYPED! Literally, at the start of the year I was seeing this EVERYWHERE.
★ I hardly ever read sci-fi! Seriously, I think I’ve only read Across the Universe & Hitchhikers.

So for both of those reasons, I was so hesitant to finally pick this one up. But when it was suggested for our last month book-club choice I was very intrigued!

“You have me.

I’m not sure where to even start with this novel, but I’m going to try and describe it the best I can. Let’s start with the characters.

One of the most amazing things about Illuminae is the way the authors completely manipulated us into thinking what we basically shouldn’t be thinking. We shouldn’t like an AI who has killed 2000 people. In fact, we do go through most of the book with AIDAN as our enemy. So why, oh why, could we possibly suddenly like it? But that’s the thing with really good books – they surprise you into suddenly thinking things you never thought you would.

Another point I’d like to make is the very believable sci-fi! I love how this book was so modern and centered around only a few main characters – it actually made the book have a contemporary realistic vibe as well as very science-y.

Until ever last star in the galaxy dies.

I could go on and on about how amazing this book is and why I loved so much of it, but I’m going to just make a few random pointers before I go!

★ There was some amazing poetic parts in this very scientific book! I’d love to quote it over and over, hence the quoting throughout this review (what do you think of it, by the way?).
★ I liked the second half of this book so much more than the first. I think it was the fact that there was so much more to keep track of in the first half that I just found it very overwhelming. I preferred it a lot when it was just Kady and AIDAN to focus on.

And one last thing…Amie and Jay did an amazing thing with this book that many YA novels don’t. They dumped the rule book. They burned it, and held it up for all to see. That is such a refreshing and brave idea, and I admire them so much for it.

You have me.”

Bookworm out.

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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