“The Darkest Minds” by Alexandra Bracken has been a long time favorite book of mine, and I’d even go so far as to claim that it is my all-time favorite novel. It hits so many markers on the head of what I think the modern-day tale should encompass, and it does so in a way that feels natural.
The story follows Ruby, a sixteen-year-old girl living in Virginia at a point in the future when all the children in a certain age range fall prey to a disease that either kills them or gifts them with unique abilities, but Bracken keeps the setting open enough that it is unknown whether it is occurring in ten years’ time or one. With the recent debut of the trailer for the upcoming FOX movie, there is no better time to pick up the novel.
1. The engaging plot.
Bracken knows how to keep her readers engaged, and she does it well. While mixing scenes that push character development into thrilling action sequences, every reader will find it difficult to set the novel down.
2. The supernatural element.
If the disease doesn’t kill you, then you’re granted supernatural abilities. Bracken categorizes these abilities by assigning a color to each based on power, and while creating a wide array, it’s simplified enough that the rules of the universe are followed easily. The clear power imbalance strengths the conflict, and spurs much of the storyline when the cast of characters have different roles.
3. The diverse cast.
4. The sense of humor.
While it has been a while since I’ve read it, I can remember cracking up at Bracken’s witty humor. Each character tells different jokes that are true to themselves, and one can see how much Bracken cares by distinguishing them apart from their viewpoint on the world.
5. The antagonists.
This is a spoiler-free zone, but if you’re expected a bad guy who is purely evil, you might not want to pick this up. There are many centers of opposition, and they never have clear intentions.
6. The romance.
Yes, there is a romance, and it is one of my favorites of all time. Bracken reinforces the idea that while these two characters are fantastic apart, they work better together, and the audience never feels that there is an imbalance between them. It is swoon-worthy and based on the idea that these two want the best for each other, spurring on much of their actions later on.
7. The movie.
The film is coming out soon! We don’t know whether it’ll do the book justice, but regardless, you’ll want to be able to say you read the book beforehand if it receives the hype that it deserves.
8. The author.
Alexandra Bracken is so lovely, and I say that from experience. After meeting her three times, you can see how wonderful she is. A self-proclaimed nerd, she never shies away from her love of Star Wars and other series, and her puppy, Tennyson, is the cutest creature on Earth, making it so worth following her on all your social media platforms.
