Illuminae - YA Review by Sam T



Reader: Sam T.
Age: 15
Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pub Date: 10/20/15
Galley: Yes
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: I really like the way that the authors played with plot, character development, and tone through the medium of files and charts, which I thought was a very interesting and innovative way to tell a story. The first half is a little slow and somewhat confusing, although after that the story really begins to heat up and becomes very interesting. I really felt sympathy for the characters.
Memorable or Forgettable: The completely unique layout in the form of documents, transcripts, etc. was very interesting, along with the storyline. I'll remember this for how it constantly keeps you on your toes and keeps you engaged. I don't think I've read a novel quite like this before.
Cover: The cover is very interesting, and seems to reflect the content pretty well without giving too much away. Definitely eye-catching. 
Age Range: 14 through 17
Quality: 5Q - Hard to imagine a better book
Popularity: 4P - Broad general teen appeal
Additional Comments: This is a really unique and exciting book. I would be excited to see the authors do another book like this, perhaps either in the same universe as this one (as a sequel) or in a completely different one. I would highly, highly recommend this book.
Annotation: Concerns declassified files surrounding two teens as they struggle to survive during a terrifying epidemic taking place aboard spaceships during an intergalactic corporate war hundreds of years in the future. Exciting, fun, innovative, and scary.


tags:  science fiction / dystopian / suspense / ya lit



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