Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds

by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living. 

The Darkest Minds swept me off my feet in no time! I was weary starting it because I feared I was reaching my limit of how much dystopian I could read in one year LOL 
But right off the bat it captivated me with a unique idea and a pretty interesting concept. While still dystopian it was completely different than what I had previously read.
Children are dying when they reach 10, some die right away some later on but it eventually gets to them, an inexplicable disease that has no cure and threatens to wipe out an entire generation unless the government finds a cure.
There are some though that don’t die but instead develop special abilities, as was the case for Ruby. Sadly for those few, developing these special abilities is not good news, but the complete opposite because the government now considers them dangerous and public enemy #1. 

Ruby woke up the morning of her 10th birthday to find that things were different, so much so that her parents locked her out of the house and called the police on her. Ruby was then taken to Thurmond, the government rehabilitation center created especially for kids like her.
Soon Ruby will find out that the last thing they do in Thurmond is rehabilitation and she will live horror after horror day after day.


Each kid in Thurmond has different abilities, abilities that will get them labeled sort of speak, Ruby is hoping that no one realizes she is one of the most dangerous ones, but sooner or later the truth was to be discovered and when it is she barely escapes with her life with the help of people she thought she could trust, but in the end will they really be trustworthy or will it be more of the same? Adults who are only looking to use her to advance their agenda.

Ruby will meet some kids, like herself also on the run, once she is out of the compound. Escapees from a different camp, amongst them is Liam, the pack leader, who is brave, good looking but most of all good natured. Liam always tries to see the best in people and wants to give everyone a chance by trusting first and questioning later.
They all agree to travel together out of need, despite one of the members of their group sternly opposing Ruby joining them. They head out in search of East River, a camp where they heard a bunch of kids like them are taking refuge and led by this great leader. Ruby is hoping he can teach her how to control her abilities, while Liam and Chubs are hoping he can help them contact their families.
They go through all kinds of adversities trying to locate this place, at one point even doubting whether it really actually exists or if it’s just a tale passed on from kid to kid. They are being chased by the government, bounty hunters and a group that promises differently than the government yet their actions tell a different story.

Liam is head over heels for Ruby, but Ruby understands that for Liam’s sake she must keep her feelings at bay, because after what she did to her parents and her best friend she couldn’t risk anyone else, especially not another person she loved.

This story takes you down the path of survival and acceptance of things they can’t change, good friendships as strong as family bonds, packed with action and moments that will have you at the edge of your seat hoping for the best but preparing for that worst, romance and betrayal.
Most importantly it will lead Ruby to the moment where she must make a decision, and chose to stay with Liam and risk his safety or let him go and coming to terms with losing him forever in order to keep him safe…

Alexandra delivers a novel that keeps getting better and better as you turn the pages, makes you fall in love with each one of the main characters and understand each and every one of their suffering. I’m eagerly waiting to start Never Fade and find out what the future holds for the ones that are left…