Book: Gemina (Illuminae Files_02)
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Format: Paperback ARC received at BookCon 2016
Favorite Character: Nik
When I first read Illuminae, I was completely drawn in. The book is a work of art and tells an epic story in a way I had never imaged. The use of the case files brings a new level of depth to the storytelling. After reading Illuminae, I read the Starbound series by Amie Kaufman. I thought it was interesting how the three books were all based on a different set of main characters whose stories slowly started to become intertwined. I find it interesting that they decided to go that direction with this series as well, though I do not know how I feel about it.
Since I am reviewing the ARC copy, this will mostly be based on my initial reaction. Once the full book is released, I will reread it and review it again. Since a lot of the art was not complete, it did feel a little vacant.
Pros: Gemina has the same face paced action as Illuminae but in a whole new way. Whereas Illuminae's central conflict was man vs. machine, Gemina explores the chaos of man vs. man. Hanna and Nik are both interesting characters with well-designed backgrounds and plenty of character flaws. There are multiple plots twists that made me throw my book in the air, then quickly grab it to get back to reading. Just like with Illuminae, I found the style of story telling to be wonderful
Cons: With Gemina I had the same problem as with the Starbound series, which is the complete switch of main characters and plot. During Illuminae, I got incredibly attached to Kady and Ezra and the plot they are entangled in. While I understand that this book is telling a different part of the story, it did seem a bit disconnected. The new characters and new enemies really took me away from the story of the first book. It also felt a bit messy at times with the plot, and I often felt like there was too much going on. With three different sources of enemies, it was a bit much, and I felt that they could have left one out and been a little cleaner.
Overall I enjoyed the second book from this series, and I am excited for it to be released in October. Once I read the finished copy, I will be doing another review that contains spoilers and reviews more specific information about the story.
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