Monday, November 3, 2014

Review: In the Afterlight


In the Afterlight
In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds.

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire. (From Goodreads)

In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken is the third and final installment of The Darkest Minds series and was published on October 28, 2014.


THE FAERYS VIEW

In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken is the third and final installment of The Darkest Minds series. This is one of my favorite series, a futuristic dystopian with a strong female lead and, of course, the most brilliant group of secondary characters a reader could ask for. This is a spoiler free review at the request of the author and because to do anything less would completely ruin this amazing final book for the reader.

Throughout the last few years I’ve become strongly invested in this series, for a number of reasons. The first being it’s distinctive story line. I love the idea of this amazing group of kids fighting the odds, each with their own distinctive psionic gifts, escaping the system, fighting the cruelty and oppressiveness that they’ve all endured and coming together as one unit to protect each other with one common goal: Stop President Gray. Of course, under that one common goal fall many others but let’s face it, he is the ultimate evil and what he’s done in the camps is hideous and deplorable.

Secondly, I love the characters in this series, seriously, they are remarkable! Ruby, the main character, is such a strong compelling girl, yes, she has her flaws, but after following her life throughout the series, how could she not be? Ruby hasn’t let those that hurt her, destroy her, instead, she’s let the pain and anger she’s endured move her forward, towards being a better person – a stronger person. Ruby is brave, loyal, smart but most of all, she can still love, despite all that has been done too her. She loves her friends to the point that she would put her own life on the line than to risk losing one more person that she loves. In the last book, Never Fade, Ruby lost someone who was so dear to her, someone she swore to protect and felt like she failed. Ruby hasn’t recovered from this and I saw how much this affected her actions in this book.

Without revealing any spoilers, I feel I can say that Ruby and Liam’s romance is strong but not without its challenges, a beloved character is found, Chubs and Vida are still arguing like cats and dogs and Cole remains a bit of an ass, albeit a somewhat loveable ass. Clancy Gray is still in the same position he was when last you saw him in Never Fade. There are intense, heart-racing moments that had me at the edge of my seat and there are some extraordinarily poignant moments that had me reaching for tissues. There are triumphs, there are losses, and there are head-banging moments but most of all, there is justice.
I shed some very happy tears in this last book and I shed some very sad tears in this book. I will also say that I felt so very, very satisfied and gratified at the ending and honestly, that is what it’s all about for me at the end of a series.

I so highly recommend this series to all who love a good dystopian, fantastic characters, and a beautifully written story about love, friendship, and fighting for everything that’s truly important in life!




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8 comments:

  1. I do love a good end to a series :)

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    1. I know! It's so satisfying :)
      I seriously have 'End of Series Phobia!

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  2. I'm still trying to get to this series. I like the plot and a lot of people enjoy it. Great review. I'm motivated to start.

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    1. I hope you get the chance, Shane, it's really an amazing series.

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  3. Oh I so need to start this series. I have to meet Cole. Who doesn't love a lovable ass? LOL

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    1. Cole is a remarkable character, a direct opposite of Liam! Love him!

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  4. Oh it's so nice to see that the third book was that good again! It sounds like a really great series, plus it's fun to have a good dystopia!

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    1. It was, Melliane! I'm always happy when one of my favorite series ends on a great note!

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