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. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
Review
Goodreads rating: 4 stars. Original Rating: 3.5 stars
When Alexandra Bracken was writing this book, I bet she made a list of all the elements she wanted to add to the book. Intrigue, check. Comedy, check. Romance, check. Bad boy young villain, check. Crazy super powers, check.
This book had all the elements one likes in a good YA dystopian book. But the only problem was, they were not in the right proportions or amount. From where Ruby, a powerful protagonist who starts as a girl in distress and fear of her own self and powers and ends up still better than what she was, starts in the book. She doesn't end there. In fact, she gets raggled up so many times that its rather confusing what actually IS happening in the book. But eventually, when the poetic randomness of this book is done, you start grasping the storyline. And then the story becomes interesting and gripping. A complete page turner.
Ruby is one of the most powerful kids that remained after a deadly plague wiped out all the kids of of USA. The ones who remained were darted off as freaks. And true to the word, they were more-or-less tortured. They were split into groups of colours. Greens were the calm ones who still had a LIFE. Blues were telekinetic. Yellows controlled electricity, and Oranges had crazy mind powers.
And Ruby was one. She could access a person's thought by physical touch. But she concealed until one day the White Noise, a sound made to capture all hidden Oranges, busted her to a woman working for an organisation that helps children to get out of the prisons there. Ruby was hiding as a Green.
She is presented with a choice that leads her to meet the handsome Liam, a Blue who has a weird past of his own.
The only thing was, I couldn't connect to the characters as much as everyone claims this book makes you connect. I did not.
Or maybe just that this book and the characters had been hyped for me enough already? I wanted to fell the way they felt, but i just couldn't get those emotions in line.
Or maybe just that this book and the characters had been hyped for me enough already? I wanted to fell the way they felt, but i just couldn't get those emotions in line.
The story kept me guessing and what was happening still felt real because thats just how Alexandra wrote it. She wrote it to make us believe, And that is not something a lot of authors can achieve.
My favourite part of the book was definitely the concluding fight. Its had the right amount of everything. And a good villain in a book is always a charmer.
Sad scenes were the ones that were written with complete finesse.
And the Awards..*Drumroll*
Best side kick: Suzame or Zu.
Why? She is a bundle of cuteness and crazy ass kicker when it comes down to it. She is unafraid and measured at the little age of ten. And also the best written character in this book.
Best negative role: Clancy Gray.
Why? What do I say? I have a soft spot for bad boys, and Clancy maintained that demeanour. I loved him.
Best character: Liam
Why? He's a little weird and very easy to understand. He knows how to conceal his secrets and when to reveal them. That's a good trait.
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