
The Darkest Minds
Darkest Minds, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $32.00
-
Narrated by:
-
Amy McFadden
-
Written by:
-
Alexandra Bracken
About this listen
Book one in the blockbuster Darkest Minds series—now with cover art from the major motion picture!
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 got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America's children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
But when the truth about Ruby's abilities—the truth she's hidden from everyone, even the camp authorities—comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. On the run, she joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp: Zu, a young girl haunted by her past; Chubs, a standoffish brainiac; and Liam, their fearless leader, who 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.
While they journey to find the one safe haven left for kids like them—East River—they must evade their determined pursuers, including an organization that will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. But as they get closer to grasping the things they've dreamed of, Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.
©2012 Alexandra Bracken (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.Love at first character sighting
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Her protagonist (16 year-old Mind-control Psychic 'Ruby') is interesting, appropriately conflicted/insecure, and worthy of admiration. Surrounding characters (Psychokinetics 'Liam' +'Chubbs' .. and Electropsychic 'Zu') are typecast - but portrayed realistically; the threats are credible [The Government, Bounty-hunters known as "skip-tracers", a Psychic Terrorist organization who wants them for use as weapons ('The Children's League'), and "tribes" of feral-anarchic psychic kids]; the vocabulary/prose in this offering is creditable; and the author's conception of a collapsing world is chilling.
Unfortunately, the whole scenario is made so ludicrously implausible that the suspension of disbelief is nearly impossible. There are only 200,000 Americans under the age of 18 left alive and Society has collapsed (characters loot a burned out gas station for food at one point, for example).. but there are functioning Howard Johnson Hotels, Starbucks, Classic Rock Radio Stations, and well-maintained Cellular Networks for some reason 🙄.
In addition, Bracken's commitment to a dark, moody atmosphere is over-the-top (melodramatic dialogue is faaaaar overdone and metaphorical descriptions - everything in the environment is somehow "skeletal" or "slithering" - are heavy-handed).
The end result is an interesting but lazily sophomoric story (readers/listeners 10-14 years old are clearly the target demographic - adults will have some reservations that kids will likely miss).
Happily, Brilliance Audio did a great job casting Amy McFadden to read the book. Her diction and rate of reading are exemplary, her timbre and cadence are *perfect* for a First Person narrative from the perspective of a 16-year-old, and her emotive tone is spot-on. Yes, McFadden exhibits a noticeable sibilance that engineers struggle to soften and some of her voice-acting is cartoonishly overdramatic.. but the performance is undeniably enjoyable.
Bottom Line: while other production teams could doubtless generate similarly effective recordings, this iteration is solidly "above-average".
Taken altogether, this audiobook rates a respectable 7.5 stars out of 10. If you can get it on sale - as I did - it's an excellent option for a long drive with the kids. It was well worth the $7.30CDN I paid for it. Should they ask for full price/a Credit, however.. you would do better spending it on some Veronica Roth or Suzanne Collins.
Gritty YA Dystopia
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Was so good!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Inconsistencies
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Enjoyable!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So much better than the movie
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great story but slow moving.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Unpredictable!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
#audible1
I loved this book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Riveting!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.