Review: “Never fade” (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken

Títle: Never Fade

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Book: The Darkest Minds #2

Editorial: Disney-Hyperion

Year: 2013

Pages: 507 (Softcover)

ISBN-13: 9781423157519

PVP: 9 € (Softcover) (Amazon)

Mark: 8/10

ABSTRACT

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

PERSONAL VALORATION

JUSTIFICATION

This is the second book in the trilogy "The Darkest Minds" by the author Alexandra Bracken. Two weeks ago I uploaded the blog of the first of the books "Darkest Minds" to the blog, so proceed with caution because there may be spoilers of this throughout this review.

PLOT

After the events of the first book, Ruby participates actively in the Children's League and performs various missions against the government that involve the use of her Orange powers. Ruby is part of a team of children formed by Jude (a yellow), Vida (a blue) and Nico (a green) under the continuous supervision of Cate. The rescue of Cole Stewart, Liam's older brother, makes Ruby begin to question the real intentions of the Children's League and his plans for the other PSI children who, like her, work within that organization: do they really appreciate them? Are the rumors real? What do they plan to do with the children's camps? The appearance of a flash drive with the results of research conducted on the mysterious disease that affects children (known by the acronym ENIAA) is an unexpected change in the priorities of Ruby, especially when who has it is none other than Liam. Ruby decides to start the search of this and during her trip she will meet again with old friends, make new friends and win new enemies: are the intentions of all adults dark?, who can Ruby really trust?, what happened to Liam during this time? ...

CHARACTERS

The protagonist of the saga is Ruby, a 17 year old teenager orange (that is, she has the ability to control the minds of others). The events of the past book have made Ruby become distrustful, she has closed on herself and has created a wall to alleviate reality: Chubs is surely dead, Zu is missing and Liam is not able to remember it. Her priority is to keep her friends safe and that means obeying the League of Children until the time is right and she can leave.

In this installment we know other secondary characters, PSI children with skills that make up their team stand out: Jude (a yellow teenager, crazy, scared and who cares for Ruby from the first moment), Vida (a blue teenager with behavior problems, in constant dispute and competition with Ruby) and Nico (a green teenager). In addition, highlights the older brother of Liam: Cole. With a physique similar to Liam although more muscular, he has been an agent of the Children's League for some time: does he really hide something? What are his intentions with Ruby? Nor can I forget other characters like Clancy (damn orange psychopath) Gray, Chubs (the best companion in the world), Liam Stewart (my cute cinnamon roll)...

AMBIENT

Throughout this book we can learn more about the dystopian reality in which the book is developed: the Children's League takes us to new key locations, Ruby's trip helps us travel the country ... I think the most achieved of all this hostile world, devastated, ruined and without a future is that the descriptions really help to draw and create in our mind a really bleak, dirty, dilapidated and dark environment.

WRITING STYLE

Although I do not usually like books in first person because I'm bored with the internal dialogue of the narrators, in this case Alexandra Bracken gets Ruby not to tire me. But I do find a fundamental flaw: the information that reaches the reader is much more limited. I would like to know in much more detail everything that happens in the world, to have more information than what a first-person narrator has. However, this also helps us to empathize with Ruby herself, with the situation of disinformation that lives constantly.

GENERAL COMMENT

“Never Fade” is the second book of "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken. After what happened in the first book, Ruby is actively working in the Children's League and that means she using her orange mental control skills against the government that once locked her in the rehabilitation camp. But everything changes when Cole Stewart (Liam's older brother) appears with news about a memory drive with data about the disease that has endowed surviving children with abilities. And all that makes Ruby embark on a journey to find that memory drive and its carrier: Liam. A fast-paced story, full of action, new characters, new plots, new traditions and above all a question: what do the different organizations plan to do with PSI children?

-R.