book review
Amie Kaufman taught us that part of being alive is having life change us. The people around us, the events we live through, all of them shape us.
Amidst the infinite amount of books ILLUMINAE of The Illuminae Files has held my title for favourite and greatest, a difficult feat considering the multitude I’ve read. It is a true work of art and has undoubtedly earned the positive response from it’s readers. It uses a variety of methods to communicate plot, puzzling together a fantastic story through text messages, reports, surveillance, diagrams and more. Illuminae was able to successfully and beautifully weave concepts of human struggle, survival and desperation into their complicated narrative.
The novel spanned a perilous journey through the stars and revolved around headstrong girl, Kady. As well as a growing horde of zombies, an enemy spaceship hell bent on destroying them, a troublesome AI and her maybe-not-so-ex-boyfriend Ezra. With all that and more, Kady holds the lives of hundreds of refugees and workers with only her courage and technological skills as sure allies. The most strikingly amazing feat this book accomplished was the elegant and intelligent incorporation of a simultaneous battle against zombies and humans alike. Illuminae engages with deathly situations that make you reflect on life and the life of each individual.
Illuminae is the ultimate collaboration of genres. Through the network series of Kady’s escapades the heart is moved in every single way possible. It explodes in joy at the comedic interactions of our protagonists. It expands in relief during reunions and it clenches in pain at great losses. It burns at the decisions made by authority and over the mistakes that are made. It skips at momentary romances and races in exhilaration at the feats Kady performs. It winds in anticipation at every corner passed in flickering and deadly hallways and every second that counts down to their doom. This novel is a fiction of comedy and romance that spirals into dystopia, sci-fi and horror. It’s brilliance is prevalent in its commendable ability to masterfully combine such a beautiful range of genres.
-A Abreu, Year 11
Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman, Authors