Friday, August 3, 2018

Book Review: The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Legacy
Series: The Darkest Minds #4
Written by: Alexandra Bracken
Published: July 31, 2018 by Disney Hyperion

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Synopsis: Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive. 

Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors. 

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.

When I heard that Alex was writing a new book in the world of The Darkest Minds I was over the moon. I absolutely love that series and I was so excited to find out what happened next to these characters. And I really enjoyed this book. It was a good companion and an enjoyable return to the world.

Speaking of the world, I think that was the best part of this book, the world. Alex does some really interesting things with this book. Usually you don't get to check back in and find out what happened after the characters save the world and dismantle the government. It was great to be able to do that with this book, especially because things were not all sunshine and rainbows. It showed how hard it is to not only restore the government but also regain the trust of people who viewed you as enemies for entirely too long. There was a lot of politics in this book. It's a near future dystopia but this feels very current. It was fantastic and interesting in a way that I love in my books.

There was also a lot of really interesting things that this book did with the powers. In the first few books we learned a little bit about some of the psionic powers but the one that we got the most information about was Orange because Ruby was the protagonist. Now our main character is Zu so we learned a lot more about Yellow powers. And wow, have Zu's powers developed. She uses them in some really cool and really hardcore ways throughout the book. But then there are new characters with new powers in this book. I don't want to give too much away but just suffice to say, there are some really cool new powers and I liked seeing them in action.

The other thing I really appreciated about this book was the characters. I feel in love with the gang in The Darkest Minds trilogy so being able to find out what happened to them next. Zu is just a preteen in the original series but now she is all grown up. And grown up Zu is even more amazing than Zu in the original series. If you were hoping for the demure and shy girl that we first met then you will sadly be disappointed. Oh wait, no you won't because this Zu is smart, resourceful, sassy, and tough. I love this Zu. I also love seeing some of the other characters from the original series. We get a good amount of Chubs which was fun and some great moments with Vida, Liam, and a little Ruby. But Zu and the new characters really take center stage here and that was perfectly fine with me.

My only criticism with this book is the plot. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the plot. There was alot of action and adventure, the stakes were incredibly high, and I spent a lot of time on the edge of my seat. The only problem however is that it didn't really feel like a standalone, which it was. It was a weirdly self-contained story that didn't really feel complete. It's a long book, which I am cool with, but I think this book would have been a little bit better if it was a duology. I think some of the plot points could have been explored a little more if there was a second book. It wasn't bad, I just think it could have been better if there had been more. But maybe that is just because I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters and this world.

All in all this was a interesting and engaging read with a fantastic world and amazing characters. It was great companion novel to one of my favorite series.

I give The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken 9 out of 10 stars


Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of The Darkest Minds then you definitely need to read this book to find out what happens next to your favorite characters and the world of this series.

Have you read The Darkest Legacy? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

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