Illuminae

“The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.”

 

Summary
Two megacorporations are fighting over an ice-covered planet in the middle of nowhere, which, until now, was nothing but peaceful and forgotten. Unfortunately, people living in an illegal colony there got caught in the crossfire. The ones lucky enough to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet are still far from safety. The enemy warship is not giving up. It’s determined to get rid of every witness of the massacre. And that’s only the beginning of their problems.

Writing
I am shocked that a book told in such a unique format was still able to make me insanely invested in the story. It’s only a proof of the talent and expertise of the authors. I am in awe.

Characters
There is something deeply personal about reading other people’s messages. Maybe that’s why I fell in love with those characters so hard and so quickly. I mean, this book made my cry (like REALLY cry. No delicate weeping for me. Just full-blown, ugly cry) before I even read 200 pages. This has to mean something.

Also, I think that this book has the best villain I have ever, EVER encountered. I am not even 100% sure if it’s really a villain? It’s a topic for a really long conversation.

Plot
I have to admit at the very beginning I was a bit confused. I think it might be because I don’t really read a lot of sci-fi and I usually need a while before I am able to really get into the story. But when I did… wow. Just wow. Once this books grabs you, it’s not going to let go until the very end.

The story is not that fast-paced, but so many things are happening (and so many things are going wrong) that you just can’t stop reading. It’s addicting, it’s surprising, it’s heart-breaking. It’s everything I could have ever wanted from a book. And then it’s a little bit more.

Overall
Don’t be afraid of the format. It only enhances the experience.
I really can’t say anything more than “please, do yourself a favour and read this book”.

 

You can find this book on Goodreads and Book Depository