"The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

A epidemic has begun to spread through America, one that affects children between the ages of eight and fourteen, doctors and scientists believing that it is triggered by the onset of puberty. This disease, termed IAAN, has killed off roughly 98% of the population in that age range, the other 2% survived but didn't walk away unscatched. Their brains appear to have undergone a rewiring of sorts and they have developed abilities, powers, mutations. They are being labeled as the psi, and they are considered to be too dangerous to be allowed to roam free. A lot of the children are rounded up by the newly appointed government organization and taken to Thurmond, a brutal 'rehabilitation center' where the children are held prisoner and undergo unspeakable ill doings. Some children are freely given up by their parents whom would rather have had their child die of the disease then survive and become the monster that they now are. Some children have managed to avoid capture but are ruthlessly hunted.

There are five different categories in this mutation and they have been labeled by color by how dangerous those abilities are deemed.

The greens, considered the least harmful out of the five. They have basically developed a superior intelligence which gives them photographic memory, puzzle solving skills, etc.

The blues. They have developed telekinesis. They are able to move objects with their minds. A pretty formidable weapon but classified as being less dangerous then the next three.

The yellows. They have the ability to manipulate, and control, electricity and electronics.

The oranges. They have the ability of mind control.

The reds. They have the ability to manipulate, and control, fire.

The yellows, oranges, and reds are considered to be extremely dangerous. They are at first kept under very strict lock down and later they are all 'removed' when they are no longer able to be controlled and managed.

We follow Ruby in this story. Ruby is ten years old when she develops her ability and is turned over by her parents. Upon arriving at the facility with a bus load of other children she quickly realizes that she must pretend to be less powerful then she really is. Ruby is a orange, and being reluctant to use her powers and also not understanding exactly how to control them, she somehow manages to talk her way into being categorized under the green category upon undergoing a series of placement testing.

Ruby has been at Thurmond for six years now. She has seen a lot of really horrible things happen to the children being kept there, and the greens and blues are now the only ones left. There is a danger of her true abilities being brought to light.

When the truth does comes out Ruby barely escapes with her life. A lot of things in the outside world has changed in the six years since she has been locked away. She doesn't know who to trust, there are those who would wish to use her as a weapon.

My Rating: 4 Stars