Monday, June 8, 2020

Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff


After the events of Illuminae, the files incriminating Bei-tech's mass murder of civilians now change to the point of view from workers on the jump station Heimdall. The ship Alexandar, filled with civilians all knowing what Bei-tech has done, must be eradicated. Nik is a drug dealer living on Heimdall. When he is blackmailed into accepting a package that lets a Bei-tech kill squad infiltrate the Heimdall, he must team up with Hanna, the spoiled daughter of the ship's commander, to successfully defeat Bei-tech and get the truth out.

I really enjoyed this novel. The unusual way it was written in- like a file or report- was very interesting to read, but the story still flowed really well. Its stories of futuristic warfare, space travel, and love were all very well-written and tied in well with each other. There were also some very, very good twists in this suspense-filled novel. I think that people who like reading books with plenty of action and suspense would love this book. Don't be turned off by the way the book is written- I thought it was refreshingly different. I definitely recommend this book, but only read it after reading Illuminae.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library

1 comment:

Melissa said...

As the events of Gemina's prequel, Illuminae, unfold, Hannah Donnelly lives out her daily life aboard Jump Station Heimdall as daughter of the station's captain. Unbeknownst to her, the corporation responsible for the horrors in Illuminae is already preparing to hijack the space station to prevent the incoming survivors of their invasion from escaping. Hannah will have to fight for survival as her life is turned upside down in an instant, with agents from BeiTech snuffing out resistance without hesitation. Hannah and Nik, a member of a crime gang hiding onboard Heimdall, will have to stop BeiTech from destroying Heimdall before the refugees from Illuminae arrive in order to get everyone out of deep space and into safety.

Much like Illuminae, Gemina is an amazing book. While Gemina is not as downright scary as its prequel, it is just as thrilling and it throws numerous twists to make the reader think it's over for the heroes. The cast of this book are all likable in their own right, each one dealing with their own struggles on top of the mega corporation looking to end their lives. Again like Illuminae, this book is told in epistolary format, which contributes something unique to the worldbuilding and sets it apart from most other novels. I would recommend this book to science fiction enjoyers as well as people who may not read it very often. The story does not rely on its setting for plot devices, and is suspenseful while still easy to follow and get immersed in.

Reviewed by William L, Grade 12
Glendale Public Library