Review – Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff, and after reading it I can see why. This book is nothing like anything I have ever read before, and that’s part of why I enjoyed reading it so much. In fact it was one of my favourite reads of 2015.

From the back cover of the book:

“The year is 2575 and two mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice covered speck. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Ezra and Kady have to make their escape on the evacuating fleet. But their troubles are just beginning.”

Illuminae is told through transcripts, memos, and other “found” documentation. I thought this was an interesting idea, but at first I was concerned I would be too removed from the characters to care about the story. This was far from the case and I was gripped from the start. I quickly found myself invested in the characters, understanding their motives and caring about what was happening to them. Also I really liked that characters  had distinct voices.

The way this story is told is used to maximum effect to build tension and foreshadowing later events.  Especially as at times the reader has more information than the characters, who are still trying to piece together whats going on.

Illuminae is a visual masterpiece, the sheer variety is a testament to the creativity of the authors. It never gets dull, some pages are particularly mesmerising. As an added bonus there are many Easter eggs scattered throughout this book, check out the casualty list, for example.

Overall this book was a thrilling read, and every time I thought I knew where thing were going, the direction twisted leaving me on the edge of my seat.

Rating;  5/5 Stars – I have and will recommend this book to anyone who will listen.