Gemina

The Illuminae Files, Book #2, by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Gemina was a must-read-immediately following Illuminae. The format of Illuminae is consistent throughout the series, so Gemina is no different.

[Do I even need to post my recommendation again? I will: “If you’re looking for a new YA sci-fi series that pushes the envelope of “YA” while still being captivating and page-turning [and can wrap your head around the ab-normal formatting], THIS IS A SERIES FOR YOU.”]

But, honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t want the format any other way. It’s become a uniquely The Illuminae Files thing, and I’m here for it.

Again, due to my binge-reading of the series, there won’t be too many non-spoiler-y notes before the spoiler ones, but I’ll dive into what I can.

We have Hanna, the typical spoiled-rich-girl who doesn’t completely conform to that stereo-type, thanks to her father. What she goes through in this book is quite the brutal character arc, but I like how she handles what’s thrown at her and who she becomes as a result.

Nik is your typical mafia-thug-criminal stereo-type who also doesn’t quite fit the usual mold. His character arc is similarly intense, and I like where he comes out at the end of Gemina, though I think my favorite arc of the book still belongs to Hanna.

While the plot of this comes across as typical at first, there’s enough twists to the execution to make it interesting. The events that help the plot unfold and move forward are also fairly believable, so long as you believe in characters relying just as much on their resources as they do on their already-obtained abilities – and how quickly rapid changes can impact a person’s mental state and abilities.

And how could we possibly not mention Ella? She’s technically a minor character, but I don’t see how when she’s so heavily relied on and a key player in the plot development. Maybe that’s just the nerd in me. Anyway, Ella’s role makes me glad the author’s vetted all their content to be legitimate and accurate because it makes her content all that much more enjoyable. That, and the sarcasm coming from her is AMAZING.

**SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT. DON’T READ FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS. THIS ISN’T A DRILL. THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD.**

While Hanna and Nik’s love interest story is a little cliché, there’s enough outside-the-norm exceptions to their individual character arcs and enough depth in the events that unfold involving them to make it completely believable. You end up rooting for them in the end, despite their cliché coupling.

I love Ella and her role – as well as her nickname of Pauchok/”Little Spider” just ends up being entirely fitting and endearing. Her sarcasm helps progress some scenes smoother and more enjoyable than they would otherwise, and you get extremely attached to her by the time you read about her death. [It’s Jay Kristoff we’re talking about here – are you really surprised there’s a death scene for, like, everyone?]

The saving is the station doesn’t just happen conveniently and without its costs like most YA novels. You also don’t expect the station to end up destroyed anyway. Although, it’s Jay Kristoff, so you kinda do.

Obsidio review coming shortly!