Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Introducing Readers United Book Reviews | Illuminae, Legend, and Station Eleven


Readers United is the student book club group under the umbrella of the library, and they are starting a new series of book reviews written by members to help the Choate community engage in reading! If you would like to be involved in this effort, please email Truelian Lee (tlee17).

We are beginning our first installment reviews with science fiction and dystopian books: Illuminae, Legend, and Station Eleven. The books below are available to be checked out at the library.



It can be hard to figure out which books to read during our free time—which we definitely have a lot of, after we’re done juggling a myriad of classes, sports, and extracurricular clubs. Here to help is Aisha Pasha ’20, a science fiction aficionado with a discerning eye for books you won’t forget reading, and those you wish you left sitting on the library shelves.


Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff


The world is ending in 2575. Or that is what the people of Kerenza thought when their rival attacked their planet with the intention of leaving it in ruins. But not everyone was fated to death that day. Three space ships managed to escape the planet, with teenage protagonist Kady aboard one and her recent ex-boyfriend Ezra on another. Both find their place in their respective crews and slowly begin to realize that there is more than just the approaching enemies to worry about. Soon, they reconnect through instant messages, security footage, update papers, and other means of communication. They end up being possibly the only remaining survivors with the power to save their people.

My favorite part of the book was the characters. Kady and Ezra encountered numerous trying and difficult situations, almost to the point of disbelief, but Kaufman and Kristoff did a phenomenal job at making them relatable, particularly as teenagers. Though Kady had technological abilities like no other and Ezra was one of the best soldiers on his ship, they were teenagers with normal lives who were suddenly thrown into assuming an adult role. They were not infallible. Readers will get inevitably attached to every character.

The suspense of the book kept me at the edge of my seat. Right from the beginning. Illuminae casts the reader right into the action, starting with the attack on the people of Kerenza. This isn’t one of those books that describes the world for half of the book; rather, it slowly revealed different aspects of the Kerenza government and society.

Another part of the book that made it engaging was the fast-paced plot. The series of events flew by, and the story never lagged. It didn’t feel like there were any unnecessary chapters.

Above all, the realistic turn of events was what made me love the book the most. Illuminae didn’t brush over death, because death is inevitable in war. The book also doesn’t flinch from delving into the psyches of its characters after a death of a loved one. In addition, Kaufman and Kristoff weren’t afraid to show the ugly side of the battle, the side where innocent people are unfairly treated and where not everyone gets a happy ending.

Verdict: I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys action stories in the vast expanse of space and for anyone who appreciates the art of the plot twist.


Legend by Marie Lu


Legend was one of the first dystopian novels I have read, and it continues to be one of my favorites. It is a classic story of how the most unlikely of people can end up salvaging a corrupt government. The two protagonists, June and Day, are on two different sides of society. Day is a wanted criminal, while June is a highly praised soldier. When June’s brother is killed, she suspects Day, and is sent on a mission by her Commander in order to find and kill Day. Meanwhile, Day is desperately trying to search for the antidote to the plague outbreak in order to save his younger brother. They both will do anything to get what they want and will even go against their own beliefs. When their paths cross, they realize that their perceptions of the world around them may have been entirely false.

The characters really captivated my interest; I loved each and every character in the book. Despite being the antagonist, Commander Jameson was one of my favorite characters for the way her lack of sympathy was described. In addition, Day was very admirable in his refusal to give up hope. He is optimistic in nature, calling himself Day because a new day brings a new beginning. Despite living in the slums, he still had hope that one day he would be able to save his family from the plague that was slowly taking his brother’s life. Though Lu’s characters did experience some character development, they didn’t change their views without reason. For instance, the characters didn’t change their opinion on the government until an event showed them the true colors of the people that were supposed to protect them.

Lastly, the world building was absolutely phenomenal. There was a lot that Marie Lu had to explain and she did not disappoint, diving into the history, laws, and hierarchy of her fictional society with gusto. Marie Lu introduced the laws and caste system early on in the book to give the reader a solid understanding of the world they were about to dive into but not enough to overwhelm. Over the course of the book, more aspects of the government and the state of the country were revealed.

Verdict: I would recommend this book to any dystopian fans, or anyone who likes reading about revolutions and tragic romance stories.



Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel


Some of you may have breezed through Station Eleven when it was the assigned summer reading last year, but the book is definitely worth a second glance. Station Eleven is a sci-fi novel that depicts a desolate earth after a mutated flu plagues wipes out most of mankind.

The main protagonist, Kirsten Raymonde, is an actress in the Traveling Symphony who shares her love of theatre and art with survivors in hopes of keeping the Shakespeare and music alive. However, the Traveling Symphony’s peaceful travels soon come to an end when a mysterious prophet is intent on hunting and killing every member.

St. John Mendel does a fantastic job of emphasizing the loss of modern-day conveniences after the epidemic, encouraging the reader to ponder the role of technology and its impact on relationships in society. Additionally, it was interesting to see the role that theatre and music played in this brave new world. Besides serving as entertainment, art was the only vestige of the time before the epidemic, and people treated it as a source of comfort.

What made this book stand out from any other book I’ve ever read was the artful juggling of multiple points of view. This book switches perspective quite frequently, providing snippets from the past and present of various characters’ lives. To me, the most interesting aspect of this book was how all of the characters’ stories were intertwined.

Verdict: If you didn’t like this book the first time around, try picking it up a second time! I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a mysterious novel with enigmatic characters and elegant prose.