Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)

[Trisha]

This thread is to discuss Illuminae, the first book in the The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman.

Pages: 608 pages

Length: 1 Month (December)

Participants: Irma, Ruthie, Marleen.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

[Ruthie]

I actually already finished this, sorry y'all. It was the best option for my TBR Twin and I for November based on library availability etc

[Marleen]

No problem Ruthie!
Irma, are you still on for reading this? I’m looking forward to it a lot, and it’s apparently mixed media which I’m excited about.

[Irma]

I am in. I will start reading towards the end of December. Wonder if reading it on my kindle will give me the immersive experience intended.

[Dominique]

Hello, I'll joining you guys on this buddy read. L'm halfway into another book so by the end of the week, I'll be ready to start it.

[Ruthie]

Yes I think the book is best! I did the audiobook and I think it diminished my experience after discussing with my TBR twin. The full cast of the audiobook was cool but the impact of some parts of the book isn't the same in audiobook. I think it's partially what let to me only giving it 3 stars in my review

[Ruthie]

book or ebook!

[Tammy]

Hi all, I'm a first-time buddy reader here and just got the ebook from my library a few days ago! I'm reading the kindle edition on my iPad.

[Dominique]

Just finished the book
I enjoyed it!

(view spoiler)[ A lot of thins happening in this book: the attack, the virus, Aidan. I did love the concept of the book, happy to read the physical with all the images in it. When Aidan said Ezra was dead, I was pissed but happy that it wasn't true. I did have a feeling Ezra's mother was somehow involved and pretty much sure she'll wreak havoc in the next installment. I did wish that the book explored more on the virus. Near the end, I was starting to be bummed that Kady would also be dead with the last message she left with the instructions to the documents, I thought the next book would be about another set of characters. Eza, Kady and even Aidan all lived to be in the next one (hide spoiler)]

[Tammy]

Wow, what a wild ride! I couldn't put this down after about half-way through. Kady is an awesome heroine. I agree with Dominique (message 9) that the visual images and format were compelling (ebook, but on an iPad with the Kindle app). I rated it 4 stars and will be reading the next book (I already placed a hold on it via my library).
(view spoiler)[
I felt sure Ezra would survive (or I needed him to), but I totally missed the tie-in to Ezra's mom coming. It makes sense though and is a good set-up for the next book. I loved the virus angle but thought those afflicted were a bit too hearty to keep on fighting. They reminded me of something, but I'm not sure what. Perhaps something I saw in the T.V. series Grimm? Of course, AIDAN was an outstanding and complicated "character".
(hide spoiler)]

[Marleen]

Starting this one today :)

[Trisha]

Hi all, please confirm if you're willing to read the next book in the series in January? Post your confirmation here, and I will add and confirm the series on the spreadsheet.

[Marleen]

Trisha wrote: "Hi all, please confirm if you're willing to read the next book in the series in January? Post your confirmation here, and I will add and confirm the series on the spreadsheet."

Thanks Trisha, not sure yet if I want to read book 2 in January, I’ll decide after I finished reading this one, but I see it’s already been confirmed in the spreadsheet in the meantime.

[Marleen]

I’m at 28% now, up to the start of what my ebook’s table of contents is calling ‘chapter 18’ but we’re not really dealing with chapters here obviously.
I’m really enjoying the mixed media style, it’s working well I think, they can explore some different angles through it, and it’s represented well visually, even in the ebook.

(view spoiler)[Kady is a great character. I was happy with the addition of the diary so we can get to know her better. Other than the diary entries we only see glimpses of her of course, and especially in the chat logs those glimpses might not be very truthful. For instance in her chats with Ezra I feel she is not being very honest and even a bit manipulative to get him to help her cause while making it seem she is only helping him.
Speaking of Ezra, he can be funny sometimes, and I empathize with him for the whole court martial situation, but he can be pretty immature. His conversations with his friend McNulty especially are quite the immature cringe-fest... I know this is a YA, but still...
On to the plot: I’m loving the whole AIDAN situation. An AI that because of damage is making its own bad decisions to Protect The Humans, that can go verrry bad. The Copernicus thing was horrible. The pages and pages of names of victims were very impactful, and something that I think only a mixed media book could do like this.
Okay, that’s all for now. Can’t wait to finish so I can click open the spoilers above :) (hide spoiler)]

[Marleen]

Finally done! I didn’t have much reading time around the holdidays so carried this book over into January, and I just finished.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely continue with the series. Not straight away this month in the new buddy read though, but I will definitely continue.

(view spoiler)[Kady is brilliant. I must say I didn’t care much for Ezra’s character and their romance, but Kady carried the book for me. Towards the end I thought she might not survive it all. It was turning into the kind of book where I thought the author might actually kill off all the main characters and that would have totally worked too, but I’m glad she made it so we can see her again in the sequel (at least I assume she’ll be in it.)

Biggest moment in the book: even though I wasn’t that invested in Ezra, the moment in the server room where AIDAN revealed that it had been impersonating Ezra to lure her there... That had me shaking! In hindsight I might have missed some hints but I was in total shock, what a great twist!

Also when insane Byron said a bit before that that he had to kill Kady because she was the only one that could fix AIDAN, I thought the man was even more insane than I thought, there was no way that Kady would fix AIDAN. Little did I know... I understand why she ended up helping AIDAN, but I thought there were a few moments where it was suggested she was growing a bond with AIDAN and that felt unbelievable, because AIDAN had killed so many people including her mother and Ezra (or so she thought at that point).

I loved the threat of the afflicted, they were like zombies but way worse. And I liked the insight into AIDAN’s thoughts throughout the second half of the book, questioning its own identity and consciousness. Very interesting.

I agree with Dominique and Tammy that the reveal of Ezra’s mother being Beitech management is a great setup for havoc and drama in the next installment :)
(hide spoiler)]

[Dominique]

Marleen wrote: "Finally done! I didn’t have much reading time around the holdidays so carried this book over into January, and I just finished.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely continue with the series..."

Marleen, I cancelled this month and next. When would you like to continue ?

[Marleen]

Hey Dominique, my Q1 reading plans have been filling up fast, so I was thinking maybe April? If you and anyone else want to do Gemina in April, then we could definitely do a buddy read then. Open to other months after that too, just not before.

[Dominique]

Marleen wrote: "Hey Dominique, my Q1 reading plans have been filling up fast, so I was thinking maybe April? If you and anyone else want to do Gemina in April, then we could definitely do a buddy read then. Open t..."

April is ok with me. I'll post for April or open any other months.
Thanks Marleen!

[Marleen]

Great, thanks for setting it up!