The Darkest Minds is the first of a three part dystopia written by Alexandra Bracken. The story takes place in near-future North America, as half of the population of kids aged 8 through 17 are either dying or developing unexplainable and unique powers. Going into panic mode, the government rates the powers on a danger scale, and urges parents to send their kids into camps, giving them the idea that it is the only way to save their children. The main character Ruby is one of the kids who lived, but at the expense of gaining abilities she is unable to control. Fast forward to the future, and 16 year old Ruby has been living at one of the military-like camps for nearly 6 years. After being rescued by people she starts to feel uneasy about, she decides to run away from them, meeting a group of kids she decides to join along the way.

This story follows the coming of age of Ruby and the group of kids she meets along the way as they learn to trust and depend on each other to survive, as well as learning how to control their powers. As Ruby grows into who she is, she often finds that she is at war with abilities she did not ask for and does not know how to control. She is afraid of getting too close to someone because she does not want to hurt them or damage their mind. She has trouble learning how to control her abilities because she feels like she is a monster because of them. Throughout the novel, Ruby has to learn to accept herself for who she is and to control her powers to protect those she loves.

I really loved this book because it followed Ruby accepting herself for who she was and starting to trust others after a traumatic experience.  I related to the character because she had to find out who she was and learn to be confident in herself. My favorite part of the book was the bonds Ruby shared with some of the different characters. I loved how all of the characters started to depend on one another and became like a family. Author Alexandra Bracken takes time to develop the characters in a beautiful way that allowed me to understand and feel a connection to every character, no matter what role they played in the story.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian or sci-fi stories that have a strong main character. This story is also good for anyone looking for a fast paced book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The novel has an amazing mix of action, a dash of romance, and a thrilling story line that makes you root for the main character and all of the kids she is fighting for.