Author: Dan Wells
Series: Partials Sequence #1
Genres: YA, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Library physical copy
Pages: 468
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SYNOPSIS: Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.
Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view.
HANNAHCASSIE'S REVIEW
THE WORLD: The world is this book is very much dystopian. We get New York which is now a little island hosting 40,000 humans, the only survivors. Why? Because more than eleven years ago the Americans created AI (Artifical Inteligence) people to fight for them in the Isolation war against China which claimed the energy. The AI creatures were called Partials. After they won the war and came back to USA nobody knew what to do with them so they used them as easy power. If you think about it, AI is not really different from normal humans. So no surprised that Partials raised against humans and that is how eleven years ago Partials War took place. Most of the people were wiped out except for a few. By partials and then by RM virus which killed everybody who had no immunity incredibly quickly. The ones that survived are the ones living in New York Island. But that is not all, the RM did not just go away, it prevents the survival of newborns. In other world, every single child born in last eleven year died. The youngest human in the world is almost 14 years old. So the story really focuses on this little island where they have this Hope Act, by law all women after 18th birthday are mandatory to give birth to as many babies as humanly possible. The key is to find a baby which has an immunity. Statistically that is the answer. In reality, it was not working and the Senate was gonna lower the age to 16. You get the idea. Now around this little Island live outsides, people that do not agree with the Senate. But it is dangerous out there, The Voice aka the rebels are fighting the Senate about the Hope Act. But that is only half the problem. Nobody has seen a partial for eleven years. What are they doing? Where are they? Are they preparing to attack or are they just waiting till humans die out?
CHARACTERS: The main character has a really nice name I absolutely love - Kira. She is a medic and frankly, she is a gifted researcher. I like Kira's character very very much, I like how she things and what she does. But what I loved most was how she was thinking about science. And in particularly virology. To me personally, as I am geneticist with a huge interest in virology, this part was like candy. And the best part was that there was no bullshit! What she was talking was actually scientifically correct. And the whole Lock and Key principle...brilliant! Alright so yeah, I love Kira. Now next to her we have Marcus who is her love interest. I have to agree, at first he was really annoying but then with story progressing I started to like Marcus. He is not my favorite character but he is very much an okay dude nevertheless. Aside from them there are a few more characters who play a big role in this book: Xochi, Jayden, Isorde, Haru and Madison. Well from them all my favorite was Jayden, he was a soldier but a damn damn good one. Made me cry! And my least favorite is Madison, oh my such a stupid female. Embarrassment to all women.
And of course how could I forget Samm...oh my....*heavy breathing*. He is, yes, a partial. But boy oh boy he is good, too good I could even say.
And of course how could I forget Samm...oh my....*heavy breathing*. He is, yes, a partial. But boy oh boy he is good, too good I could even say.
LOVE: So Kira had been dating Marcus since she was a child, she is 16 now. Marcus wants to get married and have children. But does Kira want that? No, what Kira wants is to find a cure to RM. So she risks her life and the existence of the left humans to get it. And in the process she meets Samm...and...and...well read it for yourself. Some things cannot be explained!
PLUS: The whole virus things made me so interested that I read the book in one sitting. 468 pages in one evening!
PLUS: Kira is a very good lead character. She literary was interesting all the time and I cannot think of a simple page where she annoyed me. Go Kira!
EXTRA: Me needs a next book NOW!
PLUS: Kira is a very good lead character. She literary was interesting all the time and I cannot think of a simple page where she annoyed me. Go Kira!
EXTRA: Me needs a next book NOW!
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LAURA'S REVIEW
Confession time: yes, I read the book 3 years ago and I had a draft of the review but guess what? I didn't remember enough details guys! omg I hate when that happens. I had to re-read the book and now I am ready to write a nice review hehe sorry...
THE WORLD: HannahCassie put a lot of effort into writing about the world and she did a helluva good job so I won't be writing anything... oh yes wait, I'll tell you a bit more about Partials. They are called this way because they were created by taking the DNA of humans and selecting the best parts so that when humans created them with the help of AI machinery they were, in theory, better humans (more speed, more strength, more endurance, etc) perfect for combat and military. Partials don't communicate by speaking only though, they communicate among them via smells. Somehow they're able to release hormones that the others can smell and know the message. They were created this way because in a battle it was not efficient to try to shout orders but with the hormone system there were no misunderstandings, the messages were always clear.
CHARACTERS: The main character is Kira Walker, a 16 year old girl working as a medic. Her biggest wish is to find the cure to RM, the virus which reduced human population to only those 40.000 people living in a locked-in New York. I agree with Hannah, she is a gifted researcher and her ideas are on point, you go girl! But while Kira is trying to find the solution tragedy strikes and the Senate approves a law stating that every girl after the age of 16 have to have as many babies as possible. Sure the Senate does it in hopes to find an immune baby but it's a brutal solution... anyway Kira is under pressure because she is 16 and because her forever boyfriend, Marcus Valencio, wants to marry her and have children. Obviously Kira doesn't want so when she finds out that her "sister" (they grew up together with Xochi and Isorde and were raised by their nanny) Madison and her husband, Haru, are expecting (and that most likely their baby will die), Kira offers to go outside of New York and capture a partial to try to find a cure. Once outside she, along with Haru and some others, capture Samm. They return and the Senate imprisons Samm but he tells Kira something that makes her change her mind and liberates him. After that things get crazy I tell you bwahaha ;)
LOVE: Obviously in the beginning we have Kira and Marcus but in my opinion there is no connection between them... it's a blunt relationship meh. Things get more interesting when they capture Samm, oh Samm *swoons*
PLUS: The plot! I love how the story was centered around a virus so there was a lot of science involved. There was also a lot of science involved when it came to Partials. HUGE PLUS WERE MAIN CHARACTERS KIRA AND SAMM! Great characters, never annoying.
PLUS: The plot! I love how the story was centered around a virus so there was a lot of science involved. There was also a lot of science involved when it came to Partials. HUGE PLUS WERE MAIN CHARACTERS KIRA AND SAMM! Great characters, never annoying.
MINUS: There are no big minuses. Maybe that you're left with a lot of questions but that's normal since this is only the first book so no, no minuses.
OVERALL: 5 stars and goes to favorites. Distopia + science + good plot + good characters... what can go wrong? Recommended 100% and even more if you're into medical science. This series is so underrated... it needs more love!
What do you guys think about PARTIALS?
