[Image] In the Afterlight (The Darkest Minds #3) by Alexandra Bracken
Publication date: October 28, 2014
Pages: 535 pages
Genre: Dystopian fiction, YA
Rating: 4/5 stars ✰✰✰✰
Strengths: Great characters, detailed plot
Weaknesses: Definitely best read as the whole trilogy

I had to wait a while to borrow this one from the library. But the characters vividly came right back to life as soon as I started reading. Accept. Adapt. Act. Ruby keeps telling herself this important op quote as she faces new surprising obstacles while trying to protect and save herself and the other children she feels responsible for.

One of the biggest questions this book in the series focuses on is whether or not the kids want to be 'cured' of IAAN, which killed many kids, but gave those who survived their unique powers. Are the powers inherently evil, or is it just determined by how and in which situations the kids choose to use them? The answer seems to be always changing. And if they can't agree on the nature of their powers, can they agree on what action to take regarding the powers and the kids who possess them?

It's definitely an intricate plot, with twists and turns I didn't see coming (granted, I read for enjoyment and seldom try to unravel the plot until the details are presented to me). I enjoyed debating the moral dilemmas right along with Ruby, Liam, Chubs, Vida, Cole, and even Clancy. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Darkest Minds series to anyone who enjoys YA dystopian books. I gave this one 4/5 stars, and hope the second and third books are eventually made into movies, as the first one was (The Darkest Minds).