Review of "Partials"

"Do you know how many babies I've watched die?"

     In his YA novel Partials, author Dan Wells presents readers with a war-torn world where mankind's greatest enemies have already won. Eleven years after genetically engineered soldiers known as Partials took over the world, the last remnants of humanity have gathered on Long Island to rebuild. The only problem? Every child they bear immediately dies of a terrible disease known as RM. Sixteen-year-old medical intern Kira Walker is on track to become a nurse, and she wants nothing more than to find a cure. Not only will it save a children, it will force the survivors to repeal the Hope Act that requires women eighteen and older to become impregnated. But when a captured Partial reveals the key to the cure, Kira is launched into a quest for answers about the Break she never thought to ask. Because in a world where nothing is as it seems, the only hope for humanity isn't human.

     Wells utilizes an incredible writing style with Kira's story. Everything, be it worldbuilding or voice, feels authentic on every level. Kira is wonderfully developed, as are the people surrounding her. They speak and act like real humans, breathing life with every word, every quirk. Even the Partials seem real, not least because they look and speak like people. Samm, the Partial who sparks Kira's journey, is as deep and complex as Kira herself, full of churning emotions and ulterior motivations. In fact, it seems everyone our hero meets has something to hide, a plot twist to contribute. Each character, chapter, and page is engaging and exciting, making this story nearly impossible to put down.

     As far as plot goes, Partials is a thick jungle lush with terrifying possibilities and startling new turns. From the very first page, the predicament humanity is trapped in is chillingly apparent, and things only escalate from there. Before she knows it, Kira is fighting Partials, running for her life, and facing truths that threaten to turn the world she thought she knew on its head. With every revelation, her character grows and changes, so that she is a markedly different person by the time the end approaches. And this is only the first in a trilogy, which means she has barely scratched the surface of the schemes, obstacles, and conspiracies. Still, there is enough action and revelation to make this first installment highly addictive.

     There isn't a whole lot of content to watch out for in Kira's tale. The violence is relatively clean, with little gore even during the more brutal parts. Although there is romance, it is fairly subtle. Despite the Hope Act's demands, the relationships Wells focuses on are built on love and mutual respect, and never go beyond kissing. However, these conditions may lead to the occasional suggestive remark from secondary characters. Otherwise, Kira and her friends stick to a rather mild vocabulary, the worst of which usually slips out during highly stressful events.

     I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fascinating cast of characters trapped in terrifying circumstances. Kira Walker is a brilliant, authentic protagonist in a very real world. The plot Dan Wells has conjured is fast-paced and unpredictable; his setting breathtaking in its scope and history; and his characters, human and Partial alike, deep, rounded, and incredibly sympathetic. It is books like these that make a reviewer wish she worked with a more expansive scoring system, because Partials more than deserves five golden stars.