Gemina Review

Aug 2, 2017
4 min read

Gemina, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, is a sci-fi fantasy that keeps you on the edge of your seat and it is told in the most unique way. It is the second book in the Illuminae Files, the first being Illuminae. Hanna Donnelly is a bad ass who does what needs to be done. Nik Malikov is a sarcastic bad boy who is... well you'll just have to find out.

If you haven't read the book I would advise you to go and read it because this review will have spoilers! I personally recommend listening to the audiobook and reading along!

*spoilers ahead*

I LOVED Gemina so much. It was so thrilling and hilarious and everything I wanted it to be. I switched between listening to the audiobook and physically reading it. Sometimes I would follow along in the book while I listened. And let me tell ya, the audiobook is phenomenal. It has a full cast, sound effects, and creepy music whenever AIDAN came into the picture. But back to the story.

After Illuminae ended I couldn't wait until Gemina came out. I was worried I wouldn't like the characters as much in this book, but I did. Hanna, Nik, and Ella were such an amazing team. Hanna was so strategic in everything she did and seeing her plan it out in her journal was so cool. (Also the bullet hole in her journal was such an intense thing to include. As the blood stain got bigger I got more and more worried.) Nik tried his best to be the bad boy but from the start it was obvious he was actually a sweetheart. Ella was so sassy and funny, I loved it. Her video messages to Zoe were so much fun too. I found the strange little details in them made the story even better. Poor Mr. Biggles. I loved the banter between Nik and Ella. All of the palm pad messages were some of my favorite parts to read. The security footage analyst was also one of my favorite characters (This is partly because of the audiobook). I loved all of his reactions to everything he saw. Especially when he saw the disgusting "worm things". Jax, however, I didn't like from the start. I didn't trust him. He seemed a little too perfect. So when he ended up betraying Hanna I wasn't too surprised. Cerberus was such an amazing villain. As much as I hated him I really appreciated his character. AIDAN was still creepy in this book but way more helpful. Especially when all hell broke loose.

Speaking of all hell breaking loose... What I really want to talk about it the whole multiverse thing that went on. That was so cool. I was honestly blown away. Mostly because I was so heartbroken when Nik died that the fact that there was a version of him who was still alive made me so incredibly happy. I was so stressed when they said they had to switch the Niks. I though that Hanna would end up on the other side then they would have to find a way to get her back too. I loved that they used Chief Grant to confirm that Nik and Hanna were telling the truth. The parallel structure of the two dimensions was so cool to read. I loved how they sat side by side and only Hanna and Nik's replies were different.

Here are some scenes I loved:

-When Hanna tricked Cerberus into thinking she was turning herself in for Jax but instead made the sugar bombs in the lights.

-When Ella jumped out of the walls and saved the day. I was so relieved because I still thought she might be dead.

-When Hanna and Nik finally saw each other by the reactor room. <3

-Hanna's battle with Kali when Nik was dying was so thrilling to read/listen to. As he was dying I kept thinking that she was hallucinating and everything was fine. I cried when it wasn't.

-The courtroom scene at the end.

The people in this book died so many times it was so sad but each time it was believable. I was so insanely mad at Jackson/Sam/Rapier/whateverhisnameis in his message to Frobisher when he dies. The death that hurt the most was probably either Ella or Hanna. I say Ella because all she was doing was talking her kind, sassy way to him and he shot her. Hanna's was painful because of all the promises he made her were just blown away. But once it was revealed that it was all a ruse, I respected his character so much more. Also because he stayed behind to man the ship while he let the others get away. I loved when Hanna came over the loud speaker at the end and completely foiled Frobisher. This book was so good. It is one of my personal favorites! I cant wait until the next one, Obsidio, comes out!

Here are some cute edits of book quotes I found!