The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a novel set in a dystopian society where a plague has claimed most of the human population, and the children experiencing symptoms of supernaturalism as a result are ostracized. It is definitely worthy of its award because of its innovative, suspenseful plotline, exploration of the realistic themes of abuse, and strong emotional fluidity.
Bracken explores the theme of abuse in her novel, bringing a sense of realism into the novel as it is a real-life issue. Tossed into a brutal, prison-like facility, survivors are sentenced to a life of silence and hard toil. Beaten and tormented, children are further tortured through the use of the “White Noise”, a torture technique to deal great pain on those who hear it. The “White Noise” is a repeatedly used technique, highlighting the theme of abuse in the novel. Bracken demonstrates this abuse to show the horrific results of it in a realistic situation. The quote from Ruby “don’t let them see” outlines the terror she holds towards the camp directors. This fear is as a result of the hatred and rejection directed towards her on her, thus linking it back to the theme of abuse. Through the recurring use of this theme,…show more content… The quote “I lied. I would have run.” highlights the relatable nature of the protagonist, thus allowing the reader to create a bond of familiarity with the character. This links back to the emotional fluidity of the text. The depth of mental connectivity is a far more explored technique in this novel, as compared to other novels set in a dystopian society such as Divergent. The quote “dreaming led to disappointment. Better to stay in the gray than get eaten by the dark” demonstrates the lack of hope the protagonist held as a result of that psychological trauma. This stresses its quality of emotional fluidity, thus outlining it as a novel worthy of its