Partials (Partials Sequence #1)

With a scarily realistic dystopian future as its setting, Partials quickly captured my attention. As the stakes became higher and the plot picked up its pace, I found myself completely unable to put Partials down. Add in some (mostly) well fleshed-out characters and Partials was destined for success!

One of my favourite things about reading good dystopia is its ability to place me into a future I can envision with ease. Considering the state of the world right now, with some countries threatening nuclear war, I can easily imagine a future like we see in Partials, where a nation develops a technology that is able to fight their wars for them. I can also easily imagine that technology being advanced enough to begin to think for itself, and to dislike what it’s being forced to do under the command of humans, so it turns on them. And with the development of biological warfare, the idea behind a virus like RM touches so close to home, that it’s almost scary.

But as strikingly realistic as Partials’ setting was, it was its plot that truly took center stage for me. Fast-paced and breathless, I literally couldn’t put Partials down because there was never a calm enough moment – every time something got resolved, something else happened that forced me to keep reading. Whether it was an actual action scene, like when Kira fled from a group of Partials hell-bent on destroying her and her companions, or a political move that had me gasping out loud in astonishment, I was constantly entertained by Partials’ plot. Twists and turns abundant, not only was I constantly surprised by the direction Wells took the plot, but it made for such a suspenseful read that I finished Partials in one sitting.

The only thing I can say I didn’t love was all of Partials’ characters. I absolutely loved Kira – her determination to save her friends’ baby was truly touching, and her courage in the face of the unknown was inspiring. I loved that she had such passion for the things most important to her, and that she was able to set aside how she felt about her boyfriend, Marcus, in order to focus on what was more important – finding a cure for RM. I loved Marcus – his humour had me literally laughing out loud, and the happier moments between he and Kira warmed my heart. I was furious with him for trying to control Kira’s life, but it also allowed me to be proud of Kira when she stood up for herself and what she believed in. I also really enjoyed Samm and the strange relationship that he developed with Kira. I found him really fascinating, and his treatment at the hands of humans brought up some really interesting ethical questions that Wells managed to have Kira think about without preaching.

But with some of the other characters, I had a hard time distinguishing who they were. They weren’t fleshed out enough for me to get a good handle on their specific roles in relation to the plot, and I found myself confusing some of them during different moments. But considering the scope of the characters involved in Kira’s quest for a cure, I still think Wells handled it well.

With a shocking revelation towards the end about Kira’s past, the seemingly futile hope for a cure that’s just out of reach, and the promise that Partials and humans might need to work together in order to save each other, I think it’s almost redundant for me to say that I am eager for Partials’ sequel!

Originally published to: http://www.nobentspines.blogspot.com/

Okay so here's the thing, I don't want Kira and Marcus to be together. They seem more like really good friends who have known each other forever and know all the others secrets. No. Sorry- that seems like a definition for a guy best friend. Not a guy you want to spend the rest of your life with. So yeah, I want Samm and Kira together. They've only known each other for a little while. And she experimented on him....no she gathered data. They protect each other. They will be together.

Okay lets move onto Haru and Madison. In the beginning I liked Haru. In the end I wanted to strangle him. In the beginning I thought Madison was weak. In the end I wanted to hug her. (by the way, I don't do hugs so that is kinda a big deal)

Jayden....I liked him. Towards the beginning I though that he kinda liked Kira, but later I saw that he thought of her the way he thought of Madison (sister-like) Oh and Madison and him are the only real related relatives left in the entire world.

Xochi: I really don't have much to say about her. I liked her music obsession. And her trust in Kira.

Tovar. I am so confused.

Hummm. Okay what else is there to say without spoiling everything?? Eh. Not much.

Partials have petroleum and humans don't.

.....partials don't - nope wait. Can't say that.

.....Samm be- nope can't tell you that either.

Oh! I can tell you that Madison gets pregnant and that is mostly what sets Kira off.

Okay, let's try this.

Strongest Character: I think that Kira is by far the strongest and character. She risks everything so that people can have a future. She doesn't think of partials as the enemy, she just doesn't think of them as friends. Kira is a medic and she personally feels responsible for all the deaths of the babies she's is trying to save. She doesn't feel like she is doing enough. So, of course, she goes to capture what started everything. A Partial.

Weakest Character: I think that Xochi is the weakest character because she lets her hatred for her 'mother' rule every decision she has. It's rather annoying.

So, should you read this? Yes, yes you should!

Wow. I was not expecting what I just read, but it happened. It felt like the first time I read Divergent, although I must admit I still like Divergent more. Partials however, was totally unique, and it may not even be fair to compare it to anything else.
The idea of the novel didn’t seem that new to me. Robots basically took over the planet and now the remaining humans are struggling to regenerate the human race. Partials was so much more complicated though! It had so many twists and turns I never expected. First, I liked how long the book was. I still teared through the pages, but it was longer than most teen fiction books out there, and I enjoyed getting very in-depth within certain parts of the story. I must admit some parts were too “sciency” for me, but for people who really like science fiction, this would be a good novel to read.
I really loved the main character. She was simple and easy to predict, but that was what made her such a good character. The most important thing to her was saving lives, and she never wavered from her goals, which was invigorating. If her actions were predictable however, the plot made up for that in how unpredictable it was. The story kept changing, which made it hard to keep up at points, but at the same time made the story that much more believable and realistic. I felt like I was there at points throughout the book, which is a great accomplishment for the author, Dan Wells.
I would definitely recommend this read.

During the Isolation War humans made Partials to help them out.
The Partials look exactly like humans except they're faster, stronger, and not human at all.
But after winning the war the Partials rebel, unleashing a virus called RM onto the humans. Only a few who are immune survive the RM but it doesn't end there.

11 years after the RM was unleashed the few survivors are all banded together but things aren't going so well.
Every baby born dies within days, even hours, after birth because of RM.

Kira, a 16 year old medic, is sick of watching babies die and wants to find a cure for RM. But of course people have tried almost everything to find the cure and ended up with nothing.
There's one thing that they didn't try though...
a Partial.

What if the only way to save the human race is with our greatest enemy?
And what if everything we thought we knew was a lie?

...

This was a very interesting book and completely original.
If I thought it was so interesting, why did I only give it 3 stars?

Well...
This book had a lot going for it but it took forever to get to the point. It actually took me around 5 days to read this. 5 DAYS!! To most people that's not a big deal but I usually read a book a day so...
this was a problem.
Another thing is the fact that this book was very scientific and i'm not a science person. So a lot of the time I was falling asleep with the book in my lap.
No worries though! The book gets much more entertaining as it goes on!
By the end of the book I actually debated whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. If it wasn't for the whole boring era it would've gotten 4 stars! But alas, it was not meant to be.
So I do recommend this to any folks that wish to read this and I will be looking out for the second book.