Mind Games by Kiersten WhiteSeries: Mind Games #1
Published by: HarperTeen on February 19, 2013
Genre: Dystopian, Paranormal, Thriller
Pages: 256
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Rating: ★★½
Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.
Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways⦠or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.
In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.
Mind Games was an okay book, but I was hoping it would be a lot better. The book isn’t nearly as intense or action-packed as I thought it would be.
I think the problem with this book is that Fia is actually crazy. I went from liking her, to disliking her, to understanding her, to still disliking her—but maybe a little bit less. She just always sounded so.. jittery when she talked. And she has this really annoying habit of repeating a word or phrase three times. It drove me completely nuts.
“Okay,” I say, closing my eyelids because they are heavy, heavy, heavy.
I can’t tap, tap, tap my fingers because…
I know how to twist it just so to pop-pop-pop it right out of the socket.
Sometimes I sleep here. Sleep, sleep. I’ll sleep now.
But then we slowly begin to realize why she is this way. She’s actually a bit crazy. She’s just so broken, tortured, and traumatized by the things that the ‘school’ makes her do: murder, kidnap (almost), and steal. She had already committed her first murder before she was fifteen. The trauma has slowly broken her down until she is more an empty shell than a person. It still made her an annoying character, but at least I understood why.
Mind Games was also lacking in the world building. We know that people with exceptional powers are being kidnapped or lured to this school to be trained. We know that the really good ones are kept to be used for corporate espionage, but that’s all we ever find out. We have no idea what they’re actually doing, or what the results of their actions are. We don’t know what kind of benefits the mysterious ‘leader’ is getting or what purpose the tasks/murders/thefts serve.
In some ways, the execution of this book almost made it feel like a really long prologue. The book alternates between present day and the past (slowly building up to present time). The flashbacks are meant to help explain why Fia is so broken and tortured. But ultimately, that was the entire book. The whole book wasn’t really about uncovering corporate espionage or putting a stop to it, it was just about figuring out why Fia is such an angry, soulless girl. It wasn’t horribly boring for me to read about, but by the time the book ended, I felt like the story was only just getting started.
Overall, Mind Games is missing a strong, exciting, central plot. There’s too much telling of history and what happened weeks/months/years in the past, and not enough progression in present time. Maybe the books later in the series will be more interesting. As I said, when it ended, I felt like things were just getting started. Hopefully that means the later books will have less background story and more heart-pumping excitement and confrontations.
Interestingly enough, I think the book trailer is actually better than the book. Maybe Mind Games would be better off as a movie? LOL.
The Verdict
It’s really too bad that you didn’t love this one, but oh well! At least you didn’t hate it. And I agree that in some ways it did really feel like it was just getting started. Awesome review doll!
Thank you Annabelle! I seriously wish I loved it more though. This is one of those books I was dying to read for a long time. I almost tried to force myself to love it but it just didn’t happen LOL!
I agree, Mind Games mostly felt like a long prologue. I have a big feeling the author will go on with the worldbuilding in the next book though. Nice review Ashley! (:
Thanks Kelly! Fingers crossed that the second book is a bit better. 🙂
Yes! And I swear there was like 6 people in the entire school! I didn’t get it. Ugh this one bothered me so much I feel like it went nowhere and we found out nothing. I won’t be reading the sequel, that’s for sure!
LMAO so true! It was like the two sisters, that one friend whose name I forget, the creepy James bastard (was that his name? LOL), and all the ‘teachers’. Some ‘school’. UGH.
I liked the central plot as well, but I think I liked Fia more than you did.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy it a bit more! 🙂
Oh no!!!!!! I’m so sorry you didn’t like it more!
I admit, the world building was lacking and I had some problems with the different POV:. But, I loved Fia… I feel for her… She was so broken and sad I wanted her to get better!
I’m so glad you loved this book Danny! I tried to love this book SO MUCH but it just didn’t happen. I’m so bummed! *hugs*
Ugh, is it just me or is almost every book I read now lack world-building and have a wobbly plot? So sick of it. I love the Our Rating think. Cool option. I still need ot read this book.
It makes me giddy to see some people using that new feature. 😀 I’ve been sitting here all week going “SOMEONE USE IT! USE IT NOW!!!” I think today is the first day people have finally done it. XD
But yes, I agree. I feel like I’ve been reading so many meh/crappy books lately. It’s making me want to commit reading suicide.
I have this, but have not read it yet. I’m interested to compare it to How To Lead a Life of Crime, which I just reviewed, and which sounds kind of similar.
I can’t wait to see your thoughts on this, Jen!
Aw, I was really looking forward to this one, and I’ll definitely still read it to see what I think, but MAN do I hate when a first in a series feels like it’s just gearing up to tell the real story. Ugh. Maybe it might be a good idea to wait until book two comes out and read them together? Thanks for your honest thoughts, Ashley!
I mean, there is a chance you might still love it! A couple people do. I think the biggest downfall for me was that I HATED the stream of consciousness writing style. It’s similar to Shatter Me, but not nearly as carefully crafted and artistic (I thought Shatter Me was pretty good, but this is like that but all messed up and not nearly as poetic sounding).
But, if you are able to connect with the writing style and with Fia as a character, then I think you have a decent shot of enjoying the story!
A wonderful review Ashley! I enjoyed this book a bit more than you but definitely understand the points you mentioned, I quite liked Fia – her sister not so much.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Okay so i really want to read this one! Like it’s been on my TBR list since it first popped up around the YA discussion columns and I’ve been dying for the release date! There’s sp,ething about a slightly crazy protagonist that just fascinates me. I’m sorry you didn’t like this one much though!
Lily
Awww man. I was hoping this would be good!
I just finished this one not too long ago and I am having a hard time writing my review because I haven’t been able to decide whether or not I liked it. I know that sounds weird but, I can’t figure out my feelings for this one it has me so confused lol. Great review though hopefully I can sort it all out for mine.
Yeah I kind of know what you mean Kristin. It’s a tough one to figure out and the style of the writing is definitely enough to confuse you!
It’s too bad you didn’t like it! I just picked this one up from the library, so I hope I enjoy it a bit :S
Haha, I know what you mean about it feeling like one big prologue. Nothing much happened in the present time, which was only a span of, what, 3 days?
Oh no, I just picked this one up as I got the sequel from Edelweiss. Now i’m not sure I’m looking forward to. I’m sure I’ll still read it but your review has definitely made me uneasy about this book.