A Review: "Partials" by Dan Wells

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WARNING: THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS (very detailed)

Genre: 

  • Sci-fi/dystopia 
  • post-apocalyptic 
  • fiction
  •  fantasy 


"PARTIALS"
by Dan Wells

In a dystopian world where only less than a million people inhibits the world caused by a virus named RM that was believed was unleashed by Partials, who were genetically-engineered super soldiers, the government was desperate to stop the extinction of mankind and established the Hope Act, where every women after the age of 18 are required to be pregnant once a year. For 11 years, the remainder of humanity living in Long Island, which is only a section of East Meadow, were struggling to find a way to save the newborn babies from dying. Kira Walker, 16 years old ;5 years old during the Break, was determined to save humanity- or what's left of it - by looking for a cure, and to stop the Hope Act.


Kira engaged on a secret and deadly mission as she found out that her friend, Madison, was pregnant; Her mission was to pass the enemy's territory, and grab a Partial, not only to save her friend's child but also for the future of her kind.


After a near-death experience, she successfully held an unconscious Partial captive. Not wanting every obstacle she'd been through to go to waste, Kira persuades the Senate to not exterminate the Partial due to the fact that it was meant for a research .  A heated debate occurred until they decided to give her five days to work on her specimen to find a cure.


While experimenting and dissecting the Partial, who later revealed that his name is Samm,  Kira not only made progress but also she understood the motives and nature of the imprisoned Partial. Unfortunately, on the third day, a bomb was set off on the outside walls of her designated workplace - the hospital. It was believed that the one who had set the bomb off was the Voice which is a group of revolutionaries that were against the pregnancy law, Hope Act, and fought against the Senate. Later on, Kira discovered that the bomb was actually the Senate's doing to find a reason to get rid of the Partial. The Senate wanted control at a crumbling society thus, feed mankind lies that it was the Partials who did it.


The protagonist then decided to be against the Senate as she was fed up with their lies. She, with her friends - Jayden, and Xochi- along with her boyfriend, Marcus, plotted to escape with the Partial, Samm, by starting a riot to be able to distract the soldiers. They escaped Long Island, unnoticed. Four hours later, covering almost 80 meters, they finally arrived at the ocean that separates the island from the mainlands, wherein the Partials live. With only seconds to spare before the search team sees them, they finally found a boat that could bring them to Partial territory to continue looking for a cure. They landed safely on the mainlands but realized that they were far off where they should be. To avoid getting spotted by other factions that would kill them in seconds if they are sighted, they decided to sail again. Unfortunately, a storm came and the group took the risk than landing on shore. The boat listed until it toppled over, separating the group into two. Jayden was Xochi and Marcus, while Walker and Samm drifted to the other side.


Later on, a Partial named Heron spotted the two, and Kira realized that Samm betrayed her.

She was injected with a serum that would make her unconscious. She woke up as she laid down in an operating table as a specimen for Partials; she was now in the position that Samm had been while in East Meadow. 

After many experiments and observations, it was later revealed that Kira Walker was actually a Partial but she was designed differently from other Partials, and a cure was discovered due to her researches. Eventually, she was rescued by the separated group, who slipped secretly inside the headquarters while a group of rioters striked. Samm went alongside with them again by killing the mastermind, Dr. Morgan. Without hesitation, Kira grabbed for the cure and left the building.  With Kira being so considerate, she accepted Samm while the group doubt the traitor. They decided to go back to East Meadow, leaving the Partial behind.


As soon as they arrived, they discovered that they were the most wanted people in the island as they went alongside with the Voices. Walker asked for help to go to Long Island; a village where what's left of humanity lives. Two minors came along as they sneaked in the island which they realized has heightened its security. They got caught and chased just as they went in and two minors that were with them and Jayden died.

The remaining members of the group succeeds by injecting Arwen Sato, the child of Madison. 
The story resolves where Kira Walker, once titled a traitor, is already considered a hero.






A review by Patrice Lavandero



I want to tell you firsthand that I am a sucker for stories that fall under the dystopia category, which is the reason on why I read this book!


As I read the first part, I wasn't enticed much, but don't get me wrong! It was intriguing but I feel like there was something lacking that I just can't decipher (But do read it, everyone has the own views and opinions). There was something about it that makes my concentration away from reading, or I tend to doze off a bit. It must be the 'pull' that's lacking. But as I continued to read the book, I got more into it, that I can't put the book down.

I love how it explains everything, scientifically. That's what lured me in since it is just interesting to read scientific explanations, in my humble opinion.

Furthermore, the book was action-packed but there was something about the troubles that they've been through that wasn't as challenging as it should be. Well, they just... succeed right away.


I also noticed that it was kind of unrealistic (but this is a fiction book though) since I noticed that the author only kills the minor ones. One of Kira's friends died who is Jayden but I didn't feel anything like deep sadness. What lacks is the author-reader interaction which would make it an emotional death. 


Nonetheless, I would still read the second book, Fragments!


For this, I give the book 4 out of 5!

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