Fragments (Partials #2) Review

Fragments (Partials #2)

Dan Wells

Publisher: HarperCollins

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and HarperCollins

Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence--it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?
Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

This is the sequel to Partials released last year (read my review here). In Partials I liked the story and the intriguing world, but was less keen on the main character Kira. Luckily this time around some of the elements that anooyed me with Kira before didn’t annoy me as much!

After the revelations at the end of Partials, Kira is in Manhattan on her own, looking for answers from ParaGen about the origin of RM, the Partials and her own past. Meanwhile the leaders of the last humans, still on Long Island are struggling to replicate the cure to RM that Kira found and Samm, the Partial Kira freed is also looking for solutions to their expiration date. The need for answers for all involved becomes more and more tense as the story progresses and slowly some answers are revealed. I loved that we aren’t made to wait too long before we have some major revelations and the drip feeding of answers does keep you turning pages in order to find out what will happen.

The beginning and ending of the book are very strong with plenty of action, moral quandaries and tense scenes. The action scenes are fast, exciting and with some real danger. However, I found the middle dragged a little for me become a slow travelogue that made sense for Kira and her companions but not back at Long Island where time seemed to of the essence. Kira is now determined to save as many as she can despite personal risks and it felt like she has grown up a lot. Her relationships with Sam, Heron and Afa are very different and I liked they each brought out a different side of her. Her friends back on Long Island are an interesting bunch and I would have liked to spend more time with them and how they were coping with the situation. However, Kira’s friend, Marcus has some thrilling adventures in his own search for solutions and he is also very lucky at surviving impossible situations considering he’s only a medic!

The ending does make you want to read the third book as soon as possible – and I am hoping that the answers will be worth the wait!

Recommended for fans of Julie Kagawa and Kristen Simmons. 8 out of 10