Review: Mind Games by Kiersten White

Release date: February 19, 2013
Author info: Website | Twitter
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 237
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

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.

I've not read any of Kiersten White's other books, but if they're anything like this one, that bodes well for me. With an incredibly intriguing setup and flawed but well-intentioned characters, Mind Games is a thrill ride that feels even shorter than its brief 237 pages, in the best way.

Written in a stream of consciousness style, Mind Games follows sisters Fia and Annie as they fight against the school and powers who entrap and exploit their abilities. With Fia's infallible insticts and Annie's ability to see snippets of the future, they're both extraordinary girls ensnared in the machinations of a man and his desire for power. This doesn't keep them from fighting back, though. Even as Fia is forced to commit horrendous crimes, she is constantly searching for a way to save herself and Annie, believing Annie is in need of her help. But Annie is less than helpless, also on working towards freedom. Neither is willing to take their situation lying down, despite the seemingly insurmountable situation they're stuck in.

I could easily see the style in which the book is written causing some readers frustration, and it's a style that you either like or dislike. I, personally, like it. It adds a sense of immediacy to the story, making the reader feel as if they're closer to what's going on and adding to the fight scenes, especially. At times, the stream of thoughts got a little convoluted and at other times, without much subtlety. That being said, for me, the device worked more than it didn't.

You're left constantly wondering who you can trust. At times, it's even questionable whether Fia's and Annie's motivations are wholly pure. This is a world in which you can't know who to trust. At times it seems even the "good" guys aren't good at all. This makes for a terse, exciting read in which you're always wondering who you, and Fia and Annie, can trust.

Though Mind Games is likely not for everyone, if you can handle the narration style, give this a try! Short and fast-paced, Mind Games flies by enjoyably. I'll certainly be reading Perfect Lies, the sequel which is out February 18, as soon as I can.

About the author:

Kiersten White is the NYT bestselling author of the Paranormalcy trilogy and the Mind Games series, as well as The Chaos of Stars. She has one tall husband and three small children and lives near the ocean, where her life is perfectly normal. Visit her at www.kierstenwhite.com.