Partials

By: Dan Wells

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials - engineered organic beings identical to humans - has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them - connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question - one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

©2012 HarperCollinsPublishers (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Great Dystopia

I have not loved a dystopian novel this much since Hunger Games and Divergent. Seriously where has Dan Wells been all my reading life?!?

I know what you're thinking, another dystopian novel, but seriously this is coming from a person who isn't a big fan of end of the world novels! When I first stumbled across the cover back in September

I was intrigued. Then after seeing the novel on audibles I thought Hey I need that! Partials is 14 hours but the combination of dramatic storytelling and a wonderful narrator you will feel like you want the book to never end!

There were so many points in the story where I thought, "oh no this is the cliff hanger ending", but the story continued! I will say that I was very surprised not to see a love triangle or a big romance taking center stage but don't let it deter you because there is so much heart, loyalty, action and suspense to make up for it!

Keira lives in a world where humanity as we know it is over. There are only a few hundred survivors and every time a child is born the baby dies. The government that is left has passed a law that all women over the age of eighteen must be pregnant at all times. They hope that eventually a child will survive. What caused the world to go into chaos? The Partials. The Partials where made in a lab as soldiers to fight a war. They look like humans, but they don't age and can't reproduce. They are harder to kill, making them excellent in winning a war. Only they turned on humans and released a virus that killed practically everyone. The humans that are left fear and hate Partials and have isolated themselves on Long Island while the Partials roam the rest of the US.

Keira is a medical intern and she doesn't understand how having more babies will solve anything. The hospital conducts studies on the adults and babies before and after their deaths, but she sees this as a dead end. How can studying the same thing over and over, year after year, not give you the same results? Keira feels the key has to be in the Partials. She approaches the doctors and explains her theory about the Partials but they quickly shut her down. This becomes an even more pressing issue when her best friend Madison tells her she is expecting a baby. Keira explains to her friends that she believes studying a Partial might be the only way to save her friend. Marcus, her boyfriend goes into protector mode and wants her to forget it but Madison's husband Haru and her brother Jayden think she might be right and agree to help Keira.

Keira and her group will run into a million obstacles, but they go forward knowing that they're risking their lives and accept it, if it means there's a chance to save humanity. I can't tell you how strong Keira is. She is determined and willing to risk it all! Jayden stole a part of my heart which leaves me breathless! I have really only scratched the surface on how amazing this novel really is. Trust me when I say you have to read or listen to this book.

44 of 45 people found this review helpful

Action! Romance! Science!

What did you like best about this story?

The action was very intense. The dialogue was very well written and genuine. Also, I found it surprisingly funny despite the desperate situation of the human race.

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan – was your favorite?

She did a great job with all the characters. Julia Whelan is an excellent narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.

Any additional comments?

I LOVED this book! I really liked the technical medical aspects of it, and the action was intense. I'd read a few reviews complaining about all of the scientific details being a drag, but for me it kind of legitimized the society as believable. I just really liked the whole idea/world presented here. The fact that anything you could possibly want was just there waiting for you to find it was cool, and that you could just decide to go and move into a new house? Awesome, Right? Yeah, but then there's always that realization that there was no going forward. There's a part in the beginning where Kira is taking down the statistics for yet another newborn baby that has no hope of surviving. It was just heartbreaking.Also, this book was full of the political aspects that I don't usual enjoy in books, but I found I was actual interested this time. The writing was excellent. Some of the scenes between Kira and Marcus were so sweet and funny. There were also some pretty unexpected twists!I really can't wait to see what happens next. It seems like the next book is going to be full of just as much action and just as many unanswered questions. Great start to a new series!

62 of 64 people found this review helpful

Expected so much more

The future looks really bleak, and it???s up to one girl; Kira to save it. Mankind is going extinct as a result of the Partials war; an airborne virus is killing all new born babies. The governments solution; every woman over 18, no 16 must keep getting pregnant (naturally or artificially) in order for further testing to find the solution. 16 year old researcher Kira is determined to find the answer to the virus and save mankind; her quest leads her to turn to the Partials (genetically modified humans and mankinds greatest enemy) in the hopes to find the solution. This leaves Kira in a tricky situation; will she side with the government, the rebellion or the Partials?

This novel is pretty interesting; I like the story and I???m interested to see where it will lead in the future. While this is typically a YA novel as appose to a post-apocalyptic thrillers means the writing, violence and complexity of this book feels like it has been dumbed down; to an extent that sometimes is not very enjoyable. I really enjoy Dan Wells as a writer but I would like to see him move away from young adult fiction and do something darker, disturbing and more complex. I feel like he has it in him but due to the limitations of YA he holds back a lot. I would love to give this a 4 out of 5 but I can???t, it???s a 3 and a half star novel

17 of 18 people found this review helpful

A Unique Dystopian Storyline

Partials, By Dan Wells has been in my Wish List since March. Why did it stay there so long? For one, the synopsis of the book didn’t really seem intriguing and...(I hate to admit this “out loud”) I have found that I usually prefer female writers when it comes to YA books. So, with all my prejudices against this book out in the open, I can now officially announce that, I was wrong.

I really enjoyed Partials. Actually, I ended up reading the book AND listening to the audiobook as well. At first, it took me a little longer than normal to get through this book. I just had a hard time really getting into the book. Things start out slow as Wells introduces us to the characters and sets up the storyline. Once all of that is established, things start moving at a faster pace. By Part 2 (of the download), I didn’t want to "put the book down".

This may sound cliché but this book has it all. You’ve got:
• The post-apocolyptic world in which tragedy has struck and only a very small portion of the population is left alive.
• A bad “guy"--actually you’ve got two--that is threatening the survival of those remaining.
• The (potential) hero, 16 y/o Kira who is trying to not only help her best friend, but a cure to save the lives of babies...and the human race.
• There’s drama, as we follow Kira trying to figure out how to cure RM
• Tension - when we’re left wondering . . . (NO spoilers here!!!! I don’t want to ruin the experience for anyone.)
• There’s also a little touch of romance here and there. There also may (or may not) be romance coming from unexpected sources.

I really think Wells did a great job at brining emotion to this book. You can feel the pain as he describes the death of all the babies, and how these young girls -- by order of the law -- have to get pregnant as often as possible, only to watch their babies die without even having a chance to really hold them. He also has a wonderful sense for timing the highs and lows; implanting good action scenes throughout the book. By the end, you don’t want it to stop because you know -- just like any good series -- you’ll be left wondering, “what happens next” in the story.

I will definitely be reading or listening to the sequel, Fragments when it comes in February, 2013!!!

20 of 22 people found this review helpful

Definitely worth a download-- Why all the hate?

Sure, Partials may not be an instant classic, but it's undeniably brilliant. Intriguing characters, witty dialogue, and great plot. Honestly, I don't understand how people could have managed not to enjoy it :]

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

A Great Start

I've returned to the seemingly bottomless well of young adult post-apocalyptic fiction several times since Hunger Games. There have been some real gems, some passable adventures, and some that will haunt my nightmares not for their gruesome imagery, but their terrifying lack of quality.

Among the books I've not been tempted to try, but which are pretty well rated and I must therefore assume are good books not written for me, are those dystopias in which A loves B but must marry C because of X, or some variation with thwarting of love being the paramount horror of the fictional society. And that does seem like something very tragic and conceivably worth the fighting and dying over that inevitably ensues. The world of Partials though, in the circumstances it places humanity and the means they adopt to combat them seems far more troubling, more unsettlingly compelling. With only a few tens of thousands of people left and not a single child having survived more than a week in the past dozen years, the government makes pregnancy mandatory. It seems unthinkable. But the author I think does a good job of creating a world in which this harsh reality is accepted, particularly with one observation about the loss of family when something like 99.996% of all mankind is wiped out: the protagonist wondering if any voter would have approved these measures if they knew their own child would have to live with the results.

So this is the world in which our hero Kira finds herself. And apparently she's more of a self-starter than a lot of other people. Despite some rather presumptuous first steps, she soon becomes the sole voice of reason, arguing for a real effort to find a cure for humanity's problems and a lasting solution to the threatened conflict that has loomed over society for the last generation. And like most calls for peace in such stories, they must be backed up by a willingness to trek into the wilds where mysterious enemies reside, and harsh confrontations with forces that cling to the status quo. The story may not be original, in its mechanics but the execution is well handled and enough fun is had along the way to make it worthwhile, even I think for most of those already knowing what they're getting into.

Some have complained about the flat portrayal of adults in this series, but it strikes me that in a story set so close to the events of the end of the world as it were, one could reasonably expect the generational divide we see, with people who came of age before the change far more conservative and cautious and less willing to take risks, having witnessed the end of the world after all.

I do not believe I have encountered Julia Whelan's work before. Her character voices, particularly for the young people are lively and distinct and all are easily identifiable. She employs emotional accents quite well to bring depth to the characters and some changes in pacing for things like action sequences that help draw the listener in. There are occasional noticeable hiccups in sound quality that I attribute to edits and re-records, but nothing too bad.

One of the previous forays into post-apocalyptic fiction I referenced at the start was Bick's Ashes trilogy, whose first installment ended on such a dramatic cliffhanger that I couldn't help but despise and admire her for the way it drove me to read the sequel. Partials gives its listeners fairer treatment, allowing you the opportunity to walk away from this one with a feeling of completion with an invitation to come back for more. And I have to say, that even as just set up for its sequel Fragments, Partials wins a strong recommendation.

14 of 16 people found this review helpful

Laugh out loud ridiculous.

I struggled to finish this. The 16 yr old main character makes stupid decisions repeatedly, all while gaining respect from peers and adults. There are some unseen twists towards the end, which is good. You have to get through the ridiculous bits to get the exciting end though. My husband and I really did laugh out loud at a couple of points in the story because they were so ridiculously stupid. Overall, the story idea is great, but the execution isn't great. I would not recommend this book.

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Definitely Young Adult

I rely heavily on reviews because I listen to a lot of books on tape. If you are a young adult or teen then this is probably right up your alley. Not on par with hunger games or divergent. Sorry.
You have to suspend a lot of disbelief. I just can't believe a 16-year-old girl would have that kind of medical knowledge, ability to understand those medical concepts. A nice piece of fluff but not for grown adults.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Exciting story, decent characters, serious twist

I definitely liked this book, it honestly got a little convoluted for me a few times, but the story managed to find its way. I actually liked the plot better than I did the characters (not sure if that was due to lack of development or the performer...) but the action and excitement made up for that.

The ending definitely has me champing at the bit for the next book, so if you're on the fence, I'd say give it a listen :)

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Watch out Hunger Games, here comes Dan Wells!

A great book, I would highly recommend it. I can't wait for the next book. I am definitely not in the intended audience (a late 30s male) but I was hooked within the first hour of listening. It reminded me of Hunger Games, with a strong female protagonist and I enjoyed it just as much as Suzanne Collins work. The way the world was described convinced me that the author did his homework, it was very believable. The reader was excellent, no complaints.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

A satisfying read or listen

This was an interesting one. I started listening to this one having not decided on anything that I really wanted so pulled this one out of the blue and to be honest I am kinda glad that I did.

This was an interesting story and it did have its good moments if not large amounts of it were predictable but it didn't detract from the story.

The reading of it is very decent too Julia Whelan is a good narrator and paces this book very well. The science I find sometimes a little unresearched as in someone takes a blood sample from the surface of the skin, now unnles I misunderstood the book or Biology (as I am certainly no biologist) that means the blood could get infected by sources in the air so it isnt a clean sample... anyway that was a minor thing but it in no way impacted the book for me to say "oh this totally wasnt believeable and I hated it because of bad science."



Also the ending without spoiling it kinda left me going "umm is there supposed to be a sequel for this?"

Turns out there is, and its out in 2013 and I will be continuing the series so it has its draw back quality, in my view anyway.



The book is good, the narration is good and it was worth my credit I would say go try it out, you may be pleasantly suprised.

Unless you cant stand bad science (and I know you people exist) which the one moment I pointed out may have you writhhing around in agony in which case go stick to your Peter Hamilton (or go anc check him out anyway, something a bit more hardcore)

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

gripping story

I really enjoyed listening to this story, the story line was interesting and just when you thought you'd figured it out there was a twist. I can't wait to get the next book!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Boring at 1st but gets MUCH better

What did you like most about Partials?

I liked the characters, some funny sarcastic parts too

If you’ve listened to books by Dan Wells before, how does this one compare?

this is my 1st one

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan – was your favourite?

I like Marcus and Samm

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

nearer the end, it redeems it's self, it's boring at first though but sticking with it is worth it.

Any additional comments?

It's no Hunger Games, It's no Maze runner its sort of a bit of both a lot of medical info and thinking parts, if you want to work things out, get a bit lost but eventually come across a real good read then this is the book for you.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very good story

If you could sum up Partials in three words, what would they be?

Interesting. Different. Addictive.

What did you like best about this story?

I haven't read/listened to a book like this before. It's a very different story than what I usually go for. But now I'm addicted and am half way through the second one, and have already bought the third.

What about Julia Whelan’s performance did you like?

Very easy to listen to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes but it's a spoiler!

Any additional comments?

Definitely give it a go. You need to pay attention though, it can sometimes get confusing as it doesn't always explain how the story starts properly.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Complex and interesting!

A complex teen book set in the future after a phantom virus 'RM' kills most of the world's population. Add in an army of man-made 'humans' (aka partials) - gentically engineered to be superior, and you have the basis for this book. It follows the last human settlement, with idealistic 'plague babies' and conservative survivors... It's a good book and good for those who want something substantial from a book. This audiobook is well narrated and clear. Don't forget to get the second book too - fragments - a great continuation with similar complexity.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Loved it

Great was gripped through out and was full of unpredictable twists and turns would recommend

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gripping from beginning to end

While I'm a man in his forties I do love literature aimed for the younger listers.
The story had me hooked from the start and made my daily commute to work a pleasure.
I'm away now to download the second book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not as imaginative as I'd hoped

This book struck me as pinching ideas from others such as Maze, Hunger Games, etc. The science is a bit ropey and the thought of a 16 year old girl achieving what she does...hmmm.
I found the narrator's voice a bit irritating at times, e.g. when she was trying to do a male voice.
I am undecided whether to try others from this author/narrator.

Unbelievably Great

Would you consider the audio edition of Partials to be better than the print version?

I couldn't comment as I've only listened to this book on Audible

What other book might you compare Partials to, and why?

As I took a gamble on this book, author and narrator I'm not sure ... as this isn't my usual choice

What about Julia Whelan’s performance did you like?

Julia Whelan is a delightfully clear reader, with just the right amount of feeling and depth for each character

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely, I had to tear myself away!

Any additional comments?

The only negative thing about this book is that I don't feel this is a good standalone book and maybe there could be a note or warning about that.After reading the comments from a review by an audible member I almost didn't buy this book, however, I'm so glad I did.The book is well written and wonderfully descriptive. The story moves along at a good pace. The characters are colourful and varied. Finally the storyline keeps you entertained and the characters keep you hooked.I'm off to get book 2

meh

wasn't awful wasn't great. no ground breaking story just meh. the fact they call the oceans the sound they would still have books with maps in them and know the real town names...

1 of 3 people found this review helpful