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    Partials
    Partials
    Partials
    Audiobook14 hours

    Partials

    Written by Dan Wells

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    For fans of The Hunger Games, Battlestar Galactica, and Blade Runner comes the first book in the Partials Sequence, a fast-paced, action-packed, and riveting sci-fi teen series, by acclaimed author Dan Wells.

    Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.

    Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view.

    Supports the Common Core State Standards

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateFeb 28, 2012
    ISBN9780062132741
    Author

    Dan Wells

    Dan Wells is the author of the john Cleaver series: I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr Monster, and I Don’t Want to Kill You. He has been nominated for both the Hugo and Campbell award and has won two Parsec Awards for his podcast, Writing Excuses. He plays a lot of games, reads a lot of books and eats a lot of food, which is pretty much the ideal life he imagined for himself as a child. You can find out more online at www.fearfulsymmetry.net.

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    Reviews for Partials

    4/5

    650 ratings95 reviews

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    • 1/5
      You will like this of you liked Sweet Valley High (and you have no reverence for the dystopian genre).

      I have a high tolerance for poorly written books in the Young Adult Dystopian genre. I somewhat enjoyed 'The Selection', which shows just how low I will go.

      Unfortunately PARTIALS was too badly written even for me. I got through 20% of the book, although I am tempted to finish just so I can find more passages to mock.

      The plot so far is that eleven years ago the machines rebelled, releasing a plague, which wiped out mankind, a pocket of survivors exists on Long Island. All babies born since them have died of the plague within days of birth.

      Soungs good so far, the storyline however goes like this. Flirty teenage girl flirts with boy, giggles with friends, goes for a wagon ride with more boys with guns, reverentially calls an older woman "Mrs", gets scared because she has to get married and start having babies, flirts more with teenage boys, giggles with her adopted sisters, flirts, giggles.

      Lots of flirting such as "Kira mimed a gun with her forefinger, silently shooting him in the face" and difficult decisions such as "She mulled over the decision, comparing the jeans with the longer pair, and finally decided to go with the shorts"

      What is this crud? Note to future authors wanting to write Dystopian novels. Dystopian novels require you to show the reader your world. Get your reader wrapped up in why your world is different. If all you want is a romance novel then write "Sweet Valley High" fan fiction.
    • 4/5
      This book is thoughtfully and expertly written. The writing style is a mature one, not in an explicit sense, but one for an older YA audience. The plot and characters thought-provoking and engaging.
    • 5/5
      very well written. details are explained so good that you feel like you are there and you get a very good mental image. the characters are written just as well. just when i thought i figured something out i realized i was wrong. this book ranks right up there with divergent and hunger games. i listend to the audio and the narrator did a spectacular job.
    • 4/5
      In short... 'Partials' is a strong story with well-written characters who, good or bad, you'll know and understand and want to see succeed (or fail). For a young adult book, it is refreshingly smart and complex and doesn't rely on romance as a driving force. Not to say that there isn't romance, it's just not of the in-your-face fairy tale variety. It's science-fiction, but it's grounded and not so focused on backstory that it loses focus and becomes hard to follow. I enjoyed it and am really looking forward to delving into the world again.
    • 5/5
      Great plot twist! And the Medical stuff is not boring it so interesting and helps you under stand why there has to be more books in this series. The RM virius is complicated as is Kira. So just hang on for the ride!
    • 5/5
      Very cool. I'm super intrigued. Ready for the next book.
    • 2/5
      Warning, may contain general plotline storylines.

      Super shallow. There is no depth at all to this book. The plotline is a great concept but is completely under utilized.

      Girl be likes boy. Drama ensues. Girl distrusts government. Government turns evil. Girl trusts stranger. Stranger becomes friend. Girl saves the world. The end.

      If I had a dollar for every time I rolled my eyes and thought "this is so stupid," I'd have enough money to pay for Scribd for a year. I'd assume there's a sequel to this book, but I will not be continuing. Why? I don't care. This book didn't make me care. It was only skin deep.

      Yawn... I found myself bored, able to predict exactly what was coming next. Overall, a great concept poorly executed.
    • 5/5
      This book is fantastic, and even though I accidentally started book 3 first and found out some major spoilers- this book is still bad ass!

      Kira is the type of person I’d hope to be in a dystopian nightmare that she’s living in.

      I cannot recommend this audio enough, the narrator does a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and allowing me to fall fully into this story.

      I typically only listen to audio books in the car, but I could not bring myself to turn this one off. I am so excited to follow Kira down this next rabbit hole of an adventure
    • 5/5
      As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviewsIt did take me a little while to settle into this book. I was really excited to learn about the world and the characters, but the first 50 pages started out a little slow. But around page 150 or so, things really picked up and I got completely hooked! This book is everything I love and more: strong heroine, deathly virus, biological robots, war, dystopia, and conspiracy. It has become one of my all time favourites!In the midst of the Isolation War against the Chinese, an American company called ParaGen created some biological army robots called Partials, hoping that they would help them win. The Partials did win the war for them, but afterwards, they turned on their creators and launched a new war against them. During the war, they released a weaponized virus that killed 99.996% of the human population, leaving only a few immune survivors on Long Island. It has been over a decade since the RM virus was released and humanity has a new problem: no baby has been born immune to the disease.In a desperate attempt to cure RM virus, Kira sneaks beyond the borders of Long Island to capture a Partial. She's convinced that Partials, who are immune to RM, hold the key to developing a cure to the virus. But once she captures a Partial, she begins to realize things about these robots that she had never considered. What if they had an 'almost' good reason for turning on their creators? What if they weren't the ones who released the RM virus? What if there's something larger and darker going on?Partials deals with a lot of science. After all, it is about a deadly virus and biological machines. The bulk of the story is about Kira working as a researcher, trying to analyze the RM virus and find a cure, so we read about a lot of scientific terms and experiments. It's far from dull though! While reading it, I was just as excited and eager as Kira to learn more, even though I know very little about science.But what really makes this story fascinating is being able to hear from both sides. The humans and the Partials had a terrible war, but in the book, we get to hear from both the human side and the Partial side. It's fascinating to read about their different perceptions and thoughts. Kira grew up learning that Partials are horrible, evil robots. But when she meets one, she finds herself listening to it and sympathizing with it. But the Partial is held in captivity, so as a reader you can't help but wonder if the Partial is actually telling the truth, or if he's just spreading lies as part of his plan to escape or infiltrate the human civilization.As much as Partials is about biological robots and viruses, it is also about politics. The small government on Long Island likes to have control. But the harder they try to save the human race, the more control they exercise and the more crazy laws they implement — like the Hope Act, which requires everyone 18 and older to get pregnant as often as possible. I loved reading about the Senate in this book, the laws they passed, the way they tried to keep control, and the way the citizens rebelled against it. At first I almost didn't know which side to take. Sure the government was a bit overbearing, but you could also understand where they were coming from and their desperate desire to save the human race. But soon enough, we start to see conspiracies and lies popping up, that intrigued me even more!I loved Marcus and Kira's relationship! At the beginning of the book they were already dating, and I thought that was such a refreshing change! Almost all books these days have a romance that is only just beginning. We watch the characters crush, have doubts, and fall in love. While that can be nice, it can also get a little routine. But in Partials, the two characters are already dating. They have a really sweet relationship and it's so nice to see them act like a comfortable — but still great and romantic — couple. They did have their arguments, and their ups and downs (some of which were really frustrating!), but don't all relationships? It felt very real and I loved reading about Kira's feelings for Marcus and her doubts about their relationship.I am so glad that Partials exceeded my expectations! I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint. It reminded me of some of my favourite robot/virus movies like iRobot and I Am Legend. I'm dying to know more about Kira and the Partials and can't wait to read the second book, Fragments.
    • 5/5
      Great story and a nice performance. Very enjoyable book to listen to.
    • 4/5
      In short... 'Partials' is a strong story with well-written characters who, good or bad, you'll know and understand and want to see succeed (or fail). For a young adult book, it is refreshingly smart and complex and doesn't rely on romance as a driving force. Not to say that there isn't romance, it's just not of the in-your-face fairy tale variety. It's science-fiction, but it's grounded and not so focused on backstory that it loses focus and becomes hard to follow. I enjoyed it and am really looking forward to delving into the world again.
    • 5/5
      I love Dan Wells. This is the second book by him that I've read, and now he has two books on my favorites list. I knew Partials was going to be a good book, but I wasn't expecting to love it so much. Yes, dystopian type books are running rampant now, but they are not created equal. This book is one of the best! Wells has a writing style and humor that is so perfect. I love that man's mind. Okay, I'll stop gushing over the author now.The year is 2076, it has been eleven years since the Break, and no new children survive past 56 hours. Humans made organically engineered beings to fight wars. They look and act like humans to an extent, but they are not treated as humans. When these perfect fighting machines turn on the humans, and a disease called RM is released, humans top the extinction list. With less than 40,000 people left who are immune to RM, they retreat to Long Island and barricaded themselves there. With eleven years gone by, and not one child that is born survives, people get desperate. The Senate enacts the Hope Act, which requires all girls at the age of 18 to get pregnant, over and over, in the hopes that eventually one or more will be born resistant to RM. In addition to this crisis, a civil war is looming with a group of humans called The Voice who oppose the Hope Act and the governments control. Then something happens that sets big changes in motion. The characters are my favorite part of this book. If you don't have well written characters, then the book isn't going to be as good. The characters in Partials are great. Kira is a sixteen-year-old medical intern. She's smart, tough, and will fight for what she believes in, even if she knows she may not survive. Her boyfriend Marcus is my favorite character. I'm seriously head-over-heel for him! He could put a smile on my face during the most intense scenes, and made me laugh throughout the entire book. Wells did a great job of weaving the characters' relationships together, which made it so much more believable that they would risk their lives for their cause. Madison becomes pregnant, and everyone knows the baby will die. Kira can't allow this to happen; Madison is her best friend and adoptive sister, so she'll do whatever she can to save the baby, and ultimately the future of humanity. Even if it means going into Partial territory and doing the unthinkable.I just can't express enough how I loved everything about this book. I got so into it, that I brought up Google maps to "follow" where they were and where they were going, by using the descriptions in the book. Sad, but true. I also loved the twists and secrets in this book. I did have a inkling at certain points about what one big twist was, but Wells does a great job of keeping you on your toes.Do I recommend this book? Abso-freaking-lutely! I will be stalking the author, waiting for information on the next book in the series. Read Partials! All of you!
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars. So overall, I quite liked this book. It was on my to read list for a while, then i found it at chapters for $4.99, so i decided why not? It wsa kinda slow at the beginning but i surprisingly got really into it and wanted to know what happened :) pretty good read :)
    • 4/5
      Dystopian future where Partials destroy the world with war and then a virus that kills all babies when they're born. Kira is the main character and its set on Long Island, which I love because that's where I live. Excellent premise and interesting twist on it. It was extremely slow writing which drove me nuts but the story was good enough that I stuck with it. I just fast forwarded some conversations which could last an entire chapter sometimes and could have lasted 2 paragraphs to get the same point across. But I did really like it alot. I wouldn't say I hung on every word or was at the edge of my seat but i did look forward to reading it everyday.
    • 5/5
      This book was AWwwSooome! Sorry but its true. It has lots of different and diverse characters, all this science and pathology stuff, distopian future, and some minor romance stuff happening. I hate to compare it to other books but if you enjoyed the Hunger Games you simply must read this. One thing that made me sad was a lack of queer characters. :( It wouldnt have made sense for the main character considering some of her motivations but I dont thing the issue was even adressed at all. Its quite a long book, and surely they could have put a few mentions in considering they took the time to discuss future clothing and music and other aspects of the society.

      PS. I just read a bunch of the other reviews and people seem pretty hard on the plot point of the main character Kira coming up with a medical solution that all the adults had missed. However that didnt seem like that big a deal to me. Kira is shown to be very intellegent and in a world where only a small percent of the human population is around the percentage of competent medical researchers and pathologists would be tiny. She also has an attitute that many of the older generations seem to have lost. She is very open minded and refuses to accept no for an awnser, this makes me love her as a character and accept that she finds solutions that others were unable to produce.
    • 5/5
      The only thing I wished this book had discussed is the impack on queer relationships. Because in a world where it is law that women who are 18 years of age or older must be pregnant within 2 months of their birthday, through whichever means necessary--normal sex or IVF, there's not a lot of room to be other than straight passing/straight. There are *horrifying* consequences for the idea of Consent, also. Government mandated sex isn't the best path for Consent to be a thing. Just don't even try to argue that one.
      However, the consequences of that program/law, (Called the Hope Act, for mildly spoilery reasons) are clearly outlined, and the rest of the book was really well-written.
      My only nitpicks were some handwaving time-jumps. I didn't really need to be told it was x amount of time later until the epilogue. And there are plenty of ways to show time passing.
      5/5 AND I WANT TO READ THE REST OF THE SERIES because the PLOT TWISTS WERE MINDBOGGLING.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. You can tell by looking at my reading history that I'm a bit of a dystopian fan. I imagine it's hard for an author writing dystopian books to be completely original so I'm not going to tell you that it's an original storyline. But, it is well told story. There are some good twists. Wells doesn't focus on any love story or triangle (although I do see the possibility of a triangle starting up in this one. And, it doesn't even involve my favorite guy in the story). I liked that Kira is a very strong female lead. She doesn't take anybody's crap, makes her own decisions, stands by them and faces the consequences of her decisions head on. She's determined to live a life where love and babies are not the center. I like that. Partials is a well told story with lots of action. I can't wait to read the second one.
    • 4/5
      I loved how for once there was a female lead who was actually skilled and wasn't just in the right place at the right time to lead the rebellion. She actually had a medical background and the knowledge to study the virus and know where to look for the cure. It was a nice change and I look forward to reading book 2.
    • 3/5
      Imagine if you will the skyline of Manhattan as it crumbles in disrepair. Whole buildings overgrown with creeping vines. Wild animals running through the streets. The chilling sound of your footsteps echoing through the emptiness around you. This is the reality that Kira and her fellow survivors live every day. If you are thinking that Partials sounds like a haunting story, you'd be right on track with me. When I first picked up this book I was so excited to dive into the dystopian world that Dan Wells had built. I wanted to get lost in the vast ruins of the New York area. So I settled in, and started to read.

      Kira's character was really the saving grace of this book for me. In fact, the majority of her fellow compatriots were. Kira is strong, opinionated, and one of the most selfless characters that I've ever met. Kira and her friends don't just sit by and let the government feed them lies, they stand up and do something about it. They of course still make mistakes, which shows the human side of them. These beautifully rendered characters are what brought the story to life for me. In this same vein, I loved the distinct lack of romance in this story. While there are still definitely connections between the characters, they don't overshadow the one goal that is key in this story. Survival.

      My love affair with Partials didn't actually start until the second half of the book though. I'll be honest, I understood the aim of Dan Wells in the first half of the book. He uses it to build up the desolation of the city, to describe the way that RM works, and to map out the way that the government functions. It's all necessary. Still, it just didn't flow for me. After pages of reading about Kira's findings and scientific jargon related to RM, I was ready to put this book down. Now that I've finished, I'm honestly glad I didn't. Once all of the groundwork is laid, Kira and her rebellion take center stage and things pick up speed quickly. If the pacing had been a little different, I know I would have enjoyed this book much more.

      At the end of the day, I also still had a lot of unanswered questions about the world in Partials. A few things had loose ends, and the ending felt to me like it came completely out of left field. It is intended to make things more interesting I'm sure, but I'm still not sure how it actually all fits together. On the bright side, this is the first in the series so I'm sure there is more explanation to be had. That's what I'm looking forward to. Though this started out slow, I would definitely still recommend Partials as a good first in the series. I'm excited to see what comes next.
    • 3/5
      I am not particularly shy when it comes to my general dislike of dystopian fiction. I tend to get angry when I read it, and since I read primarily for enjoyment and entertainment it makes little sense for me to seek out stories that do not provide those things. (There is also the fact that so much of the dystopian fiction I have read has strained my suspension of disbelief to the breaking point...that does not exactly recommend the genre to me.)

      So with that in mind, based on the way people have shelved and tagged Partials on Goodreads and other book sites, I shouldn't like it. The thing is, while there are definite dystopian elements to this book, I would not classify it as dystopian fiction. It is much more a post-apocalyptic survival story, and that is how it is presented from the start. The dystopian elements are not the front and center focus of the story, and with that I find I can care about the characters. I think it not being in first person also helps with this.

      Now I just need to find a print (or ebook) copy of the sequel to borrow.
    • 4/5
      This book was a little heavy handed at times. I almost gave it a 3 but I loved the concept and the ending. A very enjoyable read but I hope the next book is a little more subtle with the message it is trying to impart.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this book!
    • 5/5
      Looooved it!!
    • 4/5
      Strong characters, great writing, and in interested twist on a familiar concept.
    • 3/5
      The war is over. The virus that was released wiped out humanity. The only human community left is in a small town on Long Island. The Partials that were created as a military weapon are still a threat. All babies that are born die within days. The Partials may hold the answer.I was kind of into this book, but for some reason it lost me in the middle. I don't know why. I like the idea of the partials and of bucking the establishment. Just lost me. I don't think I will read the next in the series.
    • 4/5
      I’ve never been a fan of the dystopian genre. And by that I mean I read one, once, a couple of years ago and then never bothered to pick another one up. But this, this! I devoured.

      I liked the characters, they were diverse and each had their own personality. I liked that there was a bit of romance, but it wasn’t the focal point. But what I liked the most was the plot.

      Dan has given us a future that could actually happen. Army of super soldiers? We probably already have that. Virus that can wipe out 99% of the population? We probably already have that too. Whenever I’ve thought about how the world would end (that happens very little, just so we are all aware), those two things are always the first to come to mind. Both are a form of control; one causes fear and the other helps promote a sense of safety. It’s a very smart way to get humans to do what you want.

      It was fun to read the story from Kira’s point of view. She isn’t just some giddy teenager caught up in a bunch of drama. She’s smart, funny and doesn’t always put her heart before her brain (but she’s also human, so sometimes the heart wins out). When Kira takes on the mission to help save what’s left of the human race, she does it for personal reasons too, which adds some depth to the very scientific research she partakes in.

      Partials also explores some social themes, like a woman’s right to control her body. Because their numbers are so few, the Senate passes The Hope Act. This states that any woman over the age of 18 must become pregnant yearly (or as much as they can, I can’t quite remember). It’s their duty to the human race. I’ve always been pro-choice when it comes to your own body, but Dan writes in a way that almost had me going “okay, yeah I agree. Women of child bearing age, make babies. That makes sense.” And just as I was leaning one way, a character would voice their opinion and I’d be swayed back the other way. It made for some very interesting personal debates.

      Even though I say it’s predictable, it didn’t take away from the fun of this novel at all. I loved it from start to finish, and I was very upset when I had to put it down. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      This book is the first in a trilogy. I quite enjoyed this story. It had a lot of twists and turns. And I got a shock about three quarters of the way through the book. I won't reveal what happened, but it was quite an interesting twist.

      During the Isolation War between the United States and China, the US government hired a company called ParaGen to create the Partials. Partial are artificial humans, created to win the war. After the war, the US government gave the Partials menial jobs and treated them poorly. Eventually, the Partials rebelled against the humans. The RM virus was released and killed the majority of the humans on the planet. The remaining survivors now live on Long Island, New York. They are not sure if they are the last of humanity.

      The book begins 11 years after the Partial War. Forty thousand people left in the world, and no children. And no way to make more. Now, thanks to the Hope Act, all females, 18 and older are required to be pregnant. The senators believe that eventually a baby will be born immune to the virus and survive. People are losing their faith in the senate and rebels called The Voice are growing stronger. Their world is on the edge of falling apart. Kira believes the only way to survive is to find a way to cure RM.

      Kira is a strong, smart character. She is willing to die for what she believes in. I love a female character who stands up for what she believes in and doesn't wait for a man to save her. She is determined to find the cure and goes beyond where any reasonable person would go.

      This book was exciting and fun to read. I couldn't put it down. The twist surprised me, which is always fun. I would recommend this book to any fans of dystopian fiction.
    • 3/5
      Give it a 3.5/5 Intriguing premise and interesting characters kept me reading eventhough was frustrated with certain things. I am a Post-apocalyptic / Dystopian junkie so I had to read this one. Was frustrated with the plot holes and the fact that some things just didn't makes sense. Now I am hoping it will be explained more as the trilogy progresses. Some of the science (yes I know its fiction and set in the future) just doesn't jive and not sure the world would change that much in 11 years. But nothing is really explained into how the world came to be in this state. Also RM (yup sounds just like the super flu from The Stand) Story is relatively fast paced and intrigued with what will happen in the next installments. Like the main heroine and her friends but the story is also very predictable at times
    • 4/5
      It is the year 2076, and Kira Walker, a young nurse, is attending mothers and their newborns. Along with all the rest of the staff, their efforts for healthy, thriving babies are their greatest hope - and most tragic failure. Every human baby is dying of RM, a deadly virus that sweeps through their systems within hours or days of their births. Kira's world is a dystopian future we can easily recognize, with elements we must hope will never materialize: widespread death of the human population due to war and disease, the overthrow of human governments by biotech generated soldiers called Partials, isolated communities depending on the remnants of 21st century life to survive. On Long Island, along the former US eastern seaboard, Kira lives with other survivors, without petroleum fueled engines, without real contact with other communities much beyond their natural island boundaries, working on producing food, shelter, provisions, and what medical care-systems they could salvage from the wreckage of much of their clinics and hospitals. The Senate is a committee of leaders who insist the people obey strict laws for their protection, support their "Defense Grid", human soldiers who scout for enemies like Partials, and fight against rebellious humans called "the Voice" local humans who, among other reasons, are against the "Hope Act", a law mandating women will bear children. Kira and her adopted "sisters", friends, and co-workers are believable, complex characters who struggle with the difficult choices their society faces. But rather than just a philosophical study, they are thrown into action, again and again, and eventually follow Kira into a brave if almost certainly doomed mission to capture a Partial, and bring it back alive. Kira's medical studies of RM are also included, with a clarity of scientific details to build its own suspense. Military action, dystopian but eerily familiar landscapes, a tough, committed young protagonist with a group of friends and fellow soldiers - this book moves along at a rapid clip. While the author takes the time to fill in much of the recent historical details, he does so through the situations and characters' own memories or conversations. Definitely a YA book for teen girls and boys, but a long, involved read.
    • 4/5
      This was another great book set in a futuristic dystopian world with a strong heroine! The version of the world was unique, and scarily realistic, questioning genetic engineering and how humans act in desperate situations. The fast-paced action scenes were written well--I knew what was going on but it wasn't choppy! The 3rd person limited POV was also done expertly. Characters were full of personality too! Can't wait to read the rest of the series :)