There’s been a proliferation of SF-lite YA books recently, and Kiersten White’s latest, Mind Games, falls neatly into this niche. It’s accessible science fiction that isn’t hugely imaginative or thoughtful, but fun nonetheless. I enjoyed it slightly more than other recent novels of its kind (Unremembered, Erasing Time, Eve and Adam) thanks to the main character Fia’s voice, which is a bit different and gives the book that push it needs to go beyond ho-hum quality.
Annie and Fia are sisters with unique gifts. Annie is the older sister, blind since she was a small child, but able to see visions of the future. Fia is the younger sister, but she’s been told for many years that it’s her job to take care of Annie. Fia, too, has her own special power – but I’ll leave that for you to tease out as you read the book. The girls’ parents died several years ago in a car accident that Annie saw but was unable to prevent.
Annie’s and Fia’s particular abilities attract the attention of a special school for girls while they’re still pre-teens. The administrators of the school tell Annie that they’ll be able to one day repair her eyesight. They tell her they’ll take both her and Fia and educate them on a generous scholarship. Fia can feel that something is wrong, but she sees how hopeful Annie is, so they both enroll.
It isn’t long before the school is using Fia for their own violent ends. And they hold Annie hostage, the unspoken threat of her death hanging over Fia and preventing her from just running away – or disobeying.
The book alternates between past and present and between Fia’s and Annie’s perspectives. It’s not entirely successful, but there are parts that shine. I really dug Fia’s voice in particular. She is a seriously messed up girl, in a way that is very fun to read about (does that make me sound heartless?). I’ve read some reviews that say her perspective is full of stream of consciousness writing, but really, there’s not a lot of it. I didn’t find it overwhelming, just a good way to show how scattered her thinking is. What I really enjoyed, though, is how angry she is. She is angry at everyone – the school, her “friends” there, her sister, her parents for dying. I suppose it’s not unusual for a teen character to be angry, but White really made me feel it and understand it. Her anger informs her actions and makes her deeply flawed and human.
Plot-wise, this is nothing new, but it’s a fun ride throughout. It’s already a rather short story, and dividing it into two stories (the past and the present) makes it even shorter. It’s not dull even if it is kind of predictable. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, though. It’s ambiguous, but it also doesn’t seem to really end. I love me a good ambiguous ending on occasion, but this one didn’t satisfy me.
If you’re a fan of the books I mentioned in the first paragraph, this one will likely suit you just fine. Its topic is certainly highly appealing right now, and it goes down easy, making for a pleasant way to spend a few hours. Just don’t expect fireworks.