Illuminae is unlike anything I have ever read previously and I loved every moment of it. Engrossing and encompassing, the format follows the structure of a series of documents in various styles, from email and instant messaging to more abstract illustrative pieces. There is enough plot in this book for at least three books, it’s so densely packed in, and to say too much would ruin the joy of discovery, but it follows Kady, who lives on an illegal mining colony at the edge of the universe in 2375. A rival tech corporation attacks the colony and massacres the workers and the survivors are forced to flee in damaged spaceships, and that’s just the very start of the book!

A truly original and inspiring read that shows great empathy to its characters, and introduced me to my new favourite character – the almost brutally determined Kady – it manages to successfully be both fantastically inspiring and also possess a frank earthiness. The format does require the reader to work more than most books, but this just added a weightiness and meat to the experience. Illuminae is a truly immersive read and well worth checking out. We don’t usually give out star ratings in our reviews, but I’d like to make an exception in this case just so I can give it 6 out of 5!

Isobel Moore is the Children’s Book Buyer at Readings St Kilda.