The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes
YA Science Fantasy. 423 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.
When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe, trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus.
Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.
Then he finds a way to manipulate the Nightmare—to change it by mere thought.
Forced to navigate a world of nightbeasts, mistblades, and half-truths, Cain turns his focus to survival. When the Emperor offers him a LifeSuPod—and access to a cure—in exchange for a dangerous favor, Cain thinks he’s found a way out. But Cain’s new power threatens to take him on paths that jeopardize his very soul.
Will he continue searching for a cure, or will he swear allegiance to the Nightmare? And the bigger question might be . . . will he even have a choice?
My Review:
Man. I. Love. Nadine. So much. Nadine, I love you.
I’ve heard it said this book is different from all of her others, and I agree with that statement. Can I explain how? No, not really. It just…is. But different isn’t bad. In fact, there’s a certain je n sais quoi that carries this story, like a creek you didn’t expect to branch off, but is a complete delight to splash through barefoot as you discover where it leads. Does that make any sense? Maybe it makes more sense in my head.
First, this cover is so cool! Second, the comp titles are on point. Gladiator meets Ready Player One meets Inception! SO COOL! And I definitely had lowkey Matrix vibes, but maybe that’s because the absolutely EPIC nerd references in this story were THE BEST EVER! I won’t spoil and tell you a single one, but I will say there were a few that absolutely made me squee! (Including a certain subtle reference to a previous Brandes book!)
But on to the actual story. Let’s start with these characters! Oh, guys. So, typically I’m pretty cut and dry. The noble hero is my jam. I’m the girl who likes the clean cut, good guy Superman kind of character. (Love me some Superman!) But Cain got me, y’all. I related to him on a deep level. The way he wrestled and struggled with what was good and right touches a chord in my heart. He felt like an embodiment of the Romans “I don’t do what I want to do and that which I don’t want to do, I do.” He genuinely just wanted to help people, to make life better, to be good. But no matter how hard he tried, he always ended up sludging through some stuff. His yearning stood out to me. His failure and his heart. His frustration with his lack of understanding and his swirling thoughts he had to sort out. I just loved him.
The setting was soooo much fun! It really felt like Gladiator and an apocalyptic chaos mashed together. The dual/alternate reality, the desperation, and the clear brokenness in both societies. I’m a sucker for broken worlds because I see such brokenness in the world we live in now. One of the things I think Nadine does so incredibly well is bring hope. Her stories are wild and unpredictable and downright messy. This story isn’t a pretty clean, fluffy, happy go lucky story. Cain walks through some stuff. The other characters walk through some stuff. And this world is the perfect scenario to showcase the depth of brokenness in their lives. The societal collapse and absolute hunger displays the battle we fight against our flesh and the results of the fall.
While I have to admit, the plot did not turn out anything like I expected, I also have to admit that what Nadine did instead soothes my soul. I kid you not, there were moments I looked down at the percentage on my kindle and was like “What are you doing, Nadine??” It was too soon for this development. What else was she going to do with the other 80% of the book? Over and over I kept wondering where on earth she was taking me. Before I knew it, I looked down at 97% and my heart skipped a beat as I realized there were so few pages left. The twisting and turning and the way she cram packed some stuff into such short spaces delighted me.
And most of all, thematically, the contrast of hope and desperation, of light and warmth with darkness and despair. This is what makes this book so powerful. These are the stories we need. The ones that don’t shy away from the ugly, but that don’t leave us to wallow in the darkness either. Nadine wields a double edged sword here, and I couldn’t admire her more for it. Or be more thankful. This is the kind of story I want to spend time, energy, and money on. This is the story my heart and spirit needs to dwell in.
If you haven’t picked this one up yet, strap in. Nadine doesn’t pull punches and she won’t let you go either.
Content: (whoops, almost forgot this part!) There’s no foul language and practically no romance (though I definitely was shipping a certain couple!). There is some fantasy violence, but nothing particularly graphic or disturbing. Thematically, the story touches on grief and loss, violence, depravity, and the consequences of rash, selfish, or angry choices. It’s a dark vs. light kind of story in a gladiatorial/post-apocalyptic society, so it comes with some level of darkness and crazy people. But I’d feel fine recommending the story to probably pre-teen or early teens and up.