ALA Booklist (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Within the brightness of Arclight, people are safe, but beyond the perimeter of artificial light, the world is dark and inhabited by frightening beings known as Fades. No one from Arclight has survived an encounter with the Fade, except one teenage girl: Marina. Marina has no memory of her life before Arclight, and she is filled with guilt over the people who died attempting to rescue her, particularly the father of an enigmatic young man, Tobin. After it becomes clear that Marina has a strong but inexplicable connection to the Fade, she and Tobin enter dangerous dark territory to discover the truth. Told in the present tense, the episodic story relies on occasionally contrived dialogue to fill in past events that Marina cannot remember, and readers may grow frustrated as they must wait, along with Marina, to gradually understand how events connect. Nevertheless, an ever-popular romantic triangle and the promised revelation of secrets will propel fans of dystopian literature through this debut novel.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Safe within the carefully built haven Arclight, Marina is a teen with no memory of how she survived the Fade, nanite-built creatures that threaten to subsume what remains of humanity. Marina's memory loss as plot device is occasionally too convenient, but the engaging, fresh sci-fi setup is strong enough that readers won't mind.

Kirkus Reviews

In a dystopian future colony that holds back the monsters that have taken over the world, a girl tries to find her place. Marina has few friends in the Arclight compound. She was found outside, the only known survivor of the Fade, the light-fearing creatures who inhabit the Dark in swarms and who absorb any human they contact into their own species. Most in the colony fear that Marina could be dangerous. Only when Marina and friend Tobin leave the colony do they discover the truth--not only about themselves and their families, but also about the Fade and their own colony. McQuein's ruined future world at first seems as out of focus as her difficult-to-see monsters. For at least the first third of the book, readers must infer as much as they can from little information, giving the story the feel of a sequel to another book. Those who persist in piecing together the bits of plot will be rewarded. Relationships take on more meaning as characters confront a reality they had never suspected, and the suspense thickens. Marina especially stands out as an interesting and spunky character, enough of a rebel to take some major chances. A tension-filled read for those who wait. (Dystopian adventure. 12 & up)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Marina was pulled from the Dark at the cost of nine lives, and she is paying the price. Ostracized and abused by those whose parents died for her sake, Marina is all but alone in the Arclight, a safe zone where it is never dark. The Fade live in the Dark-chameleons, they steal humans from the light to an unknown fate. Marina dreams of their voices and frets that she has no memory of her life before her rescue. Then, after a short, violent Fade incursion into the Arclight compound, Marina finds a Fade survivor lurking in the hallway-and it recognizes her. Who is Marina, and what are the Fade? If she can establish trust with Tobin, a boy whose father was lost in rescuing her, Marina may find the answers she seeks, though some readers may feel that those answers are a long time coming. Still, McQuein strongly evokes the claustrophobic tyranny of adult authority and institutional spaces, as well as the irrational human faith in the voice of -experience,- in this fine debut. Ages 13-up. (May)

School Library Journal (Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Gr 8 Up-In this dystopian thriller, the Arclight is the only safe place. Outside the perimeter of light there is nothing but darkness and the alienlike creatures that reside there. The Fade, a parasitic race that has almost completely taken over mankind, make any humans they come in contact with part of their own species. Those within the security of the Arc fight to keep the Fade at bay, because, except for Marina, no one has been known to survive an encounter with one of these dark and terrifying creatures. Marina is unable to remember anything about her past after being rescued by a team sent from within the Arc, and she is disliked by almost everyone because of the nine lives sacrificed during the mission. As she struggles to find out who she is and where she fits in, Tobin, whose father was one of the nine, reaches out to her despite his own feelings of loss, and together, they discover secrets about the Arc that have been buried for years. While told in the present tense, flashbacks from Marina's past help fill in missing pieces as the story progresses. Marina's previous life is somewhat slow to unfold, but readers will most likely enjoy the suspense and mystery of this futuristic tale. Erienne Jones, Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC

Voice of Youth Advocates

Marina lives in a complex under the Arclight, which protects its residents from the Fade, shadowy figures poisonous to the touch, who cross the gray zone between the Arclight and the Dark. Marina was recovered mysteriously in a rescue effort that killed a number of important people, including Tobin's father. She does not remember her past, nor why she is the only one to have ever survived the Fade. Despite the tragic circumstances of their meeting, Tobin and Marina are drawn to one another. They capture one of the Fade, Rue, trying to find his beloved mate, Cherish, who Rue claims is being held hostage by the Arclight's leaders. Marina and Tobin decide to investigate for themselves.Marina and Tobin's connection will draw readers in as they bond while surrounded by lies and secrets. On her blog, McQuein heralds Marina as a strong heroine, even though she is too wrapped up in Tobin to truly be called independent. The mysteries of Marina's origins build to some satisfyingly shocking revelations. More than any plot or storytelling deficiency, the book suffers from "Katniss Everdeen fatigue:" McQuein writes beyond cookie-cutter characters and plotting to deliver an engrossing adventure; it is not her fault the market is saturated with similar offerings. It is difficult to predict whether Arclight will rise above or get lost in the shuffle. Is there enough to sustain more than one book? Readers will find out when the sequel, Meridian, is released shortly.Matthew Weaver.