Across the Universe (Across The Universe #1)
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23 reviews
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.1(22)
Characters
3.9(20)
Writing Style
4.0(23)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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Quirk Review: Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) by Beth Revis
(Updated: January 10, 2014)
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
4.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
PREFACE:
Beth Revis' sci-fi trilogy is one you cannot escape in the YA world. I tried to read it and stopped not that far in because I just wasn't feeling it at the time. I gave it another chance recently and am very glad that I did because the hype is not for nothing.
WRITING:
Revis writes with a fluidity that is easy to read without being too simplistic. Despite this being a sci-fi novel, she does not load it down with jargon yet she still gives enough to show how language has progressed in the future. I thought the changes and evolution of terms made sense and added to the believability of the story.
SETTING:
Even though this story takes place on a space ship hundreds of years in the future somewhere in space, I could visualize everything. Granted, I would still need a map to get around, but what the characters saw I could imagine with ease because Revis does a great job of world-builiding, making it feel foreign but not too much so by using familiar images and words to get the point across. I think what astonished me most about the ship, Godspeed, was that there were no windows to see outside the ship. Revis used this as a plot point and I thought it clever.
CHARACTERS:
I really liked the two main characters Amy and Elder. Amy, put in the position she's in, freaks out appropriately and I was always entertained and rooting for her during her freak outs. She really impressed me with how she stood up for herself and dealt with the problems she faced. She could have let it make her crazy, and sometimes it seemed to, but she tried to keep the bigger picture in front of her, which showed her compassion and selflessness.
Elder too was a great character, and I most enjoyed his internal struggle over being good versus being a good leader. I also thought how cool it was that he was so taken with Amy despite being taught that differences were bad. I can't wait to see where he takes things in the next books because he has the opportunity to grow and even change in ways that could be good or bad.
The other characters were interesting because they were different from what I expected. The ship was more like a hive with a few unusual worker bees than what I've seen in things like Star Trek or Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, which led me to expect a community or a crew, not drones (yes, I realize my sci-fi knowledge is extremely limited). The characters that made up the supporting cast (I consider the drones the background cast) ranged in so many directions that it was definitely hard to know who to trust.
DOWNSIDE:
There were only a couple downsides to this story and the first was at the beginning. Until the action began, it just seemed like the scenes were setting up the world and the characters, which they were. I understand why it was all there I was just ready to get to the meat of the story, which it did before too long.
The other one regards a scene in the book that is just extremely difficult get through. I was cringing and gritting my teeth during that whole part and was very glad once it was over.
COOL STUFF:
The main character is a redhead named Amy. I am a Whovian who adores Amy Pond. Insta-love for me right there.
This book made me so ridiculously tense, which is bad for my heart but great for my mind because I love action and mystery, so that made it more enjoyable (once I could breathe). I also loved finding out all the crazy stuff about what was really going on the ship and was horrified, which is good (for me, not the characters). I had not anticipated life on Godspeed to be as it was and it was just awful so I was just like Amy in wanting things to change.
VERDICT:
Across the Universe is a great read and different from what I'm used to in the YA sphere. It had great characters and came complete with action, mystery, and with being set in space, it had a kind of claustrophobic atmosphere that makes you feel the suspense and danger right along with the characters. This is definitely a book to check out and I cannot wait to dig into the next installment, A Million Suns.
*9.5/10*
Beth Revis' sci-fi trilogy is one you cannot escape in the YA world. I tried to read it and stopped not that far in because I just wasn't feeling it at the time. I gave it another chance recently and am very glad that I did because the hype is not for nothing.
WRITING:
Revis writes with a fluidity that is easy to read without being too simplistic. Despite this being a sci-fi novel, she does not load it down with jargon yet she still gives enough to show how language has progressed in the future. I thought the changes and evolution of terms made sense and added to the believability of the story.
SETTING:
Even though this story takes place on a space ship hundreds of years in the future somewhere in space, I could visualize everything. Granted, I would still need a map to get around, but what the characters saw I could imagine with ease because Revis does a great job of world-builiding, making it feel foreign but not too much so by using familiar images and words to get the point across. I think what astonished me most about the ship, Godspeed, was that there were no windows to see outside the ship. Revis used this as a plot point and I thought it clever.
CHARACTERS:
I really liked the two main characters Amy and Elder. Amy, put in the position she's in, freaks out appropriately and I was always entertained and rooting for her during her freak outs. She really impressed me with how she stood up for herself and dealt with the problems she faced. She could have let it make her crazy, and sometimes it seemed to, but she tried to keep the bigger picture in front of her, which showed her compassion and selflessness.
Elder too was a great character, and I most enjoyed his internal struggle over being good versus being a good leader. I also thought how cool it was that he was so taken with Amy despite being taught that differences were bad. I can't wait to see where he takes things in the next books because he has the opportunity to grow and even change in ways that could be good or bad.
The other characters were interesting because they were different from what I expected. The ship was more like a hive with a few unusual worker bees than what I've seen in things like Star Trek or Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, which led me to expect a community or a crew, not drones (yes, I realize my sci-fi knowledge is extremely limited). The characters that made up the supporting cast (I consider the drones the background cast) ranged in so many directions that it was definitely hard to know who to trust.
DOWNSIDE:
There were only a couple downsides to this story and the first was at the beginning. Until the action began, it just seemed like the scenes were setting up the world and the characters, which they were. I understand why it was all there I was just ready to get to the meat of the story, which it did before too long.
The other one regards a scene in the book that is just extremely difficult get through. I was cringing and gritting my teeth during that whole part and was very glad once it was over.
COOL STUFF:
The main character is a redhead named Amy. I am a Whovian who adores Amy Pond. Insta-love for me right there.
This book made me so ridiculously tense, which is bad for my heart but great for my mind because I love action and mystery, so that made it more enjoyable (once I could breathe). I also loved finding out all the crazy stuff about what was really going on the ship and was horrified, which is good (for me, not the characters). I had not anticipated life on Godspeed to be as it was and it was just awful so I was just like Amy in wanting things to change.
VERDICT:
Across the Universe is a great read and different from what I'm used to in the YA sphere. It had great characters and came complete with action, mystery, and with being set in space, it had a kind of claustrophobic atmosphere that makes you feel the suspense and danger right along with the characters. This is definitely a book to check out and I cannot wait to dig into the next installment, A Million Suns.
*9.5/10*
Amazing and exciting!
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
5.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
A YA Sci-Fi that is both Dystopian and space Sci-Fi? Awesome! It took me way too long to finally give Across the Universe a read, but I’m so glad I did! After a slightly rocky start with the first two pages where I thought we were seeing Amy as a little girl (seriously, she seemed like she was 5 or so, it was weird) until she mentioned prom, I was hooked. The space ship, Godspeed, was completely fascinating. Immediately from Elder’s narrative we get the sense that something is not right on board, but what? From there he leads us through the ship where random inconsistencies and hidden information are revealed, including a chamber full of frozen bodies.
Cryo sleep terrifies me! Not only is the procedure leading up to it painful and uncomfortable, but what happens after the flash freeze is much worse. Amy undergoes the freeze in the first chapter, and her first few chapters are her in the cryo sleep. That’s right, she manages to narrate when she’s supposed to be in a 301 year slumber. She’s conscious and that’s just not right. I do not even want to imagine what it would be like to be trapped inside your own body, in the dark, alone, and unmoving for three centuries with nothing but your thoughts. That sounds like a recipe for insanity to me.
Once Amy is out of her cryo chamber is when the book really picks up. She wasn’t suppose to be defrosted yet, so who let her out? Then another person is left out to defrost, and we’ve got a murder mystery on our hands! Then, of course, there’s lots of questions about the ship. What’s behind all of those locked doors? Why doesn’t anyone aboard know about the cryo chamber level if those people are important to the mission? Why are so many people held in the mental ward and medicated? What’s happening in the “other labs”? Just what in the world is going on?!
Actually the world building in Across the Universe is pretty darn impressive. The author has created a fascinating, engaging, and completely original world aboard the Godspeed. I absolutely loved the science! It’s super detailed, complicated, and at times, disturbing. There’s times when I cringed thinking about what was happening, and other times when I wanted an encyclopedia with more information!
I could hardly stand to put this book down! There were so many questions running through my mind while reading, and once answers started popping up…woah! I knew Eldest was hiding something, and that there’s a lot of misinformation being passed along, but I never expected what actually was going on! Sure, the murderer was obvious, but the goings on of the ship? Total shocker! I cannot even begin to guess what the second book has in store, but I do know I’m eager to get my hands on it!
Cryo sleep terrifies me! Not only is the procedure leading up to it painful and uncomfortable, but what happens after the flash freeze is much worse. Amy undergoes the freeze in the first chapter, and her first few chapters are her in the cryo sleep. That’s right, she manages to narrate when she’s supposed to be in a 301 year slumber. She’s conscious and that’s just not right. I do not even want to imagine what it would be like to be trapped inside your own body, in the dark, alone, and unmoving for three centuries with nothing but your thoughts. That sounds like a recipe for insanity to me.
Once Amy is out of her cryo chamber is when the book really picks up. She wasn’t suppose to be defrosted yet, so who let her out? Then another person is left out to defrost, and we’ve got a murder mystery on our hands! Then, of course, there’s lots of questions about the ship. What’s behind all of those locked doors? Why doesn’t anyone aboard know about the cryo chamber level if those people are important to the mission? Why are so many people held in the mental ward and medicated? What’s happening in the “other labs”? Just what in the world is going on?!
Actually the world building in Across the Universe is pretty darn impressive. The author has created a fascinating, engaging, and completely original world aboard the Godspeed. I absolutely loved the science! It’s super detailed, complicated, and at times, disturbing. There’s times when I cringed thinking about what was happening, and other times when I wanted an encyclopedia with more information!
I could hardly stand to put this book down! There were so many questions running through my mind while reading, and once answers started popping up…woah! I knew Eldest was hiding something, and that there’s a lot of misinformation being passed along, but I never expected what actually was going on! Sure, the murderer was obvious, but the goings on of the ship? Total shocker! I cannot even begin to guess what the second book has in store, but I do know I’m eager to get my hands on it!
100 out of 100
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Wow. I’m speechless. Let me describe this book through adjectives, and I DO mean what I am about to say.
Mind-blowing. Excellent. Beautiful. Amazing. Well done. Perfect.
MIND-BLOWING: Again, wow! WOW! From start to finish, and I mean LITERALLY from start to finish (from the cover, to the first chapter till it ended) it was mind blowing. I was hooked on from the very first chapter, and I knew after I read the first chapter that this brilliantly written book, Across the Universe, will be one of my favorites and deserves a 5/5 slamdunk stars. There were a lot of twists and unexpected things being thrown at your face throughout the book which I loved! It wasn’t predictable and you’ll keep guessing what will happen next. There are clues being dropped at you though, but it doesn’t take away the suspense.
EXCELLENT: The characters ROCKS! All. of. them. And yes, even the bad guys rocks! Each and every single one of their little cells fits the whole story and have a significance. The book is being told from Amy and Elder’s point of view. It alternates, and I love how each chapter wasn’t super long.
BEAUTIFUL: Besides the cover, the plot was just well thought of. *Claps*. This book made me feel all sorts of emotion whether it be sad, nervous, happy, excited, surprised, etc. I remember when I was reading towards the end of the book, my palms were sweating (lol).
AMAZING: The writing style and pacing was plain a-ah-mazing. If Beth Revis wanted you to feel sad on that part of the chapter, you’ll feel it. If she wanted her readers to feel surprised, well you will! The author delivers everything very well. The book wasn’t too slow or too fast. Flawless.
In three words, I could describe Across the Universe as WELL DONE & PERFECT. Not once was I confused, not once did I get bored, not once did I not leave the house without carrying this book. There’s so much adventure that I don’t want to mention anything in this review as anything would count as a spoiler. Everything just played out like a movie in my head while I was reading it. I highly recommend this book to all of you.
Mind-blowing. Excellent. Beautiful. Amazing. Well done. Perfect.
MIND-BLOWING: Again, wow! WOW! From start to finish, and I mean LITERALLY from start to finish (from the cover, to the first chapter till it ended) it was mind blowing. I was hooked on from the very first chapter, and I knew after I read the first chapter that this brilliantly written book, Across the Universe, will be one of my favorites and deserves a 5/5 slamdunk stars. There were a lot of twists and unexpected things being thrown at your face throughout the book which I loved! It wasn’t predictable and you’ll keep guessing what will happen next. There are clues being dropped at you though, but it doesn’t take away the suspense.
EXCELLENT: The characters ROCKS! All. of. them. And yes, even the bad guys rocks! Each and every single one of their little cells fits the whole story and have a significance. The book is being told from Amy and Elder’s point of view. It alternates, and I love how each chapter wasn’t super long.
BEAUTIFUL: Besides the cover, the plot was just well thought of. *Claps*. This book made me feel all sorts of emotion whether it be sad, nervous, happy, excited, surprised, etc. I remember when I was reading towards the end of the book, my palms were sweating (lol).
AMAZING: The writing style and pacing was plain a-ah-mazing. If Beth Revis wanted you to feel sad on that part of the chapter, you’ll feel it. If she wanted her readers to feel surprised, well you will! The author delivers everything very well. The book wasn’t too slow or too fast. Flawless.
In three words, I could describe Across the Universe as WELL DONE & PERFECT. Not once was I confused, not once did I get bored, not once did I not leave the house without carrying this book. There’s so much adventure that I don’t want to mention anything in this review as anything would count as a spoiler. Everything just played out like a movie in my head while I was reading it. I highly recommend this book to all of you.
Good Points
EVERYTHING
Beautifully Executed
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
This is the first book I’ve read that could classify as ‘Sci-Fi’, so I was a little skeptical when I started reading. To be honest I was fully prepared not to like it; but in reality I couldn’t put it down. The more I read, the more I wanted to know about this complex world Beth Revis built inside the confines of the little ship.
The story is from two people’s points of view—Amy and Elder’s. The chapters alternate, going back and forth between the two people. Both of these characters do a wonderful job at painting the world, in two completely different ways. Elder doesn’t think the world he lives in is odd, and Amy thinks nothing but. The clash of how these two react to situations, was wonderful to watch.
The mystery element is nothing to ignore either. Watching the mystery unfold was like watching a flower bloom, the way the author set it up. The pacing was nice, and the way the characters contrasted off each other was fun to watch. Some of the culture in this ship makes you just go… who would ever think of that? These cultural aspects are just so wrong you can’t help but find them brilliant.
At times when I was reading this, I started to feel claustrophobic. I could just imagine being in Amy’s situation, and I could imagine being confined to a ship. It’s safe to say that if I was ever offered a trip to another planet—I would not being going.
The story is from two people’s points of view—Amy and Elder’s. The chapters alternate, going back and forth between the two people. Both of these characters do a wonderful job at painting the world, in two completely different ways. Elder doesn’t think the world he lives in is odd, and Amy thinks nothing but. The clash of how these two react to situations, was wonderful to watch.
The mystery element is nothing to ignore either. Watching the mystery unfold was like watching a flower bloom, the way the author set it up. The pacing was nice, and the way the characters contrasted off each other was fun to watch. Some of the culture in this ship makes you just go… who would ever think of that? These cultural aspects are just so wrong you can’t help but find them brilliant.
At times when I was reading this, I started to feel claustrophobic. I could just imagine being in Amy’s situation, and I could imagine being confined to a ship. It’s safe to say that if I was ever offered a trip to another planet—I would not being going.
Across the Universe (A Room with Books review)
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
5.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
GAH! That ending! It was perfect in the way that it wrapped things up, but it just left me with such a bittersweet feeling.
So here’s the deal: Across the Universe is brilliant. So all those people that have been telling you to read it? They weren’t lying.
If I had to pick out one thing about the story that was my favorite, it’s that there’s not really any romance. When I saw that (gorgeous) almost-kissing cover I just knew Amy and Elder were going to get it on. It just so happens that I was wrong, though. Oh sure, there’s a spark there, but the story isn’t about the romance and I loved that. The non-romance means I can go around waving this book in everyone’s faces without having to worry if they’re romance haters or not.
Which leads me to what the story is about: secrets. Lots and lots of secrets. And mysteries galore! Sure, I knew about the whole “Godspeed is a ship built on lies” tagline, but I didn’t fathom just how many lies Revis was going to manage to shove into it. Every time I thought I had something figured out I was faced with another plot-twist or mini-mystery. I admit that for a while towards the beginning I was like “MORE secrets?! When do I get some answers?!” but I assure you that they’ll come and in the meantime there’s plenty of crazy stuff to keep you occupied.
I’m really hoping we get to see more of the science behind Godspeed in book two. It didn’t really have a place in Across the Universe because of everything else that was going on, but I still love learning about (fictional) science.
And can I just say that the Season seriously creeped me out? Because it really, really did.
The Nutshell: Across the Universe is a fantastic read. If you’re looking for something with minimal romance, fantastic characters, and a great story full of mystery then you’ll definite find it in AtU.
Direct Hit
So here’s the deal: Across the Universe is brilliant. So all those people that have been telling you to read it? They weren’t lying.
If I had to pick out one thing about the story that was my favorite, it’s that there’s not really any romance. When I saw that (gorgeous) almost-kissing cover I just knew Amy and Elder were going to get it on. It just so happens that I was wrong, though. Oh sure, there’s a spark there, but the story isn’t about the romance and I loved that. The non-romance means I can go around waving this book in everyone’s faces without having to worry if they’re romance haters or not.
Which leads me to what the story is about: secrets. Lots and lots of secrets. And mysteries galore! Sure, I knew about the whole “Godspeed is a ship built on lies” tagline, but I didn’t fathom just how many lies Revis was going to manage to shove into it. Every time I thought I had something figured out I was faced with another plot-twist or mini-mystery. I admit that for a while towards the beginning I was like “MORE secrets?! When do I get some answers?!” but I assure you that they’ll come and in the meantime there’s plenty of crazy stuff to keep you occupied.
I’m really hoping we get to see more of the science behind Godspeed in book two. It didn’t really have a place in Across the Universe because of everything else that was going on, but I still love learning about (fictional) science.
And can I just say that the Season seriously creeped me out? Because it really, really did.
The Nutshell: Across the Universe is a fantastic read. If you’re looking for something with minimal romance, fantastic characters, and a great story full of mystery then you’ll definite find it in AtU.
Direct Hit
Across the Universe - A FANTASTIC BOOK!!!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Wow, this is an amazing book.
Amy is one of the frozen passengers on Godspeed. She, her parents and many others left Earth some centuries ago, hoping to colonise a new planet called Centauri-Earth, away from the polluted skies of Earth. Amy's hoping to wake up three centuries later, with her parents, on a new and fantastic Earth. She's given up her life for this, her home, her boyfriend, her friends, everything.
Elder lives on Godspeed. Even though he is the future leader of the ship, there's still much that Eldest hasn't told him. Elder is prepared to go to many lengths to find out those secrets. He discovers a secret level below that of the Feeders (people who want nothing more than to serve Eldest willingly and tend to farm animals), one where there are many, many frozen people. He discovers a girl, with flaming red hair, bright green eyes and pale, freckly skin. He has never seen the likes of this; everyone on Godpspeed is mono ethnic and looks pretty much the same; the same dark skin, dark hair and eyes. This apparently, is to prevent discord.
Amy was prepared to give everything up in the hopes of a better life. Something, though, goes horribly wrong. Somehow, she has been reanimated early and has now woken up on Godspeed with another half a century to go before the scheduled landing time.
Eldest, a tyrannical leader, is determined that the people on Godspeed believe that Amy is one of the "crazies" and sends her to the Ward, with a mixture of "crazy" people who Amy discovers are actually quite sane. Elder is fascinated by Amy and wants to know more about her and Sol-Earth (our Earth).
When another cryo chamber is opened, the second after Amy's, she's determined to discover who is behind the plot before her parents are murdered.
This is a fantastic sci-fi book that I really loved. You will get hooked right from the start with the chilling description of Amy and her parents getting frozen for the trip.
Beth Revis takes us on a fascinating journey into the future. On the ship, there are many secrets that need to be uncovered to save every frozen person and everyone who's not. But it is much easier said than done.
I hope this review has encouraged you to read this book. It is really worth it, a great read!
Amy is one of the frozen passengers on Godspeed. She, her parents and many others left Earth some centuries ago, hoping to colonise a new planet called Centauri-Earth, away from the polluted skies of Earth. Amy's hoping to wake up three centuries later, with her parents, on a new and fantastic Earth. She's given up her life for this, her home, her boyfriend, her friends, everything.
Elder lives on Godspeed. Even though he is the future leader of the ship, there's still much that Eldest hasn't told him. Elder is prepared to go to many lengths to find out those secrets. He discovers a secret level below that of the Feeders (people who want nothing more than to serve Eldest willingly and tend to farm animals), one where there are many, many frozen people. He discovers a girl, with flaming red hair, bright green eyes and pale, freckly skin. He has never seen the likes of this; everyone on Godpspeed is mono ethnic and looks pretty much the same; the same dark skin, dark hair and eyes. This apparently, is to prevent discord.
Amy was prepared to give everything up in the hopes of a better life. Something, though, goes horribly wrong. Somehow, she has been reanimated early and has now woken up on Godspeed with another half a century to go before the scheduled landing time.
Eldest, a tyrannical leader, is determined that the people on Godspeed believe that Amy is one of the "crazies" and sends her to the Ward, with a mixture of "crazy" people who Amy discovers are actually quite sane. Elder is fascinated by Amy and wants to know more about her and Sol-Earth (our Earth).
When another cryo chamber is opened, the second after Amy's, she's determined to discover who is behind the plot before her parents are murdered.
This is a fantastic sci-fi book that I really loved. You will get hooked right from the start with the chilling description of Amy and her parents getting frozen for the trip.
Beth Revis takes us on a fascinating journey into the future. On the ship, there are many secrets that need to be uncovered to save every frozen person and everyone who's not. But it is much easier said than done.
I hope this review has encouraged you to read this book. It is really worth it, a great read!
Good Points
FANTASTIC BOOK!!!
Great Book!!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
This book was fantastic! The futuristic plot mixed with a murder mystery was pure genius! The characters felt like real people and came to life in the pages. Beth Revis expertly portrays human emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story! The secrets of Godspeed kept me up at night wondering! I could not put this book down until I had read every last word! The squeal is just as good and is a great continuation of this amazing story!
Good Points
The entire book!
Exciting Read!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
I'm not usually drawn to books set in space, but this book won me over instantly. The world building is fabulous. The ship is practically a character in its own right. And the ship has SECRETS.
Oh, the secrets.
When Amy and her parents are cyogenically frozen, she expects to wake up in a new world on a new planet. Intead, she is (accidentally? deliberately?) awakened 50 years too early. Bonding with her new ally Elder (the future ruler of the ship), Amy struggles to come to terms with her new surroundings, the fact that her parents remain frozen, and the strange happenings on the ship.
Especially when those strange happenings include murder.
This was absorbing, fascinating, and left me craving more. Highly recommend.
Oh, the secrets.
When Amy and her parents are cyogenically frozen, she expects to wake up in a new world on a new planet. Intead, she is (accidentally? deliberately?) awakened 50 years too early. Bonding with her new ally Elder (the future ruler of the ship), Amy struggles to come to terms with her new surroundings, the fact that her parents remain frozen, and the strange happenings on the ship.
Especially when those strange happenings include murder.
This was absorbing, fascinating, and left me craving more. Highly recommend.
Awesome!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
5.0
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Beth has created a truly frightening world aboard a spaceship, where nothing is what it seems. The book starts with a feeling of unease, with a family being frozen to take a 300-year trip across the universe, and then shifts to the future where Amy is awakened 50 years early. With Amy, we begin to see the society that has evolved -- or been manufactured -- aboard the Godspeed, and how every assumption should be questioned.
There is also a murderer on the ship.
But what I loved best was Beth's prose. In spite of being 400 pages, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE reads quickly, effortlessly. It's in first person present tense, but I'm totally behind this choice. The narrative is never distracting. The descriptions are complete and seamlessly integrated into the action.
I'm definitely recommending this for readers who want to like science fiction but aren't sure where to start, or don't want much science in their science fiction. It's a character-driven story. (The other thing I will mention is that it says it's for readers 12 and up, but do be aware there's quite a bit of sexytime in this book, most of it not very nice.)
There is also a murderer on the ship.
But what I loved best was Beth's prose. In spite of being 400 pages, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE reads quickly, effortlessly. It's in first person present tense, but I'm totally behind this choice. The narrative is never distracting. The descriptions are complete and seamlessly integrated into the action.
I'm definitely recommending this for readers who want to like science fiction but aren't sure where to start, or don't want much science in their science fiction. It's a character-driven story. (The other thing I will mention is that it says it's for readers 12 and up, but do be aware there's quite a bit of sexytime in this book, most of it not very nice.)
Out of this world
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
a review by G.Clyde
I bought this book back in February when Alana and I went to the "Breathless Reads" tour. Let me start by saying that Beth Revis is such a sweet person, and hysterical to boot! I really could not stop laughing every time it was her turn to ask a question, and I couldn't wait till it was her turn to answer. Anyway..on to the book, the reason I'm here. I really liked the cover of the book and that's what made me buy it initially. While waiting on line to purchase it I read the summary and thought wow, that's new. The book was certainly nothing like I have ever read before, and I was happy to be reading something a little different than my usual, vampires, demons, angels, mer-people etc. While there was a bit of a romance between Elder and Amy, I was upset that it wasn't played out quite as much as I had hoped. When we first come across Elder in the book, all I could think of is...Jeez, I wish he found my frozen body! The book is full of interesting and mysterious characters, and I felt a quick attachment to many of them...and hate too, as you will when you read the book. The map on the inside of the dust jacket is a great visual aid while reading the book, just so you can understand the levels and different areas, so definitely utilize that. All in all I would certainly recommend this book. There is a bit of sex in it, so maybe not too good for younger people, 14 and up I'd say. The only bad thing I can say about the book is that the romance wasn't so romantic..if you can understand that. But I guess given the circumstances, you wouldn't wanna be romantic either. Otherwise, the book was GREAT, read it! It out of this universe...yea, that was corny. :)
I bought this book back in February when Alana and I went to the "Breathless Reads" tour. Let me start by saying that Beth Revis is such a sweet person, and hysterical to boot! I really could not stop laughing every time it was her turn to ask a question, and I couldn't wait till it was her turn to answer. Anyway..on to the book, the reason I'm here. I really liked the cover of the book and that's what made me buy it initially. While waiting on line to purchase it I read the summary and thought wow, that's new. The book was certainly nothing like I have ever read before, and I was happy to be reading something a little different than my usual, vampires, demons, angels, mer-people etc. While there was a bit of a romance between Elder and Amy, I was upset that it wasn't played out quite as much as I had hoped. When we first come across Elder in the book, all I could think of is...Jeez, I wish he found my frozen body! The book is full of interesting and mysterious characters, and I felt a quick attachment to many of them...and hate too, as you will when you read the book. The map on the inside of the dust jacket is a great visual aid while reading the book, just so you can understand the levels and different areas, so definitely utilize that. All in all I would certainly recommend this book. There is a bit of sex in it, so maybe not too good for younger people, 14 and up I'd say. The only bad thing I can say about the book is that the romance wasn't so romantic..if you can understand that. But I guess given the circumstances, you wouldn't wanna be romantic either. Otherwise, the book was GREAT, read it! It out of this universe...yea, that was corny. :)
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