Published: January 11th 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Page Count: Hardcover, 398 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon
, Book Depository Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. - Good Reads
Across the Universe has been on my list since I first saw the cover. The cover is hands down of my favourites of all time. It's just pretty. The cover is a little deceiving though, because there wasn't really a big romance in this book. There was more of a foreshadowing slash blossom of one. An instant attraction, but nothing hot and heavy. Another reason why I knew I had to read this book is because it's sci-fi. Finding a sci-fi romance novel in the Young Adult section is almost impossible. Or is? I've never seen one before!
This book is a great mix between sci-fi, mystery and dystopian. But the great thing about it is that it's a great medium for those that don't normally like sci-fi. I think one of the biggest complaints about the sci-fi genre that I've heard is that they're sometimes too hard to relate to and become confusing. This book was written very clearly and everything is very easy to picture.
The book alternates between Amy and Elder and I liked that especially because you get to see the ship through Amy's eyes, which makes it easier to relate to and make everything more relatable and Elder, so you can see the life on Godspeed through his viewpoint, the viewpoint of a native and accustomed to the life on board, even if he is much different than the others.
There is an attempted rape scene in this book as well as a lot of sexual going ons in the background. The sexual going ons are due to the mating season on the ship and the citizens of Godspeed have no qualms about doing the dirty out in the open much to Amy's horror (well, and my horror). It didn't put me off the book by any means, but that may put other readers off, so just a heads up.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had a fascinating world, a good mystery and the kindling for a future romance. I definitely see this series becoming a favourite of mine!
Great review! :) I have to say that I really want to read this one! I just need to get my own copy sometime soon... Glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteRebecca
Kindle Fever
@Rebecca Thank you! :) I literally had 6 people ahead of me waiting for it at the library when I first put it on hold, which TOOK FOREVER! D:
ReplyDeleteLOL! Mating season?? Are you sure this is YA?? I find that concept so funny for some reason. This one has been on my radar for a while and I love that everyone who reviews it comes at it from a different perspective :)
ReplyDelete@Lan LOL yes!!! I was shocked at first and thought I might be misunderstanding something, just because I've seen sex in YA before, but nothing quite like that! I felt just as awkward as the main character! But it ties in with the story. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I totally agree! The cover for this one is gorgeous! Have you seen the one for the next book, A Million Suns? I think it's just as pretty!
ReplyDeleteI liked the dual narrative too! But the thing that really made me sad was Harley. I really liked him so I was so sad with his decision. :(
But awesome review, Liza! :)
The cover is magical, it reminds me of starcrossed. I am not the biggest fan of sci fi, but it sounds good. I will have to try and pick this up on amazon.
ReplyDeleteI think I can see what the story is about and it is a good new take on the idea of humans going to another planet.
Awesome review! I had similar feelings when reading this book too. I really liked that there wasn't a full blown romance from the start, instead we get to see the instant attraction and then the progression between Elder and Amy. I also really liked this new world that Beth Revis created, its always fun exploring out of this world places.
ReplyDeleteI'm also looking forward to the sequel and seeing where this story goes.
Kristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves
I'm so glad you read and liked this one! Great review - when I reviewed it, I didn't want to mention the details of life on the ship, because I wanted new readers to be as shocked by it as I was and it sounds like you were. Yes, mating season was definitely eyebrow-raising! Others are forewarned now!
ReplyDeleteI love genre-bending stories, so I'll definitely look into this. Sci-fi works for me when the emphasis is on the characters more than the technology...where would you say this story falls on that spectrum?
ReplyDelete(OK, truthfully, I'll probably read this just to find out what's up with the mating season...LOL)