Title: Across the Universe
Series: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Puffin
Publication Date: 3 Mar 2011
Synopsis: From Amazon
Amy has left the life she loves for a world 300 years away
Trapped in space and frozen in time, Amy is bound for a new planet. But fifty years before she’s due to arrive, she is violently woken, the victim of an attempted murder. Now Amy's lost on board and nothing makes sense - she's never felt so alone.
Yet someone is waiting for her. He wants to protect her; and more if she’ll let him.
But who can she trust amidst the secrets and lies? A killer is out there – and Amy has nowhere to hide . . .
This for me was one of those rare books that I did not finish (DNF) so I won't belittle it by calling this my review.
I think the main problem I had with this book is that I am not a huge fan of Sci-Fi, although the Dystopian/Sci-Fi mix works very well within the book.
On the whole the story is very believable. The alternating first person narrative gives insight into past, present and future - not an easy task to achieve. Amy having been cryogenically frozen from a time period that could very well be now and Elder, who having been born on the spaceship, is essentially the future. The plot is a complex multi-level one and I have to credit Beth Revis with the amazing ability of keeping it all together and progressing dual main characters and the plot simultaneously. Quite an accomplishment. I have to say that I didn't connect very well with Elder. I honestly kept picturing him as an alien and I think that it may be due to this fact that I could not finish the book.
There are elements of thriller, murder mystery and romance skillfully blended into the narrative. Giving Beth Revis even more credit as a writer for her ability to keep it all tightly under control with her ability to weave it all together. Add to it the vivid and intense world building by the power of Beth Revis's descriptive writing and you have a three dimensional story on your hands. It was very believable and frighteningly realistic, imagine a world without diversity; how awful it would be.
I had heard that there was a major plot development later in the book. As I was struggling to read it I skipped forward a few chapters to see if this particular development altered my perception of the book as a whole. I have to say that although this book was a DNF for me the plot development was extraordinary.
So although this book wasn't for me I can really see it's appeal and would not hesitate to recommend it to Dystopian/Sci-Fi fans.
Big thanks to Carla from The Crooked Shelf for letting me use her Book Break-Ups name
I have still to read this one, its been sat on my TBR pile for a while now.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that for a negative review you've done it perfectly. I hate reading reviews where people can get a bit mean, sometimes a book just isn't suited to that reader...
xx
P.s. I do like the name book break-ups!
I think you wrote this extremely well. It is such a hard post to write at any time, but you don't come across as negative. Book Break-Ups is a fab name.
ReplyDeleteoh no! I have this one on my shelf and I was starting to look forward to it but I have been toying with it for a while as I sometimes struggle with sci-fi type books! :( Oh well... I'll still give it a go... you put your points across very well! :)
ReplyDeleteOh no. I think it's a book that I can't resist reading as I've been looking forward to it for ages.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comments though - you're not ripping it to shreds just telling us what you don't like and I like the book break up name too :D
this is a really interesting break-up/review. I have heard so much about it but it didn't appeal to me. I won it but haven't read it yet. Not sure I will now. Thanks for being honest. x
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see a different opinion from most. It's great that you were able to say so tastefully. I have read so many positives about this, I may still take a chance.
ReplyDelete