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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Interesting sci fi novel. I look forward to reading the second one.
should re-read this to record my thoughts this time. interesting i didn't like the first book much but I LOVED the series
I'm pretty sure the movie "Passengers" is the adult adaptation of this book. Or vice-versa. lol
I can't... I don't...UGH.
OK There are so many things about this book that frustrated the hell out of me. I'm not sure where exactly to start.
First of all, the beginning is awesome. The description of the freezing process is a fabulous hook and the premise is delightful. And the overall idea of multiple generations in a spaceship being brainwashed...I love it.
But then it kind of falls apart. The pacing, for one, felt really off. The ending was so ridiculously rushed and chaotic, it strains credulity. What the hell was that whole thing about Orion clawing out his own comm? Pretty sure he'd be dead by now. And how is it that no one noticed him, when there are only a few thousand people on the ship?
Then you have these one-dimensional characters that have very little depth -- we don't actually know very much about Elder or about what his deal is. And Amy, aside from having red hair and enjoying running, is kind of this mystery character too. Really disappointed to have such shallow protagonists driving the story.
There are also a lot of plot points that are so bizarre that it sort of pulls you out of the action. Like, after the first frozen is woken up, why does Eldest keep the floor unlocked, accessible, and not guarded? Are there seriously NO GUARDS ON THIS SHIP OF BRAINWASHED PEOPLE? WHY DOES THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DUTY GET SHUNTED ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF YOUNG ADULTS? Also, the concept of the Season makes more sense after the explanation, but it seems forced (like the author just REALLY wanted for there to be a spaceship full of people fucking everywhere). That makes no sense. If there was genuine concern about avoiding incest on the ship, you'd be assigned a partner, you'd be given a private space to go, and you'd "try" for a baby several times over the course of a few months. Not everyone ovulates in sync. Having it be all "SPRING BREAK WHOOOO!" with people everywhere is illogical, even within the confines of the world this creates for us. Also, there are plenty of ways to trick people regarding the passage of time (tinker with the clocks, for example) -- making a whole elaborate "Season", followed by the announcement...it feels convoluted.
Then there are all of the loose ends and unanswered questions. Why did they delay launch by a year? Who is the company that sponsored all of this? Why did Amy's dad not pack her stuff but invite her to be frozen? I know that this is part of a series, but somehow the lack of clarity and characters in the first book has turned me off from reading more.
OK There are so many things about this book that frustrated the hell out of me. I'm not sure where exactly to start.
First of all, the beginning is awesome. The description of the freezing process is a fabulous hook and the premise is delightful. And the overall idea of multiple generations in a spaceship being brainwashed...I love it.
But then it kind of falls apart. The pacing, for one, felt really off. The ending was so ridiculously rushed and chaotic, it strains credulity. What the hell was that whole thing about Orion clawing out his own comm? Pretty sure he'd be dead by now. And how is it that no one noticed him, when there are only a few thousand people on the ship?
Then you have these one-dimensional characters that have very little depth -- we don't actually know very much about Elder or about what his deal is. And Amy, aside from having red hair and enjoying running, is kind of this mystery character too. Really disappointed to have such shallow protagonists driving the story.
There are also a lot of plot points that are so bizarre that it sort of pulls you out of the action. Like, after the first frozen is woken up, why does Eldest keep the floor unlocked, accessible, and not guarded? Are there seriously NO GUARDS ON THIS SHIP OF BRAINWASHED PEOPLE? WHY DOES THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DUTY GET SHUNTED ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF YOUNG ADULTS? Also, the concept of the Season makes more sense after the explanation, but it seems forced (like the author just REALLY wanted for there to be a spaceship full of people fucking everywhere). That makes no sense. If there was genuine concern about avoiding incest on the ship, you'd be assigned a partner, you'd be given a private space to go, and you'd "try" for a baby several times over the course of a few months. Not everyone ovulates in sync. Having it be all "SPRING BREAK WHOOOO!" with people everywhere is illogical, even within the confines of the world this creates for us. Also, there are plenty of ways to trick people regarding the passage of time (tinker with the clocks, for example) -- making a whole elaborate "Season", followed by the announcement...it feels convoluted.
Then there are all of the loose ends and unanswered questions. Why did they delay launch by a year? Who is the company that sponsored all of this? Why did Amy's dad not pack her stuff but invite her to be frozen? I know that this is part of a series, but somehow the lack of clarity and characters in the first book has turned me off from reading more.
This book has a good plot. You have the excitement, the mystery, and the inevitable romance that comes with reading YA novels. Most of the characters are well-developed, The setting is most definitely dystopian.
My one problem is the ending. It is abrupt, a bit confusing, and disappointing.
I am glad I read it, though.
My one problem is the ending. It is abrupt, a bit confusing, and disappointing.
I am glad I read it, though.
Across the Universe is the type of novel I am always dying to read.
The setting is amazing. The characters are real. The plot twists and turns in unexpected and satisfying ways. The dialogue is organic. The story's pacing is not too fast, not too slow, but oh.so.very.right. And the ending of the novel leaves the reader wanting more.
I want to know more about Elder. I want to know more about the future of the ship Goodspeed and its people. I want to know how they will all deal with the outcome of book one. And overall, I just want to submerge myself in this story once again!
Definitely one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.
The setting is amazing. The characters are real. The plot twists and turns in unexpected and satisfying ways. The dialogue is organic. The story's pacing is not too fast, not too slow, but oh.so.very.right. And the ending of the novel leaves the reader wanting more.
I want to know more about Elder. I want to know more about the future of the ship Goodspeed and its people. I want to know how they will all deal with the outcome of book one. And overall, I just want to submerge myself in this story once again!
Definitely one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long time. I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.
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I don't have a lot of experience with the Si-Fi genre, besides Ender's Game, but I really enjoyed this book. I devoured it in one day after reading that epic beginning. There were so many interesting situations to mull over...
-Deciding to be frozen and reawaken in 300 years
-being brought back to life too early and realizing you are going to have to live almost all of your life before seeing your parents again
-what happens to people isolated in such away, how a culture develops on its own
-how someone with enough power could make up his own version of Earth's history and then trying to convince people of this when you know the truth.
-what it would feel like to be born on a ship where no one has ever seen Earth, all you've ever known is synthetic
the only thing that let me down is that I completely guessed the ending! I was so sad that I figured it out. I love twist endings.
It was sad and terrifying at parts, and I felt claustrophobic aboard the ship. I really felt like I understood what the characters were feeling and wanted to jump in and help them.
Not to like:
Frexing reminds me of frisky, so I imagine frisky kittens playing in a meadow....not an emotion-laden f*bomb....
The romance seemed forced and didn't make a whole lot of sense. I guess you come to expect this in a YA novel.
Amy's priorities seemed a little messed up. She seemed to be a one dimensional character, no depth. I can't believe she spent as much time thinking about her ex boyfriend as she did. You are on a spaceship 300 years into the future and your parents are FROZEN! C'mon!
But I'm still looking foward to where the story goes in the sequel...it's a guilty pleasure book :)
I don't have a lot of experience with the Si-Fi genre, besides Ender's Game, but I really enjoyed this book. I devoured it in one day after reading that epic beginning. There were so many interesting situations to mull over...
-Deciding to be frozen and reawaken in 300 years
-being brought back to life too early and realizing you are going to have to live almost all of your life before seeing your parents again
-what happens to people isolated in such away, how a culture develops on its own
-how someone with enough power could make up his own version of Earth's history and then trying to convince people of this when you know the truth.
-what it would feel like to be born on a ship where no one has ever seen Earth, all you've ever known is synthetic
the only thing that let me down is that I completely guessed the ending! I was so sad that I figured it out. I love twist endings.
Spoiler
I knew that the other Eldest wasn't dead and that it was probably Orion. I wondered if they were clones, but that was a fleeting thought. I knew that there had been a sort of coup in which the Eldest system was started. I knew that Orion was the one pulling out the frozens, but I definitely didn't realize he was going to turn out so evil! I thought he had a good reason for pulling out those particular frozens. I thought perhaps he was unsuccessfully trying to awaken them to help overthrow the Eldest. I can't believe the "librarian" turned out evil.It was sad and terrifying at parts, and I felt claustrophobic aboard the ship. I really felt like I understood what the characters were feeling and wanted to jump in and help them.
Not to like:
Frexing reminds me of frisky, so I imagine frisky kittens playing in a meadow....not an emotion-laden f*bomb....
The romance seemed forced and didn't make a whole lot of sense. I guess you come to expect this in a YA novel.
Amy's priorities seemed a little messed up. She seemed to be a one dimensional character, no depth. I can't believe she spent as much time thinking about her ex boyfriend as she did. You are on a spaceship 300 years into the future and your parents are FROZEN! C'mon!
But I'm still looking foward to where the story goes in the sequel...it's a guilty pleasure book :)
suspsenseful, interesting, young adult novel with some interesting political commentary included. loved it!
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very interesting concept, if a little bland. Hooked me enough to pick up the second one.
Very good book but a little predictable, I understood who the killer was right away! But the other aspects of the story we're very surprising, exiting and unbelievable at times. The book is also very well written, the reader falls in love with the characters and grows with them threw out the book. Can't wait to read the sequel!!