Reviews

Defy the Fates by Claudia Gray

that1creativelady's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Alot of time spent explaining processes and procedures. Very drawn out but still entertaining for the most part.

thatokiebird's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Reading the conclusion to a trilogy five years after reading the first two books is always a gamble, but I chose not to reread the first two before starting this one. For the most part I was taken right back into the story and the characters, and the book itself brought up earlier memories from the first two books, so I don't think I forgot a dangerous amount in the five year time lapse. 

Everything wrapped up nicely in this conclusion, as young adult novels are generally trusted to do. The twists and the turns were interesting, although there was much repetition that seemed as if it were there to simply fill up space. And I thought Noemi and Abel didn't spend quite as much time together in this book as I would've liked, but that's the pure romantic in me. 

A well-written and exciting space opera trilogy, with questions of identity, loyalty and concepts of love and found family explored in depth.

nataliem22's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The finale of the Constellation series wrapped up everything it needed to: the conflict on Genesis, the conflict in space, the conflict on Haven—basically, all the conflict was resolved, in a satisfying way. Noemi and Abel are predictably torn apart only to reunite again, and while the plot of this one somewhat resembled the plots of the previous two, it in no way hindered my enjoyment of the novel. I read the British edition, so for me I tripped over the subtle way the writing felt different than the previous two. It's difficult to explain, but this novel definitely felt different than the previous two, and I do believe it's just because it was the British edition. Alas! The conclusion is satisfying, action-packed, and full of twists and turns, and because of that I'd highly recommend the entire trilogy to anyone looking for a fun, refreshing read.

blanchedoesthings's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.5

Felt a bit lacking and kinda repetitive but it was still enjoyable, though I preferred the previous books, especially the first one. Would still recommend the series.

melissasfandomworld's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I fell in love SO hard with Abel and Noemi in book 1 as well as all the awesome space opera settings and the buildup of the story-line. Book 2 was also a really fun and fast paced read but already not As good as the first one. My expectations were that book 3 would hopefully be a stellar and explosive conclusion to it all, but in the end I can’t say that book 3 was entirely what I had hoped for unfortunately and it ‘fell a bit short’ for me.

Like some other readers stated as well; I am of an opinion that a lot of the writing and happenings in this book felt repetitive and there were parts that were a but unnecessary even and therefore it sometimes felt like the plot was unstable and creaked on all sides. Things are being rushed towards the end and could’ve been better developed in my honest opinion.

I also really missed more connection and development with Abel/Noemi and felt like it was a shame they were apart from one another so much. That, in combination with the miscommunication that was present at times (I hate miscommunication, lol), wasn’t something I was hoping to see when it came to their relationship development. I was expecting more closeness I guess and feel like they deserved much more in regards to the writing about it.

I did like their character development separately a lot most of the times, especially Abel took it up a notch in this one. I really love how Claudia wrote Abel down, right from the beginning in Defy the Stars up until the end now in Defy the Fates. I think his development throughout all three books was truly magnificent.

There’s action and a lot of space travel so you won’t be disappointed about that I think. I like that there are some villainous characters present who make things personally, but that there’s also a story going down in which it’s about so much more than just the characters. It’s about all humans throughout the galaxy and that definitely made it more interesting!

Overall, I felt like this was still a fun read. I still love these characters so so much and there Are definitely some amazing things present in this book. It isn’t the strong conclusion I hoped it’d be but I would definitely recommend reading these books if you’re into YA Sci-Fi and aren’t opposed to there being a lot of focus on the characters and their development.

elaine_a's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

missprint_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

*Defy the Fates is the third book in Claudia Gray's Constellation trilogy. To avoid spoilers start at the beginning with the first book Defy the Stars.*

After their first unlikely meeting, Abel and Noemi Vidal have traveled the Loop together, saved Genesis forces from annihilation in battle, and stopped an intergalactic plague.

Now, to save Noemi one last time, Abel will have to risk everything including his own cybernetic body as he seeks help from his creator and potential destroyer.

Left for dead, Noemi doesn't know what it means when she is saved thanks to parts that make her eerily similar to Abel. Not quite mech, but not quite human Noemi is no longer sure if she has a place on her home world anymore than she knows if she has what she needs to save Abel.

As Earth prepares for the final battle with its colony planets, Noemi and Abel once again find themselves at the center of the conflict. With the final battle looming, this unlikely pair will finally see if they've done enough to save the colony planets--and each other in Defy the Fates (2019) by Claudia Gray.

Defy the Fates is the third book in Claudia Gray's Constellation trilogy. To avoid spoilers start at the beginning with the first book Defy the Stars. The novel alternates between Abel and Noemi's first person narrations.

Gray builds well on the tension and world building from previous installments in this fast-paced trilogy. The stakes are higher and the dangers are greater as the story builds toward its dramatic finish.

Because of the plot structure, numerous recaps of previous triumphs and battles are repeated throughout the story which diminish the tension. As Noemi and Abel continue to struggle with the question of where they each belong--both together and apart--some of this installment does start to feel like filler. 

Defy the Fates is a solid conclusion to an action-packed trilogy perfect for readers who enjoy sci-fi and adventure with just a hint of romance. Fans of the series will appreciate the callbacks to pivotal moments and characters from earlier in the series.

Possible Pairings: Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen, Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza, Beta by Rachel Cohn, Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury, The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid, Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis, Skyhunter by Marie Lu, Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 by Marissa Meyer and Douglas Holgate, Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan, Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh, Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, Scythe by Neal Shusterman, Partials by Dan Wells

geenahnola's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kacibookishkingdom's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

3.5 - I feel like the first two books in this series were better.

elmiathebookaddict's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Original and captivating. It made me sit on the edge of my seat all the way through.