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readundancies's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.5
For someone that was not about the major plot twist of this one I'm just not a fan of reading about clones, sorry I still really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it.
The first part spends a lot of the time building the relationship between Ambrose and Kodiak, and we get all the cozy vibes from their burgeoning friendship in that slow burn kinda way that indicates we are in for some of that sweet, sweet escalation. It was delightful. Then Part 2 roles around with a major plot twist/reveal that was both enlightening but also not for me, purely based on my own preferences within the sci-fi genre.
From a characterization standpoint, Kodiak is pretty standard in his stoic and somewhat bullheaded nature whereas Ambrose is a bit more emotionally interesting, especially since we read strictly from his perspective. There’s a high level of EQ in him but also a very strong sense of frivolity as well, and it’s a strikingly odd dichotomy that I found was very satisfying to explore. Their romance was such a treat to get to experience, because the romance itself was not a priority, it was product of their relationship and a testament to them realizing they had better chances of surviving together versus apart.
Plot-wise, once the major reveal occurs, everything else just falls neatly into place. There's a great deal of resentment and tension between the pair and their ship's OS that I really enjoyed. The ending was not as strong as the rest of the story in that it feels very inevitable if not predictable, but even though I didn't feel completely fulfilled by the end, I think this was just so very well constructed as a whole. The writing quality is there. The characters are so easy to invest in. And my word, what a gripping intensity it has, that you just never want to put it down.
And I have to respect it, even though the overall plot went in a direction that I would not have preferred. I will also state that I think this could've even been a 5 star read for me if it was catered towards an adult audience instead even though I'm not entirely sure it can be considered strictly YA even now.
As many have said before me, this definitely was not marketed appropriately, so in the interest of giving it more due, I recommend this for anyone whose interested in the sci-fi genre, who are looking for a tale of two individuals whose survival is entirely dependent on one another as they venture across the uncharted vastness of the cosmos. They are unaware of their importance, both to their species and to each other, and we as the readers get the privilege of watching them grow together (even when they obstinately desire to be apart) as they explore what it means to be human, how love is both their saving grace and cross to bear in the face of isolation, and how one can still choose how their destiny will unfold even if their ultimate fate may be unchanged.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Violence
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-darkness-outside-us
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia
ninegladiolus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“I think love and science fiction are perfect companions.”
This quote from the ARC foreword sums Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us up quite nicely. Sci-fi is without a doubt my favourite genre, so when I first heard of this queer YA sci-fi thriller, I was stoked. I mean, pretty much as soon you mention sentient space ships I’m in anyway, so it didn’t take much convincing. What I thought I would get was romance with a backdrop of sci-fi, and what I got was a story with heavy emphasis placed on the sci-fi and thriller elements with a significant side of romance—which was a pleasant surprise that worked to the benefit of the novel.
The story focuses on Ambrose, who wakes up without his memories in the care of Endeavor, a spaceship possessed of a sentient operating system. Ambrose’s mission—and the mission of the spacefarer whose ship is connected with his to form the Coordinated Endeavor—is to rescue his sister Minerva, who has sent a distress signal from Jupiter’s moon, Titan. He must cooperate with Kodiak, a spacefarer from a rival nation back on Earth, to accomplish a list of tasks given to them by the operating system, or OS for short. Saying much more than this would start to give away the plot, but suffice to say this novel can definitely be described as a page turner. As more and more things start not adding up, Ambrose and Kodiak are forced to work together.
I wasn’t expecting this novel to have as many darker twists and turns as it did. Stay for the mystery above all; the process of Ambrose and Kodiak unraveling the secrets of the Endeavor together kept me captivated, and amongst some terrifying and heart pounding moments, it was interwoven with love and surprisingly poignant feels. Again, as stressed above, this is not a particularly light and breezy read. Major content warnings for: violence, blood, death, and medical trauma.
Overall, The Darkness Outside Us hit on several of my favourite themes in sci-fi and provided a thrilling journey that took me to unexpected places from beginning to end. I’d absolutely recommend it to those looking for a more serious queer YA sci-fi read.
Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This quote from the ARC foreword sums Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us up quite nicely. Sci-fi is without a doubt my favourite genre, so when I first heard of this queer YA sci-fi thriller, I was stoked. I mean, pretty much as soon you mention sentient space ships I’m in anyway, so it didn’t take much convincing. What I thought I would get was romance with a backdrop of sci-fi, and what I got was a story with heavy emphasis placed on the sci-fi and thriller elements with a significant side of romance—which was a pleasant surprise that worked to the benefit of the novel.
The story focuses on Ambrose, who wakes up without his memories in the care of Endeavor, a spaceship possessed of a sentient operating system. Ambrose’s mission—and the mission of the spacefarer whose ship is connected with his to form the Coordinated Endeavor—is to rescue his sister Minerva, who has sent a distress signal from Jupiter’s moon, Titan. He must cooperate with Kodiak, a spacefarer from a rival nation back on Earth, to accomplish a list of tasks given to them by the operating system, or OS for short. Saying much more than this would start to give away the plot, but suffice to say this novel can definitely be described as a page turner. As more and more things start not adding up, Ambrose and Kodiak are forced to work together.
I wasn’t expecting this novel to have as many darker twists and turns as it did. Stay for the mystery above all; the process of Ambrose and Kodiak unraveling the secrets of the Endeavor together kept me captivated, and amongst some terrifying and heart pounding moments, it was interwoven with love and surprisingly poignant feels. Again, as stressed above, this is not a particularly light and breezy read. Major content warnings for: violence, blood, death, and medical trauma.
Overall, The Darkness Outside Us hit on several of my favourite themes in sci-fi and provided a thrilling journey that took me to unexpected places from beginning to end. I’d absolutely recommend it to those looking for a more serious queer YA sci-fi read.
Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical trauma, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Terminal illness
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