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crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
3.0
Amy Martin is put into cryogenic freeze with her parents, to travel to a far distant world called Centauri-Earth, which the ship, Godspeed will reach in 300 years. But she is awakened suddenly and nearly dies in the process. Who woke her from her sleep and who is killing the others cryogenically frozen?
I love science fiction. I love Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica...even hard scifi, like Arthur C. Clarke. And when I started this book, I adored it! There is just far too little scifi out there in the young adult market right now. To me, this is a breath of fresh air.
But alas, I can't just sing praises of this book and move on. While I did greatly enjoy this book, much like Divergent, a lot of the problems in this book are the result of technology/world building.
REASONS WHY THIS WAS ENJOYABLE
+ Amy. I liked how she sacrificed a lot to be with her parents (her boyfriend, dreams of running in a marathon, etc.). I liked how she didn't fall into insta-love with Elder or any of the other males on the ship. I also liked how she drove the investigation into the mysteries of the ship--the culture and the people being removed from cryofreeze. Even at the end, she plays an important role in the "Final Showndown".
+ Elder. I liked how he was drawn to Amy because of her hair and how he was constantly thinking about "getting physical" with her. I felt that it was pretty realistic for a guy, without getting creepy or going too far. I liked how he was questioning his role as a leader before meeting Amy.
+ No romance. As I said above, Amy and Elder don't immediately see each other and get all googly-eyed. In fact, there are times where Amy hates Elder. Even at the end, there is a hint of perhaps romance, but no kisses, no swooning.
+ The Mystery. A lot of times, if people are thinking scifi, they may not think "mystery". Much like fantasy gets connected with elves and romance with heaving bosoms, scifi gets coupled with laser guns and aliens. This book really takes a different route, one that I really enjoyed following along. I loved trying to figure out the whodunnit (though sadly, I kinda guessed it very early on in the book).
+ Thoughtful Questions. Is it right to rule people with an iron fist? What if the truth could be harmful? How much truth should you reveal? If you like books with thoughtful questions that don't get nicely wrapped up in ribbons and bows at the end, this is your book.
+ The Ship. The idea of cryogenically freezing some people and leaving others to run the ship while en route was great. I loved how the ship society greatly changed (how Amy had some trouble understanding what they were saying because of the dialect) and evolved as the ship traveled through space (but...).
REASONS WHY I WENT "HUH?!"
+ Padding. This book could EASILY have had 100+ pages cropped from the middle. There was WAY too much time spent on the Season, the near-rape experience was 100% unnecessary (the results from this encounter were already FIRMLY hammered into the audience's head, and Amy is never nearly as traumatized by this event as she should be), Amy and Elder bring up questions, then proceed to wander around and do nothing. It's a shame, because when they FINALLY started to ask questions and WAIT for the answers, the book was completely gripping.
+ Logistics. Having children only once per generation isn't going to repair the population crisis. In fact, it's likely to make it worse. Why bother with a Season in the first place when you could have all your women go to the doctor and be artificially inseminiated? That way you could control when the children were born and avoid incest in one shot. Engines do NOT work the same way in space (vacuum) as on Earth. They would NOT need to be kept running 24/7 to keep the ship moving, so this bullcrap about the ship's engines running at 40% maximum speed is WRONG. Newton's First Law, baby: An object in motion WILL STAY IN MOTION.
+ Society. Why does every future society just decide religion is stupid? Wouldn't a NEW religion have evolved--such as one idolizing the stars? Why are the only new words "floppies" and "chutz"? Why is "chutz" used for EVERYTHING from "being brave" to a d-ag?
+ Sketchy Transitions. Sometimes people will just start to move or leave a place with little to no warning. For instance, Eldest says "come", then suddenly, Elder is jogging to catch up with the apparently moving Eldest.
+ Viewpoints. I can't tell you how many times I had to go to the beginning of the chapter to see who was narrating! It seemed to be worse the further in the book I got.
+ Stereotypical characters. Eldest likes Hilter; therefore, he is a bad guy. Orion has long hair and acts crazy; therefore, he is crazy. Doc is a doctor; therefore, he is a neat freak. Harley paints; therefore, he is a tortured genius. We need to bump off Jason, make sure no one misses him (particularly Amy), so let's make him a two-timer.
+Technology. Even with the reasons in the book, it is weird how little has changed. There are wi-coms, but why not create them to be activated mentally instead of by touching your hand to your ear? Why not have them also be listening devices? Floppies seem strange--paper-thin computers? (And I literally mean paper-thin) Why not just wire it through the wi-com? Grav tubes, wi-coms, and floppies are the only new inventions in the ~250 years of traveling? By that same logic, in 2011, we should still be using plows and horse drawn carriages.
So...while I really liked the book, I really had some problems with the world-building, as you can see. This is a clever book, with an interesting story and good ideas, but I don't think it pushes far enough. I don't expect Arthur C. Clarke hard scifi, but a little more facts mixed in would have been nice in addition to some serious editting in the middle section. Even with the flaws, I defintiely will be checking out the sequel.
ETA: Five years after this review, I find myself with zero desire to return to this world. I've grown up and out of young adult; if I found it cheesy and flawed back when I read this, reading the sequels would end up being the opposite of pleasurable. So although I bought the other two books, I will be selling them/donating unread.
I love science fiction. I love Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica...even hard scifi, like Arthur C. Clarke. And when I started this book, I adored it! There is just far too little scifi out there in the young adult market right now. To me, this is a breath of fresh air.
But alas, I can't just sing praises of this book and move on. While I did greatly enjoy this book, much like Divergent, a lot of the problems in this book are the result of technology/world building.
REASONS WHY THIS WAS ENJOYABLE
+ Amy. I liked how she sacrificed a lot to be with her parents (her boyfriend, dreams of running in a marathon, etc.). I liked how she didn't fall into insta-love with Elder or any of the other males on the ship. I also liked how she drove the investigation into the mysteries of the ship--the culture and the people being removed from cryofreeze. Even at the end, she plays an important role in the "Final Showndown".
+ Elder. I liked how he was drawn to Amy because of her hair and how he was constantly thinking about "getting physical" with her. I felt that it was pretty realistic for a guy, without getting creepy or going too far. I liked how he was questioning his role as a leader before meeting Amy.
+ No romance. As I said above, Amy and Elder don't immediately see each other and get all googly-eyed. In fact, there are times where Amy hates Elder. Even at the end, there is a hint of perhaps romance, but no kisses, no swooning.
+ The Mystery. A lot of times, if people are thinking scifi, they may not think "mystery". Much like fantasy gets connected with elves and romance with heaving bosoms, scifi gets coupled with laser guns and aliens. This book really takes a different route, one that I really enjoyed following along. I loved trying to figure out the whodunnit (though sadly, I kinda guessed it very early on in the book).
+ Thoughtful Questions. Is it right to rule people with an iron fist? What if the truth could be harmful? How much truth should you reveal? If you like books with thoughtful questions that don't get nicely wrapped up in ribbons and bows at the end, this is your book.
+ The Ship. The idea of cryogenically freezing some people and leaving others to run the ship while en route was great. I loved how the ship society greatly changed (how Amy had some trouble understanding what they were saying because of the dialect) and evolved as the ship traveled through space (but...).
REASONS WHY I WENT "HUH?!"
+ Padding. This book could EASILY have had 100+ pages cropped from the middle. There was WAY too much time spent on the Season, the near-rape experience was 100% unnecessary (the results from this encounter were already FIRMLY hammered into the audience's head, and Amy is never nearly as traumatized by this event as she should be), Amy and Elder bring up questions, then proceed to wander around and do nothing. It's a shame, because when they FINALLY started to ask questions and WAIT for the answers, the book was completely gripping.
+ Logistics. Having children only once per generation isn't going to repair the population crisis. In fact, it's likely to make it worse. Why bother with a Season in the first place when you could have all your women go to the doctor and be artificially inseminiated? That way you could control when the children were born and avoid incest in one shot. Engines do NOT work the same way in space (vacuum) as on Earth. They would NOT need to be kept running 24/7 to keep the ship moving, so this bullcrap about the ship's engines running at 40% maximum speed is WRONG. Newton's First Law, baby: An object in motion WILL STAY IN MOTION.
+ Society. Why does every future society just decide religion is stupid? Wouldn't a NEW religion have evolved--such as one idolizing the stars? Why are the only new words "floppies" and "chutz"? Why is "chutz" used for EVERYTHING from "being brave" to a d-ag?
+ Sketchy Transitions. Sometimes people will just start to move or leave a place with little to no warning. For instance, Eldest says "come", then suddenly, Elder is jogging to catch up with the apparently moving Eldest.
+ Viewpoints. I can't tell you how many times I had to go to the beginning of the chapter to see who was narrating! It seemed to be worse the further in the book I got.
+ Stereotypical characters. Eldest likes Hilter; therefore, he is a bad guy. Orion has long hair and acts crazy; therefore, he is crazy. Doc is a doctor; therefore, he is a neat freak. Harley paints; therefore, he is a tortured genius. We need to bump off Jason, make sure no one misses him (particularly Amy), so let's make him a two-timer.
+Technology. Even with the reasons in the book, it is weird how little has changed. There are wi-coms, but why not create them to be activated mentally instead of by touching your hand to your ear? Why not have them also be listening devices? Floppies seem strange--paper-thin computers? (And I literally mean paper-thin) Why not just wire it through the wi-com? Grav tubes, wi-coms, and floppies are the only new inventions in the ~250 years of traveling? By that same logic, in 2011, we should still be using plows and horse drawn carriages.
So...while I really liked the book, I really had some problems with the world-building, as you can see. This is a clever book, with an interesting story and good ideas, but I don't think it pushes far enough. I don't expect Arthur C. Clarke hard scifi, but a little more facts mixed in would have been nice in addition to some serious editting in the middle section. Even with the flaws, I defintiely will be checking out the sequel.
ETA: Five years after this review, I find myself with zero desire to return to this world. I've grown up and out of young adult; if I found it cheesy and flawed back when I read this, reading the sequels would end up being the opposite of pleasurable. So although I bought the other two books, I will be selling them/donating unread.
clues_and_courtship's review against another edition
good, really intense book. end almost disappointing but more bittersweet
ohtrisarahtops's review against another edition
3.0
This review can also be found here
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
I have seen this book all over the blogging community and I admit I was a little afraid to read it since everybody seems to love this one. I am glad that I did decide to read it though because I really enjoyed the story. I am a huge fan of books dealing with space and this one had the advantage of taking place on a space ship. To make it more interesting the person in charge is lying to practically everybody on board.
The first chapter had me hooked and I couldn't put the book down. I loved the fact that it was in dual POV and it was done well. Each character had a strong voice and I didn't get confused as to who was who. Towards the end I did guess who the murderer was, but for over half the book I was just as confused as Amy and Elder.
The characters in this one were so well fleshed out that I was interested in all of them, even if I didn't necessarily like them all. Amy was intelligent and strong, she had to be, being the only different person on a spaceship where everyone else is the same. Elder was an interesting character for me. He was meant to be like everyone else, even though he would be the leader one day, but he was so different from what everybody on the ship was like. I loved the chapters that were in his point of view because we really get to see what his life is like. I know Elder is supposed to be the love interest in this one but I loved Harley. I couldn't help it. He was so sweet and amazing that it was impossible not to love him. His artistic talents that everyone else considered crazy made him unique and that was the greatest thing that he could be.
If you're a fan of space books but are afraid of the hype surrounding this one I really recommend that you read it anyway. It was an amazing story that sucks you in with the mystery and at the end leaves you wanting more. I am definitely going to be finishing this series and I can't wait to see what happens between Amy and Elder next.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
I have seen this book all over the blogging community and I admit I was a little afraid to read it since everybody seems to love this one. I am glad that I did decide to read it though because I really enjoyed the story. I am a huge fan of books dealing with space and this one had the advantage of taking place on a space ship. To make it more interesting the person in charge is lying to practically everybody on board.
The first chapter had me hooked and I couldn't put the book down. I loved the fact that it was in dual POV and it was done well. Each character had a strong voice and I didn't get confused as to who was who. Towards the end I did guess who the murderer was, but for over half the book I was just as confused as Amy and Elder.
The characters in this one were so well fleshed out that I was interested in all of them, even if I didn't necessarily like them all. Amy was intelligent and strong, she had to be, being the only different person on a spaceship where everyone else is the same. Elder was an interesting character for me. He was meant to be like everyone else, even though he would be the leader one day, but he was so different from what everybody on the ship was like. I loved the chapters that were in his point of view because we really get to see what his life is like. I know Elder is supposed to be the love interest in this one but I loved Harley. I couldn't help it. He was so sweet and amazing that it was impossible not to love him. His artistic talents that everyone else considered crazy made him unique and that was the greatest thing that he could be.
If you're a fan of space books but are afraid of the hype surrounding this one I really recommend that you read it anyway. It was an amazing story that sucks you in with the mystery and at the end leaves you wanting more. I am definitely going to be finishing this series and I can't wait to see what happens between Amy and Elder next.
yaakovakiva's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my cripes that was good. REALLY good. Straight up fantastic dystopic/sci fi that raises really great questions. I will definitely be finishing this series, having JUST discovered that there are more books. Oh my goodness. Excellent.
lovelyloro's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so a couple things about this book. First off, not being a huge scif-fi fan I wasn't sure how well, if at all, I'd like this book. But let me just say it's a great story and poses some incredibly interesting questions. I found myself contemplating how I would react in certain situations and by the end of the book, and I was left feeling slightly more sympathetic towards a certain character than I had thought I would, which was fascinating and only goes to prove that leadership and power are rarely worth being coveted.
In theater you have what is called the "suspension of disbelief." When we're watching something preformed on stage the actors, director and play write are all asking us to pretend that we're not in a theater but rather that we are watching reality unfold before us. In a novel we rarely are asked to do that. Authors are given free reign to create their word and draw us in. A good author paints a visual landscape that's so vivid when we read we feel as if we're there. A GREAT author not only achieves all the aforementioned but they also invite us to suppose their world actually exists just beyond our own so when we aren't reading we're thinking, dreaming, and wishing we were there. Revis's book, unfortunately doesn't quite fall into either category. You're going to have to "suspend your beliefs" to truly enjoy this book. There are more than a couple holes in her plot and I'm sure die hard sci-fi fans will find her descriptions and credibility in certain circumstances seriously lacking. I found that to be the case and this isn't even a genre I'm well versed in.
However, all that aside, I still found it to be a great story, with detailed characters and ultimately it succeeds in posing interesting theories on the human psyche and societal morals; which is why I continued to the end and why I'll definitely pick up the next book. Worth reading for sure.
In theater you have what is called the "suspension of disbelief." When we're watching something preformed on stage the actors, director and play write are all asking us to pretend that we're not in a theater but rather that we are watching reality unfold before us. In a novel we rarely are asked to do that. Authors are given free reign to create their word and draw us in. A good author paints a visual landscape that's so vivid when we read we feel as if we're there. A GREAT author not only achieves all the aforementioned but they also invite us to suppose their world actually exists just beyond our own so when we aren't reading we're thinking, dreaming, and wishing we were there. Revis's book, unfortunately doesn't quite fall into either category. You're going to have to "suspend your beliefs" to truly enjoy this book. There are more than a couple holes in her plot and I'm sure die hard sci-fi fans will find her descriptions and credibility in certain circumstances seriously lacking. I found that to be the case and this isn't even a genre I'm well versed in.
However, all that aside, I still found it to be a great story, with detailed characters and ultimately it succeeds in posing interesting theories on the human psyche and societal morals; which is why I continued to the end and why I'll definitely pick up the next book. Worth reading for sure.
goodyeargoodbooks's review against another edition
3.0
After hearing so much hype for this book and finding a copy relatively cheap in the pretty covers (I was never going to pick up the new covers), I was eager to find out why this book is so well loved. In the end, I just thought that it was a little 'meh'.
I am a huge fan of science in books in any shape or form, however I was underwhelmed by the lack of scientific basis for the majority of the book. I know that these events are obviously implausible, but I was hoping for a little scientific background, and what there was ended up being very few and far between.
When I started this, I was intrigued and wanted to understand more about the circumstances of Amy and Elder. This intrigue just faded entirely, and very swiftly. Amy transpired to be a tad too whiny for my liking, Elder was rather dim to not pick up on the blatantly obvious twist, and their romance seemed to gravitate entirely around the fact that Elder was increasingly horny and Amy was the only 'different' person around. They didn't seem to have any actual feelings for each other beyond "It's 'the season' and there is a girl who doesn't look like she could be my sister". I truly thought that Amy and Harvey would have been a nicer couple, and actually had chemistry, which is virtually non-existent with Elder.
The plot twists were obvious. I don't mind obvious plot twists if the reveal is executed well, as I enjoy being able to say that I worked it out whilst still getting some suspense from the reveal. However, whilst I did like this plot twist, the execution of the reveal was drab. It just didn't excite me, there's nothing else to be said.
This book was a relatively enjoyable read, but I will probably only continue the series if I run out of other books to read, which is a very very low possibility with me. Not my least favourite series, but I'm by no means in a rush to find out what happens next.
I am a huge fan of science in books in any shape or form, however I was underwhelmed by the lack of scientific basis for the majority of the book. I know that these events are obviously implausible, but I was hoping for a little scientific background, and what there was ended up being very few and far between.
When I started this, I was intrigued and wanted to understand more about the circumstances of Amy and Elder. This intrigue just faded entirely, and very swiftly. Amy transpired to be a tad too whiny for my liking, Elder was rather dim to not pick up on the blatantly obvious twist, and their romance seemed to gravitate entirely around the fact that Elder was increasingly horny and Amy was the only 'different' person around. They didn't seem to have any actual feelings for each other beyond "It's 'the season' and there is a girl who doesn't look like she could be my sister". I truly thought that Amy and Harvey would have been a nicer couple, and actually had chemistry, which is virtually non-existent with Elder.
The plot twists were obvious. I don't mind obvious plot twists if the reveal is executed well, as I enjoy being able to say that I worked it out whilst still getting some suspense from the reveal. However, whilst I did like this plot twist, the execution of the reveal was drab. It just didn't excite me, there's nothing else to be said.
This book was a relatively enjoyable read, but I will probably only continue the series if I run out of other books to read, which is a very very low possibility with me. Not my least favourite series, but I'm by no means in a rush to find out what happens next.
thecryptsleeper's review against another edition
4.0
This book was captivating from the beginning. It starts out with Amy and her parents waiting around to get frozen, so they can be awaken 300 years later on a whole new planet, Centauri-Earth.
I absolutely loved the description of Elder's first time seeing Amy. It's where I read one of my favorite lines ever in a book. "I wonder what color her eyes are. I squint through the ice. I can see that her eyelashes are long and reddish-yellow- frex! I didn't know they made eyelashes like that!- but they are sealed firmly shut. All I know is that if a girl can have skin that pale and hair that red and eyelashes that sunshiny, then who knows what colors live in her eyes?"
Everyone on the ship is mono-ethnic, so Amy, being completely different in appearance then everyone else, stirs things up.
My favorite character was Harley. I can easily see his paintings in my head.
I love how Elder and Harley are so fascinated with the stars; it's heartbreaking. This book really made me view the world differently.
I can't wait to read more from Beth!
I absolutely loved the description of Elder's first time seeing Amy. It's where I read one of my favorite lines ever in a book. "I wonder what color her eyes are. I squint through the ice. I can see that her eyelashes are long and reddish-yellow- frex! I didn't know they made eyelashes like that!- but they are sealed firmly shut. All I know is that if a girl can have skin that pale and hair that red and eyelashes that sunshiny, then who knows what colors live in her eyes?"
Everyone on the ship is mono-ethnic, so Amy, being completely different in appearance then everyone else, stirs things up.
My favorite character was Harley. I can easily see his paintings in my head.
I love how Elder and Harley are so fascinated with the stars; it's heartbreaking. This book really made me view the world differently.
I can't wait to read more from Beth!
breezy610's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't quite sure when i started reading this book. it's sounds just like another book, Glow, which came out earlier this year. But as I kept reading, it's kept getting better and better. and then the ending...let's just say i can't wait to get my hand on the next book.
rd_hunterr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
chucks_library's review against another edition
4.0
“It is like a piece of my soul had been lost, empty, and it is now filled with the light of a million stars.”
This sci-fi book is a great read, Reevis has a way of writing that immerses you in the world very quickly. There is science plot holes but when I read a sci-fi I sometimes just gloss over the issues with science. I mean its a story about Cryogenics and a spaceship on its way to a new planet. So what if a few small science things don't hold up to scientific scrutiny. I love this story, its characters have room to grow but it is part of a series so that will come. I think the ship layout and how it was ruled was an interesting commentary. This is a easy to pick up sci-fi that will keep you engaged and I had a great time reading this story.
This sci-fi book is a great read, Reevis has a way of writing that immerses you in the world very quickly. There is science plot holes but when I read a sci-fi I sometimes just gloss over the issues with science. I mean its a story about Cryogenics and a spaceship on its way to a new planet. So what if a few small science things don't hold up to scientific scrutiny. I love this story, its characters have room to grow but it is part of a series so that will come. I think the ship layout and how it was ruled was an interesting commentary. This is a easy to pick up sci-fi that will keep you engaged and I had a great time reading this story.