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mamamelreads 's review for:
This Shattered World
by Amie Kaufman
Like the first book in this series, This Shattered World was a book that kept driving me to read, putting aside my life for a moment so that I could stay immersed in this wonderful world. Probably closer to 4.5 stars, it isn't perfect, but it is an extremely enjoyable dive into the universe introduced in These Broken Stars. Those hoping for a continuation of Tarver and Lilac's story might be disappointed to hear that this story does not focus on them, but instead introduces two new characters who are destined to learn that the universe is not all that they believed it to be. Tarver has a good role in this story, and Lilac makes a great appearance as well, but this story focuses on Jubilee Chase, a top soldier serving in the inhospitable and dangerous planet of Avon, and Flynn Carmac, a rebel leader interested in peace who holds a fragile hold over a group of rebels who are slowly coming to feel that violence is necessary in order to earn the rights and privileges their people deserve. Flynn and Jubilee begin this story as sworn enemies, unable to see past their different societal roles. However, as the story progresses they begin to see that behind the personas thrust on them by a world at war (or on the brink of it) are two actual people with personalities and love and care for those around them. This is a story of war focusing on two people who need peace.
This story has a lot more action and overt danger than These Broken Stars did. Where the first book in the series spent the majority of the time with only the two main characters traipsing through a (seemingly) lifeless planet, this story takes place in the middle of a burgeoning society. There are military personnel, civilian personnel, rebel fighters and families ... and A LOT of things going on. Avon is a world just waiting for the spark to light the kindling leading toward an all out war. This creates a very different feel than the first story in the series. Everyone could be an enemy, and that makes the events of this book seem always slightly off balance, keeping me reading.
I loved how this story explored the nuances of war. War is never really the story of two sides, good versus evil. There are all sorts of areas of gray in between that make it complicated. Often the powers that influence these wars try to make it seem so very uncomplicated so that it is easier to push others to support the war machine. In this story Jubilee begins the story believing her side is good and the rebels are evil, something that needs to be contained or maybe eradicated. Many of the rebels see the exact opposite view. Flynn is the beginning of the change. He hopes for peace in a world that has only really known conflict. His attempt to reach out, and his decisions to show mercy to Jubilee when mercy seems unwarranted begins to change Jubilee's opinion. What made this story interesting was that sometimes Jubilee or Flynn were fighting the other side, and sometimes in order to do the right thing they had to fight their own people. I found it fascinating.
Jubilee and Flynn were wonderful main characters for this story because they were not cookie cutter stereotypes. Each of them went through several transformations throughout the story as their world views were thrown out of whack. They struggled with the nuances of war, and seeing their change in the midst of new understandings was rewarding and interesting. Yes, this is a romance, and the romance is beautiful. I think in some ways it was even more satisfying than Tarver and Lilac's romance because of the depth of division that initially separated Flynn and Jubilee. But the romance of this story, although beautiful and satisfying, was not the all encompassing point of the story. It was just the cherry on top of a well written adventure story.
LaRoux Industries is still the villain in this story, although it takes a while to discover exactly how they fit into the events on Avon. M. LaRoux is an excellent villain because he matches his evil nature with charm that makes him seem totally benign ... all while he is plotting to take over the galaxy. Not enough time has truly been spent with him as a character in either of the first two books of this series. I hope that is remedied in the third book because I think he will be an AMAZING villain to dissect. For now it is satisfying to see that the book now ends with four people in place, ready to find a way to take this man down. I love the way that Tarver and Lilac assist in this book, and I look forward to seeing Flynn and Jubilee join the resistance in the upcoming book.
Fans of These Broken Stars should find lots to love in the second book of the series. We learn more about the mysterious entities that affected Tarver and Lilac in book one. We discover that LaRoux Industries has more horrible things planned for these intelligences than Tarver and Lilac discovered. The world building in this book is way better than the first book. Things are starting to click together, and the writers of this story did an amazing job creating the atmosphere for this dismal planet and finding spots of beauty in the midst of such mud and gunk. Their creation of the setting for this story almost mirrored the personalities of those inhabiting this planet ... so much despair, but joy and love piercing the difficulties facing the settlers. I enjoyed it immensely. Five stars!
This story has a lot more action and overt danger than These Broken Stars did. Where the first book in the series spent the majority of the time with only the two main characters traipsing through a (seemingly) lifeless planet, this story takes place in the middle of a burgeoning society. There are military personnel, civilian personnel, rebel fighters and families ... and A LOT of things going on. Avon is a world just waiting for the spark to light the kindling leading toward an all out war. This creates a very different feel than the first story in the series. Everyone could be an enemy, and that makes the events of this book seem always slightly off balance, keeping me reading.
I loved how this story explored the nuances of war. War is never really the story of two sides, good versus evil. There are all sorts of areas of gray in between that make it complicated. Often the powers that influence these wars try to make it seem so very uncomplicated so that it is easier to push others to support the war machine. In this story Jubilee begins the story believing her side is good and the rebels are evil, something that needs to be contained or maybe eradicated. Many of the rebels see the exact opposite view. Flynn is the beginning of the change. He hopes for peace in a world that has only really known conflict. His attempt to reach out, and his decisions to show mercy to Jubilee when mercy seems unwarranted begins to change Jubilee's opinion. What made this story interesting was that sometimes Jubilee or Flynn were fighting the other side, and sometimes in order to do the right thing they had to fight their own people. I found it fascinating.
Jubilee and Flynn were wonderful main characters for this story because they were not cookie cutter stereotypes. Each of them went through several transformations throughout the story as their world views were thrown out of whack. They struggled with the nuances of war, and seeing their change in the midst of new understandings was rewarding and interesting. Yes, this is a romance, and the romance is beautiful. I think in some ways it was even more satisfying than Tarver and Lilac's romance because of the depth of division that initially separated Flynn and Jubilee. But the romance of this story, although beautiful and satisfying, was not the all encompassing point of the story. It was just the cherry on top of a well written adventure story.
LaRoux Industries is still the villain in this story, although it takes a while to discover exactly how they fit into the events on Avon. M. LaRoux is an excellent villain because he matches his evil nature with charm that makes him seem totally benign ... all while he is plotting to take over the galaxy. Not enough time has truly been spent with him as a character in either of the first two books of this series. I hope that is remedied in the third book because I think he will be an AMAZING villain to dissect. For now it is satisfying to see that the book now ends with four people in place, ready to find a way to take this man down. I love the way that Tarver and Lilac assist in this book, and I look forward to seeing Flynn and Jubilee join the resistance in the upcoming book.
Fans of These Broken Stars should find lots to love in the second book of the series. We learn more about the mysterious entities that affected Tarver and Lilac in book one. We discover that LaRoux Industries has more horrible things planned for these intelligences than Tarver and Lilac discovered. The world building in this book is way better than the first book. Things are starting to click together, and the writers of this story did an amazing job creating the atmosphere for this dismal planet and finding spots of beauty in the midst of such mud and gunk. Their creation of the setting for this story almost mirrored the personalities of those inhabiting this planet ... so much despair, but joy and love piercing the difficulties facing the settlers. I enjoyed it immensely. Five stars!