A review by readundancies
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

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. 
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