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sephranix 's review for:
Across the Universe
by Beth Revis
I wanted to like this book; I really, really did. The concept was interesting, woo space and being cryogenically frozen, but the execution wasn't there for me, so it was just okay. I also understand that the publisher/author changed the cover for the third book so that it wouldn't seem like a romance-heavy book and would appeal to males as well as females. Even so, I did get the romance feel from this one. More thoughts below in spoiler tags because I just want to vent.
And the romance vibes are already there and bordering on some insta-love/infatuation on Elder's part. It just felt weird. If I had woken up on a ship, even if this person was trying to help me, I'd be skeptical for at least a couple weeks to a month, and it really didn't feel like Amy was that concerned. But maybe my survival instinct is just stronger. I dunno.
I also found Amy's voice/narration to be incredibly annoying. Specifically, the way she was acting in the opening chapter when she was about to be frozen - I legitimately thought she was 8 years old and had to go back/read the slip cover to confirm her actual age. I get it, it's scary and horrific-looking, but I dunno. Maybe the problem is that I grew up pretty quickly due to family circumstances, but I can't imagine acting like that. I'd at least be putting on a false front for those around me. I wish I could say she got better for me throughout the book, buuuuuut that'd be a lie.
Next up: Orion. It was pretty clear to me who was behind (mostly) everything from very early on. Orion is this skulky character who knows way more than other people at the beginning of the book, and then he just skulks through the shadows for the rest of the book. You just knew he was supposed to be the dead Elder. And the spiderweb scar on his neck? Pretty sure the current Elder had JUST gone over what and where that was, so that was also kind of a giveaway.
When Elder said that the older generations don't live past 60, I was pretty sure they were just taking them up to the fourth level to kill them. I mean, this is a ship built on "efficiency" and once you can't provide, they won't provide for you. Pretty cruel, but not unexpected. It was also pretty clear to me that something was going on with the timing. Elder was talking about the plague and the statue that was worn away, but I knew you couldn't have a plague, rebuild society that much, and then have only been traveling 250 years. Something was majorly fucked up. Didn't take a rocket scientist to get there.
Anyway, I'll probably continue the series because it was a fast read once I actually committed to getting through it. And because I have both the second and third books in my house already. I'll read them and pass them along to someone else.
As a side note, I do feel like this could be a good intro to sci-fi/dystopian/semi-space opera-ish for a young teen. I'll talk about that horrendous cover change when I get to the third one.
Spoiler
Okay, let's start with Amy and Elder. She's been thawed out and awake for a couple days?And the romance vibes are already there and bordering on some insta-love/infatuation on Elder's part. It just felt weird. If I had woken up on a ship, even if this person was trying to help me, I'd be skeptical for at least a couple weeks to a month, and it really didn't feel like Amy was that concerned. But maybe my survival instinct is just stronger. I dunno.
I also found Amy's voice/narration to be incredibly annoying. Specifically, the way she was acting in the opening chapter when she was about to be frozen - I legitimately thought she was 8 years old and had to go back/read the slip cover to confirm her actual age. I get it, it's scary and horrific-looking, but I dunno. Maybe the problem is that I grew up pretty quickly due to family circumstances, but I can't imagine acting like that. I'd at least be putting on a false front for those around me. I wish I could say she got better for me throughout the book, buuuuuut that'd be a lie.
Next up: Orion. It was pretty clear to me who was behind (mostly) everything from very early on. Orion is this skulky character who knows way more than other people at the beginning of the book, and then he just skulks through the shadows for the rest of the book. You just knew he was supposed to be the dead Elder. And the spiderweb scar on his neck? Pretty sure the current Elder had JUST gone over what and where that was, so that was also kind of a giveaway.
When Elder said that the older generations don't live past 60, I was pretty sure they were just taking them up to the fourth level to kill them. I mean, this is a ship built on "efficiency" and once you can't provide, they won't provide for you. Pretty cruel, but not unexpected. It was also pretty clear to me that something was going on with the timing. Elder was talking about the plague and the statue that was worn away, but I knew you couldn't have a plague, rebuild society that much, and then have only been traveling 250 years. Something was majorly fucked up.
Anyway, I'll probably continue the series because it was a fast read once I actually committed to getting through it. And because I have both the second and third books in my house already. I'll read them and pass them along to someone else.
As a side note, I do feel like this could be a good intro to sci-fi/dystopian/semi-space opera-ish for a young teen. I'll talk about that horrendous cover change when I get to the third one.