Across a Star-Swept Sea (Stars, #2)

by Diana Peterfreund

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction--the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars--is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries' weapon is a drug that damages their enemies' brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo... is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can't risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he's hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country's revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he's pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she's not only risking her heart, she's risking the world she's sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by  The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.

• ISBN10: 0062006169
• ISBN13: 9780062006165
• Publish Date: 15 October 2013
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 464
• Language: English

Reviews

[pagingserenity]

Not a direct sequel to For Darkness Shows the Stars but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The whole political / spy aspect was so interesting, as well as seeing how another society was functioning within the same world as the first book. But this is maybe the first book I've read where I wished the characters from the previous books didn't make an appearance. It was kind of awkward seeing Elliot and Kai from Persis and Justen's points of view. 

[ladygrey]

My tolerances have changed. And it is, admittedly, my own fault. But if you’re going to write a 450 page book, I expect that you have more to say. Or more that happens.

This story is pretty good. A bit confusing at first with a lot of unfamiliar terms, no sort of a timeline between the first two chapters and not a lot of context. But all of that works itself out well enough before too long. Most of the characters are interesting enough, except when they’re being colossally stupid. I’m all for plot and things going wrong but when it’s because a character comes to wrong headed conclusions, or several characters come to wrong headed conclusions again and again, it’s annoying. Like, punch the stupid book but keep reading, annoying. (Please note, no books were harmed during the course of reading.)

And I don’t have any patience anymore for repetition. Explanations of character’s names, history, motivation, character’s self-recriminations or going over the same train of thought again and again. We know you don’t trust him. We know why. We know why you must act as you do. We know what you want to do and why you need to save everyone. Over and over and by page 300 I was so over it. Seriously, just trimming the repetition would have saved 100 pages.

Or given the other characters more to do. The princess, the visitors especially, the engineers who don’t collaborate at all, the secondary romance that barely exists. There were a lot of potential storylines and character angles maybe the author didn’t want to explore and maybe there just wasn’t room for. I particularly wanted more of the implications of Persis and Justen’s romance on both islands - where it succeeded and how it failed and, like Isla, more being out and about with it.

And it feels like there wasn’t enough room for the ending. Like it was all repetition, repetition, repetition, climax (easily seen coming), two page ending, DONE. A little time in the resolution never hurt anyone.

For all my criticisms, it’s not a bad book. Even with them I enjoyed it well enough. Someone who likes sci-fi and thinks that sort of repetition draws them deeper into the characters would provably like it quite a bit.

[littleread1]

Somehow I missed the whole, this is the second book in a series info when I picked it up. However I don't think it affected my enjoyment or understanding of the story a whole lot. The first book, from what I understand, takes place in a whole other part of the world, with a set of characters that you don't meet until later on in this story.

I was a little confused with the terminology at the beginning, this is one of those books that you get thrown into the world, and learn the words and definitions as you go. Those tend to be a little more challenging, but worth it if you stick it out and keep going. By the end I was well versed in the terms and rules of this world.

The writing was beautiful. Many sentences painted pictures for you, in stead of just telling you what the world looked like. I felt more in the story than being told a story. I still, weeks later, find myself thinking about the characters, wondering how they are doing, if everything is ok, and if they are happy. Which is silly, they are fictional beings, but they became such a real part of my life that I still ache for them now that they are gone.

As young as they are, the characters have the weight of the world on their shoulders. And it is such a totally believable situation they find themselves in, victims of circumstance rather than masters of their own future. But they take the hand they have been dealt and deal with it in the best way they know how. And they exceed my expectations.

If you liked The Hunger Games, or other YA dystopian stories, this is certainly right up your alley. Do not hesitate to check this book out.

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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★★★½

Across a Star-Swept Sea was an interesting book for me. I enjoyed it, and didn’t have any problems staying engaged with the writing, but something about it didn’t wow me – which really surprised me, because I was almost 100% sure I would love this book, especially after loving For Darkness Shows the Stars (despite having forgotten most of the details). I mean, look at that cover! And I love retellings – and this time (unlike FDSTS) I was familiar with the original story as well…

Well, a little familiar with the story. I used to looooove the 1982 “Scarlet Pimpernel” movie, though it’s been probably more than 10 years since I watched it. (I have no idea if I’d still like it today, but it definitely made an impression on my younger self, lol.) That’s really the only background I had on The Scarlet Pimpernel, on which this book is based.

Interestingly, I think it was my (albeit hazy) knowledge of the story which actually ended up hindering my enjoyment a little.

I appreciated the gender-swap of the main characters - Persis Blake for Percy Blakeney, and Justen Helo for Marguerite St. Just. Persis, AKA the Wild Poppy (like Percy, the Scarlet Pimpernel), is a spy trying to rescue aristos (aristocrats) and their families from the guillotine being forcefully Reduced, and the book jumps right in on the action, with the rescue of a group of aristos from being kept Reduced and enslaved on their own property.

Persis is plucky and very smart, and really, she should have been a character I adored. However, Persis wasn't quite as funny/eccentric as I remember Percy Blakeney being - she just came across as annoying and snobbish as her alter-ego "Persis Flake". I was expecting more laughs. Nor was she really shown to be as smart or cunning as I expected. There's a lot of talk about her genius-level intelligence, but I rarely felt that reflected in her actions - other than her being good at acting and fooling people into thinking she's just a silly, flaky aristo.

And then, after the somewhat exciting beginning, things slow down significantly. Most of the middle felt very slow to me, since there was decidedly less action and not many rescue-type scenes. But I did really enjoy Peterfreund's writing in these sections. She has a way with weaving her story and words that I really love - her descriptions are vivid and I had no trouble picturing any of the settings or clothes. (See that gorgeous book cover, btw? That isn't just some unrelated cool-looking ocean-dress splashed (pun intended) on the cover to make it look pretty. It's relevant to the book! So I did love that.)

However, these slower sections did allow for a lot more time from Justen's perspective, and I adored Justen. He was my favorite character in the book, and most of the reason I was so engaged with it after things started slowing down. The scenes from his perspective always had me "awwww-ing" over his predicament. He's so sweet and kind-hearted, and just wants to help everyone, but he's wracked with guilt because he feels that he's the reason the revolution has taken such a nasty turn toward the aristos. I just wanted to hug him and tell him it would all be ok, lol.

As far as Justen and Persis's relationship, I did really like them as a couple - but I felt like, for some reason, even in the slower sections, they weren't given enough "together-time" for me to be very excited about them, together. Maybe there wasn't enough tension? Justen is totally adamant for much of the book that, logically, Persis "Flake" is not the girl for him - maybe this was over-emphasized in relation to the moments when he actually sees through Persis's mask. So I did like them together, but I wasn't really able to fall head over heels for them.

Once things start to amp up again in the last sections of the book, though, it got really good. After all the slowness, I finally felt like there was some real risk involved, and the stakes were finally high enough to make me care what was going on. The last scenes were high-tension and very well done, but I still feel like it almost wasn't enough payoff from the slower middle.

And the ending itself was incredibly abrupt - I actually got confused when it ended, thinking there must be something else, but no. It just kind of stopped. It was probably a good place to stop, but I feel like it could have been done more delicately and with a better feeling of closure.

NOTE: for those of you who might have read the first book and forgotten a lot of the details (like me, lol) - this book shouldn't be too confusing coming into it with little knowledge of the first. We do eventually see Kai and Elliot (and Ro and Andromeda) again, but even though I didn't remember their story very well, I did recognize and appreciate their characters. So even if you've read and forgotten most of For Darkness Shows the Stars, this companion novel shouldn't be too confusing if you decide to pick it up.

In conclusion...

There were a lot of things to like about this book, but I feel like the aspects that mattered to me (especially after my expectations regarding Persis) fell rather short of the mark. I did really enjoy Peterfreund's writing and gorgeously vivid descriptions, but while those kept me engaged, they just didn't seem to be enough to really wow me when the plot slowed down.

It was an adequate retelling, and the series is still one I'll recommend, but maybe to people who aren't familiar with the original story - since I feel like my expectations would have been different (and maybe, thus, better fulfilled) had I not had specific things in mind before starting the book.

[celinenyx]

So, I've been putting off reviewing Across a Star-Swept Sea because I ultimately have mixed feelings about it. Ms Peterfreund is one of my favourite authors, and I've loved her Killer Unicorns books and For Darkness Shows the Stars. In some ways Across a Star-Swept Sea was better than For Darkness Shows the Stars, but in other parts I felt it wasn't as gut-wrenching as its companion novel was.

After mankind ruined the world with their technology, a small segregation created two islands, Galatea and Albion. They have lived in relative peace for generations, until the Regs in Galatea revolt against their aristocracy. Half reg, half aristo and best friend of the Albion regent, Persis Blake can't stand by and watch the Galatean aristocracy being chemically Reduced to shells of their former selves.

Across a Star-Swept Sea (AaSSS) is essentially a companion novel of For Darkness Shows the Stars (FDStS). They can be read seperately without issues, although some key characters of FDStS do make an appearance in AaSSS. The books both contain the same world, but the novels are also very different, if not only in genre. Where FDStS is mainly a romance, AaSSS is more science-fiction and action-packed with a romance sub-plot. Consequently it's very hard to compare the two, them being so different in almost everything.

Even the world-building is different. Where FDStS is set in a more depressing and harsh landscape, AaSSS is set on islands where the weather is always nice and food never scarce. They have very advanced technologies, including temporary genetic solutions that change your appearance and sugary flying notes that are created from your body's nutrients.

Persis herself, I really liked. She was a great girl, and I'd totally be her friend if I happened to have lived on Albion. Princess Isla and the other secondary characters were great too, but I felt we saw a too little of them. The vast majority of the screen time we're following Persis and Justen, the arch enemy/love interest of Persis. Basically, because Persis does spy missions (awesome, by the way!) she doesn't trust the regular Justen from Galatea. Therefore she has thought up an alter ego of herself, Persis Flake, that's stupid and clothing-obsessed. Now I didn't mind this at all - it works with what we know about Persis and her world. However it gets terribly annoying that after three hundred pages she's still being Persis Flake. Her disguise started to grind against my nerves after a while.

And I think that's where the biggest problem of Across a Star-Swept Sea lies. There is plenty of action, but there is so much of nothing going on in between that the book felt longer than necessary.

That being said, I immensely enjoyed Across a Star-Swept Sea. The world Ms Peterfreund created here is amazing, and I loved being immersed into a realm of frangipani (or however it was spelled) flowers and high-tech palm thingies and fabulous dresses and hair-styles. As always, Ms Peterfreund's world-building was superb. I hope she will one day write a third book in this world, even though she doesn't seem to have any plans to as of now.