Kelly
Written on Dec 7, 2015
The Starbound series has been phenomenal and one of my favourite young adult series to date. Each installment introducing readers to a new couple of unlikely partners who form bonds and both having been touched by the devastation LaRoux Industries has inflected upon their worlds. Using deception and her cunning, Sofia can swindle her way into any situation, having shifted around between worlds since her father was killed. She certainly won't let her guard down for Gideon, the computer hacker that now has her on the run. Gideon has his own vendetta and through chance, the two reluctantly join forces.
Gideon is not only a hacker but a notorious keyboard warrior, keeping his online identity a mystery. Sofia wants more than to bring down the LaRoux empire and neither Sofia or Gideon can trust one another, keeping their own secrets of lies and deception. As the storyline progresses, the reader is reintroduced to the characters of previous installments, Lilac, Tarver, Jubilee and Flynn. It becomes apparent that LaRoux is on the verge of world domination and the team of unlikely heroes must find a way to coincide and save humanity.
Although I enjoyed their intense attraction, I felt Sofia and Gideon were more engaging as individuals and seemed to lose their identity once the romantic aspects of their partnership were introduced. Neither felt as developed as previous characters in the series. It isn't until the latter half of Their Fractured Light where the intensity increases tenfold. LaRoux Industries and the Whispers that were introduced in These Broken Stars are being used as a weapon against those on Corinth, before introducing the technology that ensures compliance to the rest of civilisation.
Suffice to say, the finale crescendo is absolutely epic. I gasped, laughed inappropriately, swooned, and felt the gauntlet of emotions before settling on utter contentment. Like previous installments, the storyline was intricate and beautifully paced. The world building is immaculate and vividly imagined, placing the reader among the stars with our young group of heroes. Even told in dual points of view, the chapters are seamless and show what remarkable authors both Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner truly are. Not many authors could create such a wildly imagined and beautiful series, that is also relatable through it's utterly charming and ragtag characters. The partnership they've formed is a forced to be reckoned with.
An epic finale to what has been not only a beautifully written, but incredibly engaging and lovingly created series. Although I would have liked to have seen deeper character development of both Sofia and Gideon, I loved it regardless. The Starbound trilogy is without a doubt, one of, if not the best young adult science fiction series to date.
