Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1)

by Beth Revis

[Ashley]

As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviews

Since starting my blog, this is the first book I've read that I absolutely adored but feel like I have no idea how to review! It just left me in awe and I feel like no words can describe my love for this book. So I guess I'll start off simple: with the cover.

This cover is one of my absolute favourites. Seriously, that is drop dead gorgeous. I have a puddle of drool forming right now. I wish I could just melt into that universe and be one of those silhouetted figures! I wish my dreams looked like that.

So, moving on, past my puddle of drool...

This book starts out super strong! There is no long introduction, no waiting time. Page #1, Amy is getting ready to be frozen; frozen for a 300 year long journey to another planet. Cue fan girl scream. Seriously, this book is a perfect example of why I adore sci-fi!

After Amy gets frozen, we start learning about Elder, a 16 year old boy living on the ship centuries after Amy gets frozen. At first I was like, "Nooo, take me back to Ami!" But I quickly got settled in with Elder. The chapters in this book alternate between Amy and Elder's points of view, and Elder's chapters are the ones that start off focusing on the conspiracies and mysteries in the space ship. Things get super interesting super fast! Plus, Elder is such a great character. I love how he's independent and he thinks for himself. He doesn't swallow the brainwash nonsense that some people try to feed him. He's young so he still has a lot to learn, but he doesn't accept everything his elders (haha) tell him as fact. He's not afraid to question and doubt.

This book is interesting because we're not just learning about a future version of our world; we're reading about a girl who's also learning about a future version of our world! She's in our position. She's suddenly thrown centuries into the future, into a culture with different traditions, different appearances, and different ways of living. It's just as strange to her as it is to us readers! Things are so different that suddenly she's the freak on the ship; she's the one who's different and talks funny and looks funny and isn't their kind of 'normal.' That makes her very easy to relate to and sympathize with.

Across the Universe will keep you completely on edge! Each chapter is filled with some kind of beauty, excitement, mind blowing information, or entrancing love. From the moment Amy wakes up, she's faced with new challenges, conspiracies to unravel, truths to face, hard facts to accept, and feelings she's never felt before. I could completely place myself in her shoes and I felt every emotion she was feeling.

Maybe the end was a little rushed, and there wasn't a super awesome twist. The gist of it is that there's a central conflict throughout the story: someone is unplugging the people who are cryogenically frozen and killing them. The answer to that does become pretty obvious, so it's not a huge z0mg moment when it gets revealed. But there are other things you don't even think about that are a complete shocker! So that makes up for it!

This is definitely a must-read for any sci-fi/dystopian fans. Now excuse me while I go buy the second book!