Book Review: Across the Universe (AND 200TH POST)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Series: Across the Universe # 1

Official Website

Description: Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Review: I usually don't review the really popular young adult books, mainly because my reaction to them mirror everyone else's and it'd just be another glowing review. And I wasn't planning on reviewing this one, either, because I really enjoyed it, and this review was going to look like everyone else's (except with a shittier layout and theme and grammar). for example, i've yet to review a john green novel, mainly because i'm still crying weeks after i've read the book, so it's pointless to write anything.

however, across the universe really moved me. and that sounds so lame. (and i've stopped capitalizing words, so you know i'm serious) (i think i'm gonna start writing reviews like this) but about 300 pages in, when my favorite character dies, i was in tears. it was such a beautifully written death that i couldn't help but smile through my tears and be encouraged to write something about this book. and it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it.

not only am i reviewing a really popular book, but this is my 200th post AND i'm not using capital letters!? taking big risks, lauren.

alright. here goes. across the universe tells the story of Amy. Amy and her parents were frozen and put on this ship so that they can wake up in 350 years and lead a new civilization on a new planet. now, i'm not sure if the author explained why they left earth in the first place? i began the book before finals, and the first 100 pages are a blur. but needless to say, amy's chamber is opened and she wakes up 50 years early, without her parents, to an entirely new world. this huge metal ship, called godspeed, is spiraling through the sky, houses over two thousand people, who are all perfectly content with just living and dying on this ship. there is no conflict aboard the ship, because everyone is the same race, and there are no differences among the people. amy causes a ruckus, as one would expect, with her pale skin and fiery red hair.

the other main character is elder. elder is sixteen or seventeen (sorry) and he is the future leader of the ship. ever since an incident aboard the ship called 'the plague,' there has been an almighty ruler who is in charge of protecting all aboard godspeed. elder is chosen from birth, and raised by the current ruler, who goes by the name of eldest. they have access all over the ship, and can do whatever they want.

the chapters alternate between elder and amy. i really loved how the romance wasn't thrown in our face, like LOOK AT THIS, THEY'RE THE SAME AGE, I AM GOING TO MAKE THEM LOVE INTERESTS LOOK, LOOK, THEY'RE TALKING HUH DO YOU SEE THE CHEMISTRY HERE?? it was casual, and i thought of them as friends who care for each other's wellbeing. amy would cry on elder, and they'd explore together and discover godspeed's secrets.

but the romance that did take place was really cute. you learn a huuuuuge secret at the end, regarding the relationship, but besides that, the connection between elder and amy is so strong. elder knows there is more than this ship life out there, and amy knows only about earth and what wonders it held. they balance each other beautifully, and the scenes were their true emotions are revealed are the most heartbreaking.

this book was obviously extremely thought out, and for books of this type of genre, it is very crucial that they are. readers can see through bullshit, and this book was very believable. there were no plot holes as far as i can tell, and the book itself read very fluid and smooth.

i think i enjoyed this book so much because i saw something of people i knew in each character. in elder, i saw this boy that i follow on tumblr who listens to sad music all the time, and has so much on his plate, that i just feel sad reading his posts. in amy, i saw my friend dani. she's relentless and would never stay pacified in that type of situation. in harley, i saw my friend will, who is just so artistically creative, it makes me vomit.

the main characters were so unique and three-dimensional that it made me feel that i can never write truly believable characters. and these characters were travelling on a space ship to another planet. i'm trying to write about dorks in high school. everyone is that damn book was so intense and scared. and they had RIGHT to be. it i was on a space ship, with another 50 years ahead of me, and they had an artificial sun and fake sprinkler rain, i'd be petrified. the entire setup of the ship was a farse. the people of the ship were just treated so badly, and i won't spoil it for you, even though i LOVE SPOILING BOOKS, but it was dreadful. they were treated like animals that someone could just control with the flip of a switch. it was disgusting, and cruel, and i'm glad for rulers like elder, who believe that people should thrive and have emotions, and should be able to make their own decisions and i'm just thinking about the sequel and getting so excited. i'm not big on politics (pretty sure i failed my poli sci final) but people need direction. they have souls and desires and dreams and those dreams shouldn't be suffocated just because of mental illness or chaos.

i'm just really sad about the events that took place in across the universe, but i'm happy about the optimism of the ending and i'm curious about what's gonna happen. the sequel is called a million suns and i'm reserving at my library as we speak. seriously though, i didn't think i was gonna get attached to this book. curse you, tragically flawed characters.

overall, i loved this book, and i hope when i'm 23 and living in brooklyn and have a rockin' bookcase, this lovely is sitting right on the shelf. across the universe is good for fans of sci fi, hard decisions, and fighting for what you believe in.

this whole ship has been held together with metal and lies, everyone either deceived or a deceiver. except for elder.

across the universe/ beth revis