Author: Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: December 2013
Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Sci-Fi
Series or Stand Alone: Series, Book One
Synopsis can be found here.
I received a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
Favorite!
There is so much to love about These Broken Stars, I don’t know how I’ll mention it all without sounding like a crazy gushing fan girl. Oh well. Here it goes.
Lilac, privileged and isolated, is on the Icarus space ship when she meets Major Tarver. A decorated war hero, Tarver doesn’t belong on the upper class decks nor does he fully belong on the lower decks with his fellow soldiers. But something draws them to each other and for just a second, both feel comfortable in their own skin. It can’t last for long as Lilac knows what her privileged life entails and she forced Tarver away.
Then the unthinkable happens. The spaceship malfunctions, sending the residents into a panic trying to get to the escape pods. And Tarver and Lilac crash land on a remote island. Together. Alone.
The world is mesmerizing. I loved the planet, the spaceship, the world that they explore. The danger is heightened each chapter, throwing Tarver and Lilac into some desperate situations.
Tarver is strong, trained and probably the perfect person to be with if I was ever to crash land on an alient planet. He’s very smart, young but with loads of experience in stressful situations. I liked his no nonsense attitude immediately. Lilac is perfect for him. I loved that he isn’t a very prissy high maintenance girl. She doesn’t whine. Yes, they trade insults and she is difficult, but coming from the world she lives in and the inner guilt she’s acquired in her young age, I feel like these things were warranted and they didn’t bother me. Through the book, Lilac grows the most as a character. She toughens up, is forceful and stubborn and doesn’t give in. She becomes resilient. I loved her character arc. I LOVED the fact that she started out this journey in a beautiful green dress and how the dress signifies Lilac’s own growth and shedding the layers of her former life. Um, I also love that dress and wish I had it. One note- I didn’t think of these characters as teenagers. Major Tarver is very experienced and Lilac lacks the angst and whine of some teenage protagonists out there. I liked both of these things about this story because each character felt more mature and realistic to me.
At it’s core, These Broken Stars is a sweeping love story of two hearts able to find peace and understanding with each other. Yes, she’s pretty. Yes, he’s good looking. But the characters’s relationship grows organically, slowly, allowing the reader to see all of the different colors of love. They hate each other, they push each other, they need each other. Brilliant.
At first, I was skeptical because I thought it would be hard to keep my attention on a story that only revolves around two characters, stranded on a remote island. Hello? Not a problem at all! This writing team adds so much drama, emotionally and physically, there was not one slow moment in the story. In fact, I was half way done and had to go out and pick up a hard cover copy of it for my library. I loved it that much.
I can’t wait to see the rest of this series. Tarver and Lilac’s story has closed but I’m excited to see other star crossed lovers in this dangerous sci-fi world.
Can’t wait for more.
Rating 9 Ridiculously Awesome like Cookies and Ice Cream
I’ve been meaning to read this book since forever ago. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things. And come on if that cover doesn’t draw you in I’m not sure what will. Loved your review! 😉
Thanks Andy! I hope you love it as much as I did! I love the cover as well. Isn’t it stunning?
This sounds like a fun book. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for stopping by Susan!
I can’t wait to read this book. It sounds amazing!
Thanks for stopping by Pamela. I can’t wait to read it again! 🙂
One of my to read next books. Yours is one of many positive reviews I’ve read of it. I guess a trip to the book store is in order.
Go for it Karen! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
I love the cover of this book! I am glad to read from your review how much you liked this! I like reading something nice like a love story in between all of the dystopians that I love too. This sounds perfect!
I’m so glad you want to read it. I hope you like it! Happy New Years!
I’m always so thrilled when I come across someone who adores this as much as I do. I agree with all the good points you made. One of the things I liked most was that they didn’t feel anything like most of the teenagers you find in YA. And the character development! It’s so believable and unfolds perfectly. So much of the time in YA it feels forced or too rapid. Since this is under 400 pages I thought it would be the same. It’s just so….perfect! It’s worth reading for the character development alone.