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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis



Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub. Date: 1.11.2011
Genre: Sci-Fi YA
Keywords: Spaceship, Murder, Mystery, Drama, Space Odyssey
Description (from Goodreads):
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
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.

Beth Revis had me totally and completely transfixed by her debut, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. I've always had a soft spot for science fiction, and YA is sorely lacking in this department, so, understandably, I was pumped when I first heard about this novel... Still, nothing could've prepared me for just how epic it was going to be!

I feel the need to mention that this is one of those hyped novels that actually lives up to the hype. This was so, so rewarding for me. There's nothing worse than looking forward to and daydreaming about a book, then finally having it in your hands and realizing that it isn't at all what you thought it was going to be. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE ended up being all I expected and more. 

This debut is a bit of everything, without being overwhelming. Fans of romance, mystery, dystopia, and sci-fi will all find familiar elements within ACROSS THE UNIVERSE's pages. That said, these elements are all seamlessly interwoven, so if you're usually not a fan of sci-fi or romance or whichever genre, you'll still enjoy this book. 

As the story unfolded and history and secrets were revealed, I found myself entranced by life upon the Godspeed. The population upon the ship live such caricatures of real life and they're totally unaware... it's actually quite disturbing in a can't-look-away-because-it's-so-sad-and-horrible-and-what's-going-to-happen-next? kind of way.

I really liked that there's a map of the spaceship included on the book's first pages. I didn't try to figure out what everything was when I first started reading, but, as the story progressed, it was helpful to be able to flip to diagram and keep track of where things were the action was happening on the ship. 

I'll definitely be reading Revis' next installment! She dishes out the perfect mix of drama, romance, mystery, and creepy science to keep my eyes glued to the page. And, semi-secretly, I'm hoping that ACROSS THE UNIVERSE starts a sci-fi YA trend... I'd definitely be a supporter!
__________________

For a chance to win my arc, go here.

Review copy provided by publisher.

49 comments:

  1. I'm not usually a sci-fi fan. This book sounds kind of awesome though.

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  2. Looks awesome, I havent read a sci-fi book yet, this one looks perfect to start. Gonna read it soon ^^
    Nice review!

    -Mariana S
    http://smartgirls-read.blogspot.com/

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  3. Great review! I've yet to read AtU. It's getting great reviews though so I'm really eager to get my hands on it. Did you watch the author chat yesterday? It was so much fun! Beth is great!

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  4. I agree, YA needs more good science fiction novels. This sounds like an amazing book! Your review totally makes me want to read Across The Universe.

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  5. Great review! I can not wait to read this! I love the cover. It's so pretty!

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  6. I cannot wait to read this book! the cover is beautiful! :D

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  7. Glad to hear you think it lives up to the hype! I honestly have become a bit cautious about reading books that everyone goes crazy over. I've been disappointed so many times! But I'm looking forward to this book. It sounds good!

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  8. Great contest.... I think the cover is awesome. I have stolen my daughters copy to read but would love my own.

    Kate

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  9. Great review. I have not really read a sci-fi book as of yet, so I am really looking forward to this one. Ive heard many great things about it!

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  10. Nice review. I seriously can't wait to read this book!

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  11. Ive heard awesome things about this book ty for the review deff have to check this out even more now ty!

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  12. Obviously I've been wanting to read this book cuz I'm gonna enter your giveaway lol, but I have heard some amazing things about this book and I would love to read something that I normally don't and I think this sci-fi book will help me with that! :)

    oreo_93@hotmail.com

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  13. I Love Sci-fi...but you're right there are not a lot of YA Sci-fi out there. So I'm extremely excited to read this. If you liked this book I would suggest seeing Firefly, it was a tv series on the sci-fi channel and it was really good, they even came out with a movie called "Serenity". You're review of the book was great and it makes me even more excited to read it!

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  14. I can't wait to read this! Great review!

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  15. I am glad you enjoyed it too! I can't wait to read the next book. Great review. :)

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  16. I was sold the minute i saw the cover of this book! Checking out the book site and seeing how amazing it was, and now reading your review only made me more curious! i can't wait to read it!

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  17. ya i hope it starts going Sci-Fi as well I'm getting a little tired of the Angels/Vampires/Werewolves

    katie_tp@yahoo.com

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  18. At first I thought this would be based on the movie...but the cover was too appealing not for me to sneak a peek at the teaser. So excited for this book! I have it on hold at the library, but feel like this might be one that needs to be on my bookcase.

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  19. After waiting practically forever, I finally got my hands on Across the Universe. I really enjoyed it. Okay, that was pretty much the biggest understatement of understatements. I LOVELOVELOVE this book and all of its charactes!

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  20. Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, I wish I could say I was patient, but upon finishing the beginning to the end in one sitting, I absolutely feel like I am going to die if I have to wait for another yeaf for book 2 to come out. Ahhh! In the meantime I got no books to read. Well, maybe a few. Or a few HUNDRED. tehe ;)

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  21. Saw this at Walmart yesterday and your review has made me regret not getting it! Thanks!

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  22. Yay! Glad to hear you enjoyed it, I really loved this one too. :P

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  23. This book wasn't on my TBR list until I read your review.

    I know what you mean about the disappointment when a book/movie doesn't live up to the hype. I'm so glad this book did.

    monagarg@yahoo.com

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  24. Nice review! I have been wanting to read this one for-ev-er!

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  25. I LOVE this book! I'm not usually crazy about scifi but this book was insanely great! :) Loved your review!

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  26. I LOVE this book! I'm not usually crazy about scifi but this book was insanely great! :) Loved your review!

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  27. At first, when I heard about the book nearly a month ago, I didn't really want to read Across the Universe... but the more I hear about it the more I'm dying to get my hands on it!

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  28. I agree, it has that can't look away feel to it. I love the alternating POV's too.
    Thanks for the review!

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  29. Agree with EVERYTHING you said! I absolutely loved this! I so know what you mean about reading a book not living up to your expectations, I'm having a slight case of that at the moment. But ATU... whoa. So glad you loved it!

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  30. Gosh I want to read this. You made me want to read it so much more. Meanie! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I've been keeping watch of this one for a while now.

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  31. I'm so excited for some good YA sci-fi. I'm glad it lived up to the hype!

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  32. I love good Sci-fi and this one went on my list after reading the first blurb. Glad to know that it is liked by so many.

    (\___/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  33. I'm glad you liked it! I'm really interested in how the different elements, like scifi, romance, mystery, etc., work together or if one overpowers the others.

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  34. This book sounds amazing. I love the dystopian genre. I can't get enough of it. Glad you liked it!

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  35. I love Sci Fi, can't wait for this one, thanks for the review

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  36. I'm so addicted to dystopian novels and I am totally in love with this cover! (I have been for months!)

    I'm so glad you liked it; it's gotten some great reviews, so I really hope it's as good as I'm hearing! Can't wait to get my hands on it!

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  37. I also believe sci-fi YA books are lacking and this one definitely is great.

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  38. I like sci-fi, but I'm not that crazy for it. So it sounds good to hear that this win is extra-ordinary. What's really pulling it in for me is the dytopia factor - I love dystopia. Thank you for the review, it's good to hear that a lot of bloggers love this one. And the cover is so awesome!!! :D

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  39. I heard so much about this book and how great it is! Great review thanks for sharing!

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  40. I really want to read this book because I have heard so many good things about it that I am willing to give sci-fi a chance :) I have never really leaned towards sci-fi but I hope this will be the book that will make me see that genre in a new light! and like you said it has dystopia, mystery, and romance which are just perfect for me!!

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  41. Across the Universe sounds like a great book. It's been awhile since there has been a really great sci-fi YA book out there! I can't wait to read it.

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  42. It sounds like a great book! I'd love to read it! Great review! :)

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  43. Thanks for posting this superb review on ATU! I'm convinced that this is a great book!

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  44. I can't wait to get my hands on this book - it sounds amazing!!

    Casey H

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  45. I've heard of the movie musical version of this story, but I haven't seen it. It sounds like a really unique, interesting idea for a story (and a good romance helps a lot too.) I can't wait to read this!

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  46. I loved this book too!! But sadly, my version (regular hardback) didn't have a diagram of the ship, so I felt lost in that department :(
    - Alyssa of Redhead Heroines
    Book Review of "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis

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