Review - Across the Universe

Another debut for the Debut Author Challenge at The Story Siren!

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

At some point in the not-so-distant future, a group of adventurous scientists and soldiers and settlers leave earth for a distant planet. The journey aboard the immense ship Godspeed will take 300 years. The settlers are cryogenically frozen, and the ship will be manned by its own society of caretakers. 50 years before they are scheduled to arrive at the new planet, Amy -- a teenage girl who accompanied her parents on the journey -- is unplugged and nearly dies. Instead, Amy finds herself trapped on a ship in the middle of space with a strange society led by an intense man simply called Eldest. As Amy attempts to figure out and adjust to her new circumstances, someone begins unplugging more of the frozen settlers, and leaving them to die. Amy must figure out why someone is murdering the settlers, and who she can trust.

Across the Universe was a fast-paced adventure read. The story is told in alternating first-person narratives between Amy and the ship's second-in-command Elder. Both characters were at times frustrating and endearing; which, to me, made them very believable characters. I enjoyed watching the characters grow throughout the book.

The world-building and set-up for the story were very interesting -- and at times very creepy! (i.e. The Season). Godspeed as it is when Amy shows up is a very disconcerting place. Revis did a good job of really putting me there, whether I liked it or not!

I love mysteries, and while a few of the mysteries were easy to figure out, there were enough gasp-worthy moments to leave me feeling satisfied at the end. I also liked how Revis tied up the primary storylines at the end of the book, but left it wide open for the sequel. There is a tenuous sense of harmony at the end of the book, but so many ways in which everything can go wrong. And there are some larger issues unresolved, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.