Across the Universe Review

Do you want to know something I have always disliked??

When someone goes to a book signing from an author and hasn't read their book(s).

I SWEAR(!!!), when I went to the Hilary Duff signing for her first novel Elixir in November 2010, I was the ONLY person there that had actually read it!! WTH is that???  Who does that?? I know people do not always have time, but seriously?? If you have time to go to a book signing, then you should have time to read the book! That's just my opinion on it.

So, anyway, next Saturday to a certain point I am going to be one of those people I dislike.  There are going to be about FIFTY authors at the Passion and Prose Conference!! Fifty authors!! Most of whom are still starting out, so I have not really heard of there books.

I mean, I read A LOT!! Not as much as some people, who read like a book a day, but I do read usually about a book a week.  BUT, that also means I do not get the opportunity to read every book that comes my way.  I definitely always try my best, but when new books come out, I usually can not afford to be buying them right away.  Okay, so I make exceptions...for instance, when Meg Cabot comes out with a new book...I am online right away!!, Kody Keplinger, same; Sarah Dessen, same; Simone Elkeles, same.  But those are my favorite authors...the ones where I've been looking forward to their books for months...possibly YEARS (like in the case for this summer's Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot).

So last week I decided I wanted to pick the two books that I have been really looking forward to reading, by two of the authors that will be present next Saturday, and reading their book.

Beth Revis will be one of the authors present next weekend.  I have heard some great things about Across the Universe so last week while I was running errands, I decided to pick it up.

Review of Across the Universe:
Paperback edition
Hardcover Edition
I really enjoyed this book!  It was a completely DIFFERENT take on the Dystopian genre.  It was refreshing to be reading something that was so different!

The story is about Amy and Elder.  Amy was frozen centuries ago, before she taken into space for a journey that will change the world forever.  Godspeed the ship that are on, is on its way to Centauri-Earth, a planet 300 years away from Earth.  Amy, along with her parents, have been frozen, so that they can awake when the ship arrives on this new planet.

However, everything changes when Amy finds herself being torn awake, and nearly murdered when her tank is unplugged.  Luckily, a 16-year old boy is there to save her. Elder.

Elder is the next-in-line ruler of Godspeed.  He, and everyone else on board, is under the control of Eldest, the ruler.  Elder is learning the many subjects that go with ruling the ship, but finds himself not really into it.  He does not want to rule.
That's when Amy comes into the picture.  She changes EVERYTHING!!

When secrets are discovered, rules are broken, people are dying, Elder and Amy try everything to find out what is REALLY happening on Godspeed.


I thought this book was interesting.  For the most part it kept me reading through, because I wanted what was really happening on the ship.  I liked Amy and Elder's characters.  Amy because she the outcast on the ship.  A ship filled with monoethnic people with dark hair, brown eyes, dark skin, made her red hair, white skin, green eyes stick out like a loose lion in the middle of Hollywood Blvd.   I liked Elder, because while he was at the beginning very close minded about the outside world, it was not his fault.  That's the way he was trained and taught.  Amy changed Elder's mind and life.  He fell in love.

There was one part, where I did not neccessarily not like the book, but I just thought it was weird.  Every other generation on the ship has this period known as The Season.  This is the time, when all the people mate.  Now, first of all, it's already a little that mate only at specific times.  It's almost like they go into heat, like a dog.  But that's how it is (you find out why in the story).  And it was not necessarily the "heat" things that was odd, it was the fact that the ship sort of turned into this giant orgy!! I am not even kidding!! People were having sex all over! In the garden, in the pathways, in the "library".  Right out in the open!!!

Overall, as I was reading this, and my forehead scrunched up with both sort of disgust, and "huh?", I found myself finding it both odd yet...original, if you think about it.  This is Beth Revis's story.  Her imagination at work! Who am I, to put that down?  I truly enjoyed this book, I thought it was an original take on the so hype Dystopian genre, and even though I am usually not a fan of Sci-Fi, I thought this story was different...more serious? I do not really know what it was, but there was something about it that really kept me going.

Overall rating:


I am really looking forward to picking up A Million Stars in the future, I think it will be a thrilling continuation of this sure to be great trilogy! :)

REMEMBER, if you have any questions for Beth Revis, that you want answered, ASK THEM in the comments!! I will try my hardest next weekend, to get them answered!! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!! :)
The Romance Bookie :) 

Comments

  1. Glad to hear you've decided to take a chance ang go hear some writers you don't know. Thing is, as a writer myself I am happy to have the chance to persuade new people to go away with my book and maybe buy the next one. A signing run in a bookshop is not only for fans who bring their well-thumbed copies to sign, but to get new readers.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Sue! Yes, definitely! I am really looking forward to this event, I've been counting down the days everyday! :). And I am definitely excited to get the opportunity to talk to some new authors. I'm more of a teen reader, and this conference is mainly adult romance, with a few YA authors, but I am definitely also a fan of Romance Books :), hence the name "The Romance Bookie" :)

      And of course, signings are great way to get out there! :)

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