A perfect YA? | 'These broken stars' by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner | review
'These broken stars' is a young adult sci-fi novel. When I originally chose it to be my next book to be read, I did expected a mid romance pretending to be a sci-fi. What surprised me, 'The Starbound' series is so much more! I was so shocked to find out how deep is the plot of 'These broken stars'.
What is 'These broken stars' about? | a synopsis without spoilers |
Lilac LaRoux is a daughter of the greatest entrepreneur of the universe, a director of the LaRoux Industries. Traver Merendsen is a solider, a war hero that became famous despite being that young. When they are both on board of Icarus, the most luxurious and modern spaceliner, Icarus meets with a catastrophy.
Lilac and Trevor are the only survivors of this calamity. They land on a unpopulated planet that somehow seems like it was terraformed. But how is it possible since no one is there? Well, that's Trevor's opinion because Lilac knows in her bones that something's odd - something called by her 'whispers'.
A perfect YA?
Even the book cover (that you can see on the right) suggests 'These broken stars' is a novel of the romance genre so I wholeheartedly admit I didn't expect the depth in this book. Yes, romance does exist as a part of the plot but it doesn't overwhelm other elements of the book. Romance between Lilac and Trevor isn't creative that much but okay, I admit, it's cute. I like how Lilac and Trevor's relationship isn't sexualised too much. I think that I forgot how it used to be back in 2013 when this book was published. It was a great time when a romantic relationship could have been written purely based on innocent and sweet feelings, not erotic tension.
Although the romantic thread is definitely too basic and default to affect me in any way, other elements of 'These broken stars' are just superior. Non-romantic parts of 'These broken stars' were a perfect incentive to start reading sci-fi again. I mostly read fantasy and I even can't remind myself the last time I read a sci-fi but 'These broken stars' rewaked my urge to finally do it. And I didn't think that an YA book could interest me that much! I couldn't have stopped reading when I had started.
A secret of the mysterious planet conquered my mind for days. I was reading breathless, waiting for the secret to be revealed. And the idea of 'whispers' is so original. You tell me that in an average YA is a motif of the beings from an alternative dimention, manipulating human minds? Of the secret programme studying them? Of the fury controlling those who were possessed for too long? I don't think so. 'These broken stars' surprised me SO much in a positive way and I wish every YA was like this. I recommand it both for younger or elder reader!
Cover image © Allen & Unwin Publishing House.
Used with permission.
