Across the Universe by Beth Revis


Aug 23, 2012

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, tackles two entirely different character perspectives while taking readers on an adventure aboard a space ship traveling to a new Earth.

Amy was seventeen when her family decided to board the 300-year flight into space to find a new home for humans. While she did have a choice to stay at home or leave with her parents, Amy knew she could never leave them. She would sleep for 300 years, but only feel like seconds had passed.

Elder is sixteen years old and he has spent his entire life on the ship. He must follow the exact rules of his totalitarian-like leader Eldest, because one day Elder will become the Eldest and rule the ship.

Life aboard the Godspeed is simple and ordinary. Everyone looks the same and performs their duties with unusual enthusiasm. All of this is thrown into chaos when Amy is mysteriously woken up 50 years too early. She is left for dead on the bottom floor of the ship and no one knows who let her out. Soon, more frozen passengers are being let out of their chambers, and they are not as fortunate as Amy. Together, Amy and Elder must work together to find out who is trying to kill the frozen passengers, and the secrets that Eldest is desperately trying to keep.

I am not usually drawn to science fiction books, but I was constantly being told that I had to read it. The beginning of the novel is a very quick read, and Revis creates such a unique world the reader wants to learn more about it. However, the middle does seem to drag a big and the ending was quite predictable. In the end, though, it was an exciting novel and I cannot wait to read the sequel A Million Suns, which is now available.

Reviewed by Jennifer R.
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