Across the Universe (Across The Universe #1)

I knew I wasn’t going to love this book ever since I first heard about it and I avoided getting it for the longest time, but I eventually gave in because I had to see for myself what it was all about. I believe it’s safe to say that although I liked the book enough, it definitely didn’t do anything for me.

Across the Universe was basically a detailed explanation of the setting for the rest of the series. A quarter of the book was Beth describing the ship in vast detail and of Amy’s inner monologue while she was frozen. Even after Amy wakes up, there’s very little action, just her exploring her new world and Elder falling head over heels in love with her at first sight. And love wasn’t even a big issue in this book at all. What little interaction Elder and Amy had did nothing to spur their romance and I honestly couldn’t connect to either, or any, character.

The only thing I’ll give Beth credit for is creating such a intriguing and quite plausible future world, but very little happens at all, when I was expecting action and adventure aboard a space ship with a crazy, tyrannical villan/leader. You got a tiny bit of action in the end, but that flew by within a couple pages, and you’re left on a big ship with nothing to do now. I’m very interested in seeing where exactly Beth is going with this and pray there will be more action and romance in the next book since, I’m hoping, she’s done with all the scenery and ship-talk.

Don’t get me wrong, I did like the book and finished it pretty quick, despite it’s slow pace, but if I hadn’t already bought it, I’d say wait until the whole series is out and then either borrow it from the library or buy the paperback/ebook versions since they’ll probably be cheaper.

I started this book because my best friend, Lindsay, said that it was worth a look. I saw it on her bookshelf during a sleepover and was totally captivated by the beautiful cover. I decided to read it as soon as I finished the list of books that I had to read already. A few weeks later after I finished with The Maze Runner Series, The Lorien Legacies books, Divergent, and Hourglass I bought Across the Universe via E-reader. I would recommend reading the book with an E-reader because you really feel like someone in the story using a futuristic device. I honestly thought at one point that I was using a sort of floppy! It took me four days to read because at the time I was working on a project of some sort but I sat awake at night reading this book because it was AMAZING! I could feel every bit of emotion leaking from the pages and whirlwind of drama came to light after only a few chapters. I don't want to spoil anything but let me just say that YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. Honestly, It's worth your time.

Previously published on my blog: http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/review-across-the-universe-by-beth-revis/

I love books that aren't constrained to just one genre. I like mythological creatures with romance. I like dystopia with the supernatural. I like a little murder mystery tinged with love. I like that. So you can imagine that I was very pleased with the mixture of science fiction, dystopia, mystery, and romance in this novel. The science fiction? Represented through the futuristic feel of this book and the space journey. The dystopia? Represented in how Godspeed was run, under an all-powerful (or almost all-powerful) Eldest. The mystery? Represented in the mystery of who woke Amy from her cryo chamber. And the romance? Ah. Well. Amy and Elder.

In addition to the mixture of genres, the plot was very well developed. I could easily follow along and imagine what it's like to live in a ship with 2312 inhabitants, some of which are Feeders, who provide for the food of the ship, the Shippers, who run the ship, and Elder and Eldest, who control the people. And then add in the new technological developments–the wi-coms that let you communicate with anyone anywhere in the ship, the grav tubes that transport you through the ship, the floppies with huge screens that can hold enormous amounts of information ... You'd think all of that would be overwhelming. But in Across the Universe, you can just fall right into the book.

I loved the characters in this book. Loved. Amy, one of our protagonists, is such a strong female character yet still has that tenderness inside of her that wants to cry for her parents when she realizes that she is alone with strangers. Her passion in trying to find out who is killing the passengers in the cryo chambers and her determination in being accepted in the ship make her one of my favorite heroines. Elder, our other protagonist, is another of our strong characters. Elder has the leadership and courage and heroism that is required of him (he is, after all, the future leader of the ship), yet he still has the average thoughts of the average teenage boy. Also, originally he is obedient and submissive to Eldest; but I loved when he finally stood up to the leader of the ship.

And I haven't even talked about the romance yet. I love Amy and Elder's relationship; though at first, you wouldn't believe that the two could be together, you gradually realize that they're made for each other. I loved how Elder was always honest to Amy. And he always tried to stand up for her and protect her. Now that's the kind of guy I'd like.

The only problem I had with this book was the way the workers were practically brainwashed — so much that they would have sex on command. And the few who weren't brainwashed could pretty much rape someone else, who couldn't even cry out to help because everyone else was brainwashed. It's just a sad, sad world when something like that can happen with no one to stop it.

There were few problems that I could find with this book. Almost everything was written beautifully, developed wonderfully, depicted fantastically ... Practically perfect.

Source: copy borrowed from library

Why did I wait so long to read this? This was amazing, and it easily became one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I guess the reason I kept putting it off was because I’m not really a Sci-Fi reader. Generally, I dislike Sci-Fi books. I’ve only found a couple ones from this genre that I enjoy. This is one of them.

Beth Revis is a talented author. The story was smooth, the descriptions so vivid I could almost swear I was there. You could feel everything the character was feeling: all the pain, the happiness, the frustration, that eerie feeling that something’s gone horribly wrong, everything. The plot was about as realistic as a fictional plot can get, filled with twists, unexpected turns, and startling uncovered truths that kept you reading, never wanting to put the book down. Honestly, I thought I had the suspect figured out. I thought I knew what was going to happen. But you know what? I was wrong. The ending was unexpected and satisfying, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.

I love how it was told from the POV of two very different characters – one character from Earth, and one who was born on the ship. It was interesting, and a nice touch. Unlike some books, the characters don’t just sit there and do nothing. They look around for answers. They don’t whine. They deal. If I had to choose something I liked most about this book, that’d be it. The character’s independence.

Although, if my friend hadn’t shoved her copy at me and literally locked me in a room until I finished reading it, I probably wouldn’t have bothered picking this up. However, once I did, I’m actually a little glad I read it. I can’t stress how amazing this book is, and I wish for more books like this one. Add it to your to-read shelf if you haven’t already, because this book is a must read. Pure amazing-ness. And the cover? Gorgeous as well. A must have addition to your bookshelf

I ended up reading Across the Universe in two phases. I initially got the book from the library, as I was one of the first holds. Unfortunately, that meant my time with it was limited and I did not have time to finish it, since my library pile had gotten rather out of control. So I got about halfway through and had to return it and wait until I could re-procure the book to finish it. The point of all of this is that my opinion of the book had changed a bit when I came back to it.

The first half of the book did not really succeed in engaging me. I had heard so much hype and was so looking forward to it, and it did not live up to that. (Isn't that always the way with me?) Upon return, as I skimmed through the book to make sure I remembered everything and tried to locate my stopping point (because genius that I am I forgot to make note of that location), I found myself thinking how cool it was. Reading through the rest of the story was then a breeze.

The story still was not quite perfect (like many other teen dystopias, there's a section pretty much straight from The Giver), but I am super hopeful about the second book in the series. I really liked how shades of gray it was (not in the Jasper Fforde sense). Elder is the perfect example. He's a good a guy and I related more to him than to Amy (how much can I really relate to someone who runs for fun?), but he definitely has a dark side (and not in the oh no, I'm a vampire who might hurt you sense).

Dystopia fans should definitely not miss this one, as it is one of the awesome ones that is really a dystopia on several different levels (although more than the dictator would be spoilers). As a final enticement, here's a quote that encapsulates the book: "This ship is built on secrets; it runs on secrets."

Wow, this is an amazing book.

Amy is one of the frozen passengers on Godspeed. She, her parents and many others left Earth some centuries ago, hoping to colonise a new planet called Centauri-Earth, away from the polluted skies of Earth. Amy's hoping to wake up three centuries later, with her parents, on a new and fantastic Earth. She's given up her life for this, her home, her boyfriend, her friends, everything.

Elder lives on Godspeed. Even though he is the future leader of the ship, there's still much that Eldest hasn't told him. Elder is prepared to go to many lengths to find out those secrets. He discovers a secret level below that of the Feeders (people who want nothing more than to serve Eldest willingly and tend to farm animals), one where there are many, many frozen people. He discovers a girl, with flaming red hair, bright green eyes and pale, freckly skin. He has never seen the likes of this; everyone on Godpspeed is mono ethnic and looks pretty much the same; the same dark skin, dark hair and eyes. This apparently, is to prevent discord.

Amy was prepared to give everything up in the hopes of a better life. Something, though, goes horribly wrong. Somehow, she has been reanimated early and has now woken up on Godspeed with another half a century to go before the scheduled landing time.

Eldest, a tyrannical leader, is determined that the people on Godspeed believe that Amy is one of the "crazies" and sends her to the Ward, with a mixture of "crazy" people who Amy discovers are actually quite sane. Elder is fascinated by Amy and wants to know more about her and Sol-Earth (our Earth).

When another cryo chamber is opened, the second after Amy's, she's determined to discover who is behind the plot before her parents are murdered.

This is a fantastic sci-fi book that I really loved. You will get hooked right from the start with the chilling description of Amy and her parents getting frozen for the trip.

Beth Revis takes us on a fascinating journey into the future. On the ship, there are many secrets that need to be uncovered to save every frozen person and everyone who's not. But it is much easier said than done.

I hope this review has encouraged you to read this book. It is really worth it, a great read!

This book was fantastic! The futuristic plot mixed with a murder mystery was pure genius! The characters felt like real people and came to life in the pages. Beth Revis expertly portrays human emotions. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story! The secrets of Godspeed kept me up at night wondering! I could not put this book down until I had read every last word! The squeal is just as good and is a great continuation of this amazing story!

It’s hard to say what I liked most about this book. Let me start by praising the author. Beth Revis has a beautiful writing style. It’s poetic at times without being wordy or flowery. It’s simple and dramatic. Poignant.



I also love authors that include subtle clues in their novels. Everything in this book has a purpose, even the name of the ship Godspeed. I did a little research (based on a comment from Amy, the MC in the book) about what Godspeed actually means. No surprise that it has hidden meanings. The Old English etymology of the word “speed” has nothing to do with actual velocity. Instead, it refers to prosperity and good fortune. Adding God was an acknowledgment of God’s generosity and blessing to an endeavor. Thus, speed in that sense became the acquisition of wealth and prosperity through a divine blessing. The irony of the name of the ship was not lost on me. It was interesting that she ship was named Godspeed by the original builders, but yet the current inhabitants look at religion as “fairy tales” and myths. There is no God on Godspeed. I also noted that Dante’s Inferno was referenced in the book as well when the crypto chambers were described as the final level of Hell: icy and cold. Oh, Ms. Revis you are a genius!



The plot of this book is also a tightly written piece of literary genius. There are many twists and turns and lies. Oh, so many secrets and lies. The three causes of discord were described as difference, lack of leadership, and individual thought. But really, the main cause of discord is lack of trust. Imagine living on a ship for centuries without ever knowing what was going on. History has been erased and rewritten, but no one knows the real truth because the secret has been preserved for generations. Imagine the chaos that would stem from such leadership. Or maybe there is no chaos because the people on the ship are so heavily drugged that they have no sense of reality? Only the “crazy” people can see reality for what it is. Imagine…



The characters are also perfectly written. Believable. Damaged. And some are evil beyond words. Eldest, the tyrannical leader of the ship, enjoys being compared to Hitler. He views Hitler as a leader worthy of admiration. Whoa. Then there is Luthe. To me is the worst of the characters in the book. Eldest has a reason for his crazy beliefs, and at times I could side with his rationale. But Luthe… oh gosh. When the rest of the ship is acting out its animal instincts during “the Season,” he is in perfect control. He is not influenced by hormones and drugged water. His cruel actions are 100% his own and intentional. That makes him far worse than any other antagonist in my opinion. I was a little disappointed how quickly he disappeared from the plot after his horrible act. But I don’t think that was an accident. I have a feeling Luthe will reappear in the future book in a way that can not bode well.



It is so hard to talk about this book without giving away too much. It reminded me of the C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy that I read as a teenager. (C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors that I do not compare others to often because his writing is perfection in my eyes). I enjoyed reading Across the Universe. In fact, once I made it to page 30 or so, I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until 4 a.m. to finish reading it. So many unanswered questions leave me begging for the next book (which I hear is fabulous). If you still aren’t sold on this book, let me leave you with this: My dad (in his mid-50s) hijacked my copy of Across the Universe before I could read it. I had to endure listening to him laugh and make noises of contemplation as he read my book (another reason I finished it in one sitting). To understand the irony and importance of this situation, you have to understand my father. He is a reader. His choice reading material: military tactics, biographies, and the classics. Not YA reading material. So, for him to say, “This is a pretty good book” is HUGE. Monumental even.



This book is worth reading, even if you don’t like science fiction, you will find something to appreciate in this book.

I'm not usually drawn to books set in space, but this book won me over instantly. The world building is fabulous. The ship is practically a character in its own right. And the ship has SECRETS.

Oh, the secrets.

When Amy and her parents are cyogenically frozen, she expects to wake up in a new world on a new planet. Intead, she is (accidentally? deliberately?) awakened 50 years too early. Bonding with her new ally Elder (the future ruler of the ship), Amy struggles to come to terms with her new surroundings, the fact that her parents remain frozen, and the strange happenings on the ship.

Especially when those strange happenings include murder.

This was absorbing, fascinating, and left me craving more. Highly recommend.

Beth has created a truly frightening world aboard a spaceship, where nothing is what it seems. The book starts with a feeling of unease, with a family being frozen to take a 300-year trip across the universe, and then shifts to the future where Amy is awakened 50 years early. With Amy, we begin to see the society that has evolved -- or been manufactured -- aboard the Godspeed, and how every assumption should be questioned.

There is also a murderer on the ship.

But what I loved best was Beth's prose. In spite of being 400 pages, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE reads quickly, effortlessly. It's in first person present tense, but I'm totally behind this choice. The narrative is never distracting. The descriptions are complete and seamlessly integrated into the action.

I'm definitely recommending this for readers who want to like science fiction but aren't sure where to start, or don't want much science in their science fiction. It's a character-driven story. (The other thing I will mention is that it says it's for readers 12 and up, but do be aware there's quite a bit of sexytime in this book, most of it not very nice.)