REVIEW : Across The Universe by Beth Revis

REVIEW : Across The Universe by Beth Revis

   8:02 PM       Elisa

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Across The Universe

Author      : Beth Revis
Publisher   : Razorbill
Source      : Bought
Pages        : 398 (Paperback)

Summary from Goodreads :

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Book trailer :

Cover Glimpse :
I know hardcover version is actually prettier. But somehow I love the paperback version more and decided I'd own this one at first. Although I only knew the story just from book summary and blogger's reviews, I knew the story would not as romantic as what the cover shown. I love how the cover shows the sci-fi, like a part of somewhere on the spaceship and mysterious side of the story and I also can imagine Amy more because she appears there. It's really cool!
In the end I also bought the hardback version as well, and am so thrilled because it has a Godspeed map at the backside of the dustjacket! And it makes this book has reversible jacket! Cool! =D
By the way, this series has very serious issue about the cover changing for people who has acute OCD, LOL.

Review :
Wow wow wow, Beth Revis! 8D
Even before I read any book from her, I had this feeling that she is an awesome person. After I finished this book, I've been more sure that she's not only awesome in person, but her writing and storytelling are not less than it. It's very mind blowing, eerily exciting, and scary too! Wow! To be honest, I was afraid to start this book at the first, was afraid the story would be too overwhelming (since this is a sci-fi book though actually I like sci-fi sometimes =p) and I would end not enjoying it. But gah, I even hardly took my eyes from it, I brought this book everywhere in case I could steal a little moment to read what next. Totally gripping until the end!

Across The Universe quickly reminded me of one of the Bible story about Noah and his ark. Instead a mighty ark, we get a larger-than-life spaceship and set in futuristic world around 250 years in the future. I really love how Revis built the setting, inside a spaceship named 'Godspeed'. She explains how the inside looks like through both of her narrators, for each section, building and people who live inside as well, and if words aren't enough, the book (both paperback and hardback) has the map picture too so you can easily visualize it.

Then after reached some chapters, I found that what makes this book more amazing and not-easy-to-forget for me is that Revis allows, or possibly 'forces' us to 'feel', along with what the main character feels. Actually the story in general and voices inside this book are strongly depressing, but somehow it's also really captivating and you can not help but wanting to know what would happen next.

Beth Revis did a marvelous job on telling the story alternately from two different voices in one person point of view, from Amy and Elder. Each of them provides distinctly different perspective about living in the Godspeed. I easily placed myself on Amy's shoes and so incredible I also feel the same scared, suffocated and desperate as her. Fighting evil aliens sounds more exciting than trapped inside a big tin can in the middle of nowhere for the rest of our life. It's also really fascinating to know the weird culture and behavior of Godspeed' people from Elder side, which is... less-human and well, just say we have to be thankful for still living in this earth with all normality.

I like both Amy and Elder. Though Amy's voice is very emotional and depressing which is very understandable, eventually she becomes stronger, still holds tight the right things she believes and fight for it. Amy influences Elder quite much. Eldest who has been taking care of him is such a wicked man but I'm glad Elder is a total opposite and have his own thoughts about right and wrong. An 'awkward' romance between Amy and Elder is a plus point for me somehow. I'm glad Revis didn't force romance happen between them and just let it flow naturally. It's still a little spark from Elder side and curiosity from Amy's side. I hope to see more development in their character and relationship.

I probably give this book a high appreciation but it's not without a flaw. Just too bad that mysteries are not as thrilling as I expected before. I could predict who's the murderer from the start, it's quite obvious. Just too bad. However there are some twists that quite surprised me when it came and I just enjoyed my time reading the story so it wasn't a big deal.

I'm glad Across The Universe didn't disappoint me at all. Well, okay in very personal opinion there were some things disappointing *sigh*. You who already read this probably know what it is but for the others, won't tell you what it is though *read:spoiler*. Again, it's not a big deal. I'm eager to read A Million Suns VERY SOON-ish. Highly recommended to Sci-Fi and Dystopia fans!
Happy reading! =D