Review: Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

From Goodreads: Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction - the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars - is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy. On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo ... is her most dangerous mission ever. Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having loved Diana Peterfreund’s For Darkness Shows the Stars, I finally made the time to read its companion novel, Across a Star-Swept Sea. Set in the same world as For Darkness Shows the Stars but on the islands of New Pacifica, it took me awhile to relearn the lingo and remember how the Reduction came about, especially because Albion and Galatea were so different from the society established in the previous book.

Thankfully, while I kept getting distracted trying to figure out the worldbuilding, the characters held my interest. Like For Darkness Shows the Stars, Across a Star-Swept Sea features a strong heroine who is easy to support. Superficially, Persis appears to be a rich and spoiled aristocrat whose only concern is the latest fashion. Underneath the persona of a ditz, however, lies a girl who’s smart, loyal, generous, courageous, and determined to fight injustice and leave her mark on the world. Besides Persis, I loved that the League of the Wild Poppy involved other females who were committed to creating change despite living in a patriarchal society.

While it would be hard for me to decide if I liked Persis better than Elliot (who shows up in Across a Star-Swept Sea with some other characters from For Darkness Shows the Stars), I know that Justen didn’t hold a candle to Kai. Even though we get POVs from Justen and therefore get to know him better, I just didn’t swoon over him as much as I did over Kai. I blame Kai for stealing my heart with those letters …

Speaking of romance, I enjoyed the slow romance between Persis and Justen because I thought they complemented each other’s personalities nicely. I also thought that Peterfreund did a good job of not making the romance overwhelm the plot.

If there was one thing I could change about Across a Star-Swept Sea though, it would be the ending because it came way too soon! I rarely like epilogues, but in this case, I would have preferred one so that I could know what happened to all the characters. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a third companion novel!

Across a Star-Swept Sea was released by Balzer + Bray in October 2013. 

Comments About the Cover: It’s so pretty! I think I like it more than For Darkness Shows the Stars’.

Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

From Goodreads: It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology. Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth - an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go. But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret - one that could change their society ... or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever. 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I’m not normally a fan of slow-paced dystopians. But, I ended up loving For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund because of its worldbuilding, characters and romance. A retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion set in a dystopian setting, I also liked For Darkness Shows the Stars because it simultaneously managed to retain the feel of a Victorian Era novel.

When reading dystopians not set in an alternative world, I usually find myself wondering how the world came to be the way the author imagines it for their story. Often, the backstory sounds rather incredulous. That wasn’t the case for For Darkness Shows the Stars because it’s not hard to imagine a group of people deciding to isolate themselves and stop using technology after seeing war break out and most of the world’s population be eradicated due to advances in technology and genetics.

Most of the characters in For Darkness Shows the Stars were well-developed as well. I especially liked Elliot who chooses duty over love, knowing that she’s the only one who can intercede with her father on behalf of the Posts’ working on her family's land. When Kai later comes back resolved to make Elliot rue the decision that broke his heart (and hers), she handles his aloofness and insults with remarkable grace. Based on her actions, she’s definitely one of the most mature YA protagonists I’ve encountered!

I also enjoyed the way Peterfreund chose to depict the romance between Kai and Elliot. Throughout the book, letters written by a young Kai and Elliot chronicle their relationship from friends to the possibility of something more. The innocence displayed in those letters was definitely a nice contrast against their current tense relationship and made it easier for me to see Kai as a complex character.

A fantastic standalone with a romance that had me invested despite the lack of a kiss, For Darkness Shows the Stars was released by Balzer + Bray in June 2012. 

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover is pretty. However, the dress looks a little fancy for a Luddite, especially for one who's responsible for managing an estate.