Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genres: YA; Science Fiction; Romance

Pages: 378

"Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth."

Review

I wasn't expecting to completely fall in love with this book. Yet I was pretty much head over heels by Chapter 2.

I have to start this review with the characters. Because the protagonists are what made this novel. Tarver Merendsen is a young soldier, famous for his acts of courage in war. He's instantly drawn to Lilac LaRoux when they first meet--until he finds out who she really is. That is, the daughter of the richest man--well--ever. Tarver knows that he, not coming from any means, could never be with someone like her. (In other words, her daddy would kill him). Sounds reasonable, no?

So a wall is erected between them. Actually, after an... incident... they don't even like each other. (NO insta-love here, my friends!!). And then the crash happens. And Lilac and Tarver are thrown together by circumstance (actually, I think it was Amie and Meagan?). They must travel across a deserted planet to seek help, learn to depend on each other for survival, and try not to think about the whispers that keep following them.

My initial thoughts: Oh, really? A journey across deserted terrain? Booorrrrrinng. But that's where I was wrong. Remember what I said about the characters making the novel? Well, they really did.

Lilac and Tarver were instantly likeable and I seriously loved their dynamic. True, I usually prefer more action and a more complex plot, but the story of these two people completely captivated me. Their interactions with each other could be tense and complex and yet so funny (Oh, the snark). I like how their relationship wasn't rushed. They initially disliked each other; they were at each other's throats most of the time (fun!). But they had to learn to rely upon each other. Eventually they became friends. Then they became more. I think that throughout the course of their journey they came to know and understand each other. I thought it was a beautiful progression of their relationship.

My major complaint is that I wish the story were a little more science-y and a little less romance-y. Both aspects of the novel were written well, in my opinion. Like I said, I loved the romance. And the science fiction aspect was really cool too. I just wish we had seen a little more of that.

Tarver's and Lilac's narration was almost enough to make up for that, though. There was one moment in the story that had me absolutely reeling. And the writing? Beautiful. I couldn't stop reading and finished this book in less than a day. Absolutely recommend it to those who love romance and science fiction!

I had been so sure my father was coming for me, but now it's hard to find that certainty. This is a wilderness waiting to swallow me; I'd barely make a dent trying to fight it. There are no rules for me to learn, no points to be scored, no bluffs to be called. This is a hell I've never imagined.

And I think I'm going to die here.

Content: Minus one star for some mild language and innuendo.

View all my reviews / Amie's site / Meagan's site / Amazon