Read of the Week: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

More Science fiction.

More. Science. Fiction.

Really? Does it ever end? Truly. How many times have I reviewed a science fiction novel this year? Fifteen, maybe sixteen, I’d like to say? I know it can’t be that much, because I am the queen of dramatization, but it has to be some kind of noticeable number. It’s too much. It’s too much. How many times am I going to go through this without wanting to hurl myself off a bridge? I can’t stand it. I promise that next week’s review won’t be science fiction. I do, I really do. Don’t hold me to it, though, because we all know I’m not good at promises.

Anyways, These Broken Stars. Science fiction. Romance. Mystery. Survival.

Fun, not all science. Or space. Basically. Sort of.

I really don’t want to call These Broken Stars a science fiction novel, but it is one, and alas I cannot lie, but if I had to think of a way to describe this thing I’d go with The Blue Lagoon meets Ultimate Delirium. Being quite frank, we’re talking about a super hot underprivileged war hero who meets ultra sophisticated spoiled heiress. The two are dumped on an abandoned, so they think, planet after a spaceship crashes and together they have to find a way to survive and not kill each other in the process. And not fall in love, too, because that’s just as bad. What happens in the midst of all the chaos is a little too confusing for me to grasp but I’ll pin it on possible hallucinations from the narrators parts.

Which, yes, brings me to the duel point-of-view. I’m not usually a big fan of things because sometimes men are far too odd for me to get on board with, but in this case I found it necessary and really enjoyed getting to hear things from the male’s point of view. It also helped that he was a soldier boy because we all know those are the best boys sometimes. The best part of Tarver is that while he had his soft spots, he could be such a guy, in a good way, sometimes and it made my heart happy. Oh so happy. The perfect balance, really.

Romance wasn’t overbearing but I did love the tension between both characters as it was captured so well.

The survival aspects of this novel have to be my favorite, though. It made me feel like I was reading Lord of The Flies all over again and as much as I don’t ever want to relive that, it was fun.

Two other companion novels are set to take place in the These Broken Stars world and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.

Rating: 8/10