Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Author: Beth Revis
Edition: Razorbill, March 3rd 2011
Pages: 398
Notes: Across The Universe #1
Rating: 4/5

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.

Across The Universe was a great read with a fantastic and unique storyline, some great characters and an on-your-toes mystery. What's not to love?

The one thing I don't get is why the blurb portrays the main focus as romance, when really, it's not even that big a deal in the book. Sure, there are moments, but not nearly as much as the synopsis lead me to think. Let us just say that the romance wasn't out of this world (enjoy the pun? no? awkward). However, everything else was top notch so it sort-of cancelled that out. I just think the blurb needs a little makeover.

I really did love the mystery and all. It was so refreshing and unique! I mean, it's a killer on a spaceship - SPACESHIP! I loved how the author managed to hint who the culprit was the whole way through the book and even though I guessed it to be him/her at one point, I always changed my mind. The twists near the end were just so... woah. Ahh, I need to get the next book right now!

As previously mentioned, the characters were great! There were alternate chapters between Amy and Elder, and I loved how we saw through both of their perspectives and opinions. Amy is fiery and brave, and you can tell how much her family means to her because of how she tries to protect them. Elder is also brave as well as strong and I loved watch his character progress throughout the book. My favourite character was Amy one minute and Eldest the next so it's safe to say that, yeah, I like both of them! I also enjoyed Harley's character, his story was just so sad, and I empathised with him.

I don't think I really need to state how much I loved the setting. I think I stressed it enough when I put it in cap locks, hehe. Even though reading about the spaceship was pretty cool, I think I'd feel like Amy if I was in her situation. I would feel trapped and I'd hate to think of no real countyside around me!

Overall I really enjoyed Across The Universe with it's great setting, characters, mystey, storyline and very well tied-up twists! I definetly am going to try and get my hands on the sequel, A Million Suns because it sounds just as fantastic! If you haven't read this book then you are seriously missing out on one of dystopian's finest and unique novels!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo