A Million Suns by Beth Revis

A Million Suns by Beth Revis
386 pages, Razorbill
Purchased

"Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos. It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies. But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart."

After reading Across the Universe, I was excited to find out that it's sequel A Million Suns was finally released. If you've read Across the Universe (which I'm hoping you have, otherwise I advise you not to continue on with this review) then you know that it left with plenty of questions still unanswered. A Million Suns was fantastic and personally, I liked it better than Across the Universe.

Again, I will state that if you haven't read Across the Universe I would advise you NOT to continue on with this review. It will contain spoilers, not for A Million Suns, but it will potentially ruin Across the Universe for you.

The book continues with the flip flopping point of views between both Amy and Elder. With Eldest dead, Orion now cryogenically frozen, and everyone on the ship off of Phydus--the drug that calms people down and makes them very unresponsive to what is going on around them--Godspeed is struggling to maintain life. Again, there is yet another mystery, but this time it includes a secret that Orion knows. Orion has left clues specifically for Amy to find and this secret is extremely vital for her to discover before it is too late.

Amy is a great protagonist. She has her own voice and won't submit easily. She also has her perspectives in check. Although her love for Elder is getting stronger, she is not letting this consume her like so many other female protagonists do. Amy recognizes what's important to her, like her parents becoming unfrozen and the ship landing on Centauri Earth. She has the determination to reveal the truth - whether it be good or bad. And she has the power to want to change the outcome of whatever that truth may be. As for Elder- he is fighting an inside battle with himself. We watch as he realizes what leaderships means and what if it's not for him? I found this part to be relatable for readers - not me personally, but I know people who grow up in families that expect them to take on leadership or go to a college that everyone else went to or just follow in their footsteps. Elder doesn't want to become Eldest, yet he feels like this leadership was what he was made for. I liked some of the side characters, such as Victria, but I wish I would have gotten to know them on a more personal level or watched them develop.

The plot is the best part of these books. Beth Revis uses another intriguing mystery to draw the reader in. I was dying not knowing the fate of Godspeed. I caught onto a couple of the mysteries, but the main mystery that was revealed at the end caught me completely off guard! My mind was seriously blown. Everything made sense, but there was still mysteries lingering at the last page.

I liked Revis's writing, but sometimes I would read a sentence and its diction would bug me. My only other complaint I have with A Million Suns is that the romance aspect still has yet to win me over. I think Elder is very sweet and Amy is too, but for some reason I just could not get into their relationship. If they had to separate or end up not being together, I would be okay with it. I'm not saying the romance was terrible; I just felt it to be a little unnecessary considering their circumstances and the fact that the plot carries itself pretty well.

A Million Suns is packed with secrets, just as Across the Universe was, but we get more of an insight on Godspeed. Especially with the ship low on food, people rioting, and trying to find a way to use Phydus. It's definitely a page turner! And if you're like me, you'll be anxiously anticipating the last book in the trilogy, Shades of Earth, which is expected to be released some time in January of 2013. (That's a long time!!! It looks like we're all suffering until then.)

Rating: 4.5 stars - I don't typically rate books with .5 intervals, but I just couldn't give it the full 5 stars because of the romance aspect that felt unneeded. Mind you, I absolutely LOVED it, but in order to get 5 stars in my book, everything has to be spot-on awesome. :)