ARC Review of Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
/12 Comments/by SuzanneSeries: Defy the Stars #1
on April 4th 2017
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 512
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Goodreads Synopsis: Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that’s now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth’s robotic “mech” armies for decades with no end in sight.
After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel’s programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to help her save Genesis–even though her plan to win the war will kill him.
Together they embark on a daring voyage through the galaxy. Before long, Noemi begins to realize Abel may be more than a machine, and, for his part, Abel’s devotion to Noemi is no longer just a matter of programming.
MY REVIEW
Wow, what a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be! I’ve never read anything by Claudia Gray and so really had no idea what to expect going into Defy the Stars. I literally spent my entire weekend reading it and I regret nothing. Such a riveting adventure!
The premise of the story is that Earth has basically used up nearly all of its resources so the planet is dying and its inhabitants therefore need to find another home to move to as soon as possible. A few other planets have been made habitable, but they are not nearly big enough to hold Earth’s population. The planet Genesis is the ideal choice for resettlement, but Genesis isn’t having it. They have seen what the humans of Earth have done to their own planet and have no interest in letting them come, take over Genesis, and do the same thing to their planet. For this reason, Genesis and Earth are at war when the book opens.
In many ways it’s an unfair fight because Earth has developed an army of what are known as Mechs. Mechs are incredibly sophisticated robots and humans are just no match against them, especially humans on Genesis because they don’t have nearly the same technological capabilities that Earth does. When the story opens, Earth and Genesis have been fighting for decades and the people of Genesis are in real danger of losing the fight and therefore their planet.
The world building in Defy the Stars is quite fascinating and intricate. In addition to Earth and Genesis, there are also several other distinct planets, such as Kismet, which is a lush playground of sorts for the wealthy, as well as Cray, which is where all of the great scientific minds have been sent, and then Stronghold, which reminded me a lot of Mars in the way it’s described. These planets are aligned in a loop and travel between them is accomplished via Gates, which are basically wormholes, and in an act of desperation, the leaders of Genesis have come up with a plan to try to cut off Earth’s access to Genesis by damaging the Gate that lies between Genesis and Earth. They don’t believe they have the firepower to truly destroy it, but believe that they can disable it enough to buy themselves a few years of peace so that they can regroup and rearm themselves. The ultimate problem with the plan – the only way the leaders think they can do enough damage to this Gate to render it useless is to send 150 of their soldiers on what is being called the Masada Run, where they will each crash their ships directly into the Gate. It’s a suicide mission.
When we meet our protagonist, teenager Noemi Vidal, she is training to take part in the Masada Run. A surprise attack while the Genesis soldiers are making a practice run leaves Noemi’s half-sister, Esther, who was working as a scout, critically wounded. In an effort to save Esther, Noemi takes her aboard what appears to be an abandoned ship from Earth in search of medical supplies. It is here that Noemi comes face to face with, and is nearly kill by, Abel. Abel is a Mech, and as it turns out, a one-of-a –kind mech, the most sophisticated Mech prototype ever made, in fact. By virtue of his programming, he should inherently be Noemi’s enemy, but his programming also requires him to obey his commander, and as Noemi has basically commandeered the ship he is on, by default, she becomes Abel’s commander and he is therefore sworn to follow her every order. Once Noemi is reassured that Abel is, in fact, loyal to her, she begins to pump him for intelligence. She learns that Abel was traveling with his creator and a team of researchers who were examining the Gate between Genesis and Earth, looking for deficiencies in it that they could exploit it for their own benefit. As crucial as this intel is, what Noemi learns that is even more important, is that with a few key supplies that can be secured from other planets, there is another way to destroy the Gate. A mech could fly in there and destroy it and since a mech isn’t human, there would be no casualties. Because Noemi is now his commander, Abel of course volunteers to destroy the Gate and save his commander’s planet. This knowledge sets Noemi on a new course, with Abel by her side, in which she hopes to not only save her planet but also spare the lives of those who would all die in the Masada Run. The Masada Run is scheduled to take place in less than three weeks so it becomes a race against time…
LIKES
The Action: As you can guess by my lengthy lead in, this book is pretty intense in terms of the overall storyline. Pretty much everything I just laid out happens in the opening few chapters and I’ve barely scratched the surface. That race against time, coupled with the fact that Genesis is not viewed favorably by the other planets in the system because they feel like Genesis abandoned them to save themselves, leads to a lot of potentially hostile encounters as Noemi and Abel make their way across the galaxy in search of what they need to destroy that Gate. If you like action and adventure, you should enjoy this aspect of Defy the Stars.
Earth as the “Bad Guy”: I found it very intriguing that Earth is the one who must be stopped here. This idea seems pretty timely too, now that we have a U.S. President who apparently doesn’t believe in science. This fictional scenario could end up being closer to reality than we care to think about.
The Characters: As exciting as the storyline is, what really captured my attention and made me love the read are the characters themselves. I loved both Noemi and Abel. I loved them individually and I especially loved them working together as a team.
Noemi – I really loved Noemi from the first moment we meet her. Claudia Gray has created Noemi with this wonderful combination of fierce determination and selflessness that drew me in right away. We learn early on in the story that Noemi has volunteered to take part in the Masada Run, not just to save her planet, but also because the mission will only allow one representative from each household to volunteer to die and she is determined to protect her half sister, Esther, whom she has deemed the more worthy of living. As much as I was already intrigued by the idea that this teen soldier was willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her planet and to save Esther, her belief that she was somehow less worthy of having a chance to live her life just added a layer of vulnerability to her that made her all the more compelling of a character.
I also love the growth that Noemi undergoes both as she begins to meet citizens from these other planets and as she learns more and more about Abel and realizes that he may actually be more human than robot. She becomes much more reflective as the novel goes on as she begins to question the actions of the leaders of Genesis as well as her own plans. Was Genesis right to isolate itself and leave the other planets to fend for themselves against Earth? Wouldn’t they be stronger and better able to resist Earth if they banded together? If Abel is truly more human than he is robot, can she really let him sacrifice himself to save Genesis? So many big questions for such a young person to have to even think about.
Abel – As much as I loved Noemi, I absolutely adored Abel. Even though he is made up to look like a human, with hair, blood, skin, and even neurons, Abel reminded me so much of C3PO from Star Wars or maybe even Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. He’s just charming and funny, and sometimes says things that are so annoying, I half expected Noemi to dismantle him to shut him up. I found him especially amusing when it became clear that he even has a bit of an ego. He’s proud that he’s the ultimate Mech prototype and that he’s the only one of his kind. He toots his own horn, so to speak, quite frequently on that subject!
In addition to being such an amusing character, Abel also comes across as so human from the moment we meet him that it’s heartbreaking to learn he has been trapped on this ship for 30 years, just floating around all alone. He tells Noemi that his creator and the crew were preparing to abandon ship and sent him to the airlock to complete one final task before departure. He became trapped there and they just left without him. He has no idea what happened to them – if they made it back to Earth or if they all perished – but it never really dawns on him that they didn’t think of him as a life and so thought nothing of leaving him there to try to save themselves. He even thinks of his creator as his “father” and doesn’t realize that even though he’s one of a kind, he is still viewed as ultimately disposable.
What also makes Abel a truly fascinating character is that he too, even though he is supposedly mostly just a machine, undergoes tremendous growth throughout the story. Those 30 years all alone caused the neurons in Abel’s body to make new connections and begin to evolve in ways Abel’s creator may never even have thought possible. Even though Abel still has programming, he is supposed to follow at all times, he has developed the ability to occasionally override that programming. It’s as though he is developing free will or as Noemi starts to wonder, maybe even some form of a soul. Once Noemi starts to question just how human Abel has become over the years, it takes their relationship to a whole new level and it’s wonderful to watch how loyal they become to each other.
ANY DISLIKES?
I can’t really call it a dislike but there was a lot of information to sift through at the beginning with the different planets, the explanation of the cybergenetics and that Abel was a prototype for 25 other models of Mechs, etc. I love science fiction so I can’t say that it bothered me too much, although I’ll admit I stopped to take a few notes along the way because there were a lot of details to keep track of, but I could see it potentially making it difficult for some readers to get into the story. My advice would be to push through the beginning though because once you get past that initial worldbuilding and on to where Noemi and Abel meet, the story just flies along from there and you’ll breeze right through.
FINAL THOUGHTS?
If you like a book that is action-packed, filled with compelling characters, and that asks big questions about ethics, religion vs faith, the environment, technology, politics, and so much more, I’d highly recommend Defy the Stars.
RATING: 4 STARS
Thanks so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and of course to author Claudia Gray for allowing me to preview this book in exchange for my honest review.
About Claudia Gray
Claudia Gray in her own words:
“Claudia Gray is a pseudonym. I would like to say that I chose another name so that no one would ever learn the links between my shadowy, dramatic past and the explosive secrets revealed through my characters. This would be a lie. In truth, I took a pseudonym simply because I thought it would be fun to choose my own name. (And it is.)
I write novels full-time, absolutely love it, and hope to be able to do this forever. My home is in New Orleans, is more than 100 years old, and is painted purple. In my free time I read, travel, hike, cook and listen to music. You can keep up with my latest releases, thoughts on writing and various pop-culture musings via Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, GoodReads, Instagram or (of course) my own home page.
If you want to contact me, you can email me here, but your best bet is probably to Tweet me. I don’t do follows on Twitter, but I follow everyone back on Tumblr, Pinterest and GoodReads.”
Waiting on Wednesday: Spotlight on Once, In Lourdes
/14 Comments/by Suzanne“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.
My “Waiting On” Wednesday selection for this week is Once, In Lourdes by Sharon Solwitz. I just unexpectedly received an ARC of this book from the publisher yesterday, along with a message saying that if I enjoyed Emma Cline’s The Girls, then I should enjoy this book as well. That piqued my curiosity because even though The Girls has had very mixed reviews, I loved it. It was one of my favorite reads from last year. Reading the synopsis and the advance praise for Once, In Lourdes makes me think that I could easily love this book as well.
Once, In Lourdes by Sharon Solwitz
Publication Date: May 30, 2017
From Amazon.com:
In the turbulent summer of 1968, four high school friends make a pact that will change their lives forever.
As the Vietnam War rages overseas, four friends make a vow. For the next two weeks, they will live for each other and for each day. Then, at the end of the two weeks, they will sacrifice themselves on the altar of their friendship.
Loyal Kay, our narrator, dreams of being an artist and escaping her stifling family—the stepmother and stepsister she gained after her mother’s early death, and the father she no longer feels she knows. As she struggles with her weight, her schoolwork, and her longing for her mother, she feels loyalty only to her three friends, determined to keep their group together at any cost. Brilliant, charismatic CJ appears to have everything—though even those closest to him can’t see him as he really is. Steady, quiet Saint wants to do right by everyone, trying not to let his emotions destroy himself and those around him. And beautiful Vera’s family secrets are too dark to share, even with her closest friends; caught in a web of family dysfunction, she can only hope the others won’t get tangled up in the danger she senses around her.
In the two-week span in which the novel takes place, during the summer before their senior year of high school, the lives of Kay, CJ, Saint, and Vera will change beyond their expectations, and what they gain and lose will determine the novel’s outcome. Once, in Lourdes is a gripping, haunting novel about the power of teenage bonds, the story of four young people who will win your heart and transport you back to your own high school years. As the heady 1960s shift the ground beneath their feet, all of them must face who they are—and who they want to be.
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Praise for Once, In Lourdes
“After writing a spate of short stories, [Sharon Solwitz] returns to the longer form with a ravishing sense of place . . . and a heightened, almost surreal, feel for how intense emotions alter our perception of the world, especially in youth. Solwitz’s surging, many-threaded, complexly insightful tale dramatizes not only personal crises, but also the violence of the infamous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. Timely and timeless.”—Booklist (starred review)
“What makes Once, in Lourdes such a moving read is how deeply and finely Sharon Solwitz has observed and portrayed her characters. They are recognizable teenagers with recognizable desires and miseries and hardships, but they are so well rendered in their particulars that we follow them less and less as familiar types and more and more as the actual friends with whom we attempt to struggle through this part of life, making promises and pacts, breaking and keeping them, living and dying by them.”—Paul Harding, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Tinkers and Enon
“This is a story that reads achingly true to young angst, then, now, and always. It’s an achievement of remarkable empathy—and gorgeous prose.”—Janet Burroway, author of Raw Silk and Writing Fiction
“Sharon Solwitz has an ear so attuned to teen speech, teen humor, and, finally and most convincingly, teen angst that her novel crackles with urgency. She follows the rise and fall of adolescent moods, patient with their extremes and sympathetic to the neediness her characters struggle to hide. Once, in Lourdes will make you think you’re eavesdropping on what you’re not supposed to hear.”—Rosellen Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Before and After
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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your WoW selection for this week. 🙂
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I’m Dying to Meet
/31 Comments/by SuzanneTop Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Authors I’m Dying To Meet / Ten Authors I Can’t Believe I’ve Met (some other “meeting authors” type spin you want to do). I’ve never actually met any authors before so I have a very long wishlist. My wishlist got a little shorter when favorites like Harper Lee and Maya Angelou passed away in recent years, but there are still so many I would love to meet in person so that I can thank them for feeding my love of wonderful books.
Top Ten Authors I’m Dying to Meet
1. TONI MORRISON
Toni Morrison is a legend! I took a seminar in college where we exclusively studied her fiction and her nonfiction, and I remember just being spellbound every word she wrote. I’m sure I’d make a fool of myself if I were ever to meet her in person, but I would still just love to thank her for sharing her exquisite words with the world. I remember reading this quote from Morrison back when I was in that class and it still resonates with me today, nearly 20 years later:
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
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2. HILLARY CLINTON
Speaking of legends…although I don’t often speak of politics and my adoration of Hillary Clinton since this is a blog about books, I sometimes forget that in addition to all of her other many accomplishments, she is also a successful author. I first became a fan of Hillary’s after reading her groundbreaking book “It Takes a Village and Other Lessons Children Teach Us” and would love to have the opportunity to meet with her and thank for inspiring me and so many other women of all ages.
“Human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights…”
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3. BEVERLY CLEARY
I seem to be on a roll with legends, so here’s one more that I would love to meet. Beverly Cleary’s stories were such an important part of my childhood. I adored them all and Beverly Cleary is, without a doubt, one of the main reasons why I still love to read as much as I do. I’m now sharing her stories with my son and he loves them too, so I’d just love to meet her and give her a huge hug and thank her for Beezus and Ramona and all of those wonderful characters that added such magic to my childhood.
“I hope children will be happy with the books I’ve written, and go on to be readers all of their lives.”
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4. JUDY BLUME
I would love to meet Judy Blume, another author who definitely gave me my love for reading, to thank her for creating Fudge. Fudgie is my son’s favorite so I’d love to introduce him to the author who came up with such an entertaining fictional character.
“The best books come from someplace deep inside…. Become emotionally involved. If you don’t care about your characters, your readers won’t either.”
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5. STEPHEN KING
I actually haven’t read that many of Stephen King’s book because I’m not a big horror fan, but I’d still love to meet him because I follow him on social media and he just seems like such a fascinating person. I’d love to pick his brain to see where he gets these horrifying brilliant story ideas from, but I’d also love to talk politics with him.
“People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them I have the heart of a small boy… and I keep it in a jar on my desk.”
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6. J. K. ROWLING
Seriously, is there anyone out there who doesn’t want to meet J.K. Rowling to thank her for the brilliance that is the Harry Potter series? Plus, following her on twitter, she just seems like such a hoot. I love watching her shut down the trolls, haha!
“If it’s a good book, anyone will read it. I’m totally unashamed about still reading things I loved in my childhood.”
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7. V.E. SCHWAB
I’m such a huge fan of Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic series and would love to meet her and make a fool of myself telling her how freaking awesome Lila Bard is. She is also another who seems like she would be a lot of fun to chat with based on her hilarious tweets.
“I am a firm believer that a good plot makes for a fun enough read, but it’s not what binds us. If we don’t care about the characters, we won’t care – not in a lasting way – about what’s happening to them.”
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8. YAA GYASI
I just read Yaa Gyasi’s beautiful debut HOMEGOING recently and it’s one of those books that I just can’t stop thinking about. I read in an interview that she has started writing another book and I’d love to meet her and hear about the new book.
“We believe the one who has power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history you must ask yourself, Whose story am I missing?, Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there you get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.” (Homegoing)
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9. MARGARET ATWOOD
I’m sure I would just end up making a complete ass out of myself, but Margaret Atwood just has such a brilliant mind that I’d love to just sit down and talk about anything and everything with her – her books, her writing process, politics– you name it and I just know she’d have something profound to say on the subject. And I would just sit there in awe.
“Sooner or later, I hate to break it to you, you’re gonna die, so how do you fill in the space between here and there? It’s yours. Seize your space.”
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10. MARISSA MEYER
Marissa Meyer is an author who is fairly new to me, but I’m absolutely in love with The Lunar Chronicle Series. I’d love to meet her to find out how in the world she came up with such a creative and mind-blowingly fascinating take on the classic fairytales. I mean, seriously…Cinderella as a cyborg? Freaking genius!
“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.” (Cinder)
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