I’m sorry for that title. The pun was just there and I had no choice.

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: These Broken Stars was the first Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner book I ever read, and it made me fall in love with this author duo. It’s funny, adorable, heartbreaking, and slightly ominous- basically everything you could ask for in a book.

“But who names a starship the Icarus? What kind of man possess that much hubris, that he dares it to fall?” 

[Related: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Review)]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, PTSD //

“You don’t mention death when it’s hovering near someone you love. You don’t want to attract the reaper’s attention.”

Release Date: 12/10/2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Page Count: 384
Premise:

These Broken Stars is what you would get if you put Titanic in space (except, with a lot more Man vs. Wild in there too). Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen are from two different worlds. Lilac has lived in luxury her whole life, as the daughter of the richest man in the galaxy. Meanwhile, Tarver is a soldier who came from nothing. But their two worlds collide on the Icarus, a luxury space-liner. However, the Icarus itself then collides with a planet in the middle of nowhere. Lilac and Tarver are lucky to survive the crash, but can they stay alive on this mysterious planet?

Read more for all of my thoughts on this book!

Writing & Setting

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner work so well together. Their writing style is very grounded, but with plenty of wit and humor. Their characters really shine through in their writing. The setting is equally well done. They crafted a fascinating and well-developed galaxy that feels real, understandable, and easy to jump into, with some intriguing mysterious aspects to it. 

“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.”

Plot

Like I said- the premise of this book is very Titanic, but the bulk of the plot deals with the characters trying to survive on this planet. This book definitely feels more character driven, with the main motivation for turning the page being unraveling the backstories of these characters, but there’s also plenty of adventure and even some action thrown in. Overall, the pacing was done so well that it was nearly impossible to put down.

“Lilac Rose LaRoux. Untouchable. Toxic. I should’ve been named Ivy, or Foxglove, or Belladonna.” 

Characters

The characters are really what sets this series apart from the rest. Tarver and Lilac are so well-developed, with a really interesting and fun dynamic (which is kinda important considering they’re alone together quite a bit in this book), and great character arcs. I love the development they’re given, as well as the unraveling of their histories and motivations. 

“How do you live again, knowing what waits for you in the end?” 

[Related: Sherwood by Meagan Spooner (Review)]

Conclusion

Pros- Great characters, well built world, addictive
Cons- This book made me cry and that wasn’t fun
Overall- 5/5 stars. 
These Broken Stars is the perfect introduction to a great sci-fi series that you will never want to end. 

Have you read These Broken Stars? What’s your favorite Sci-Fi/Romance?

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