Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

image from Goodreads

Title: For Darkness Shows the Stars
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Series: For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publish Date: June 12, 2012
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction, Retellings

It’s been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth–an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret–one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

I have been meaning to read this one for a while now, and I’m glad I finally finished it! I started reading this months ago, but never actually went farther than fifty pages.

For Darkness Shows the Stars was an entertaining read, but I guess that it’s one of those books that will only appeal to a certain type of reader. I couldn’t pinpoint what kind, though, since it kind of lacked everything–the romance didn’t really happen until the last fifty or so pages, there was no action or suspense, the characters were not all likable–but I thought it was okay as an overall book.

• Ellie was a good main character in terms of her bravery and loyalty. She cared a lot for her workers and not only for her fellow Luddite (the rich). She loved even the CORs (children of the Reduced) and the Reduced themselves. She didn’t let social status get in the way of her friendship and love for others.
• Since Ellie was loyal to them, her workers were loyal to her as well. And she deserved their support. Even as secondary characters, they played specific and significant roles in the story.
• Kai was a likeable individual character, especially as a child. The book has some chapters where back-and-forth messages between Ellie and Kai are shown (written years before) and they were very cute.

• The actual romance only started as the book came to an end. which was stupid, considering this book is one of those that focus on the romance. What actually happened was that there wasn’t any romance, rather, there was only angst, jealousy and irritation between the characters for the first 80% of the book.
• The Reduction is still confusing to me. The theories were explained, but still not the actual cause of this. I hope this is explained in future books.
  

Have you read this book? If you have, what did you think of it? If not, do you think you’ll be interested in it?