EDIT: I originally had this at 3 stars but really it’s a 2. I just don’t think this book accomplished what the synopsis promises. To be honest, I read this less than a week ago and it’s already becoming a fading memory. I wanted to love this book and it just missed the mark.


Original Review:

I didn't have strong feelings about this book one way or the other. I did think there was some originality regarding the mythology and culture of the bone crier's as a group, but there is a focus on killing animals in order to take on their strengths that could definitely rub people the wrong way.

I guess the biggest detractor for me was the romance between Bastien and Ailesse. I was ready for it to be angsty and swoony, but it didn't feel like there was really any arc to their relationship. They wanted to kill each other, then they were obsessively in love, with little development of them as characters or as a potential couple. There are some moments of time passing where I guess they could've grown together, but I would've liked to see it.

That said, I didn't hate this book. It's fine.

One last thing I want to mention is the audiobook, which if I was rating would get a 1.5/5 stars. The production value just isn't good. The male voice actor has such an annoying tone to his voice. He does this gravelly whisper that just did not work for me at all. Also, his inflections and cadence are
really strange. I can't quite put my finger on it, but between the whispering and the cadence, it was like he was trying to create some sort of hurried tension that I did not like at all. The women voicing the lady protagonists were better, but there were times I lost track of whose perspective we were in because there really wasn't much of a difference in their voices, aside from one speaking at a slightly higher pitch. Part of that has to do with the writing as well, but I wish the voice actors' voices had been more distinct.
Another problem with the audiobook is that the sound quality wasn't consistent throughout. One character would be narrating, and the voice and sound quality would sound one way, then the next sentence would sound completely different, as if it was being recorded in a different room or using different equipment. This was prevalent throughout the audiobook, and there were times it even sounded muffled. Now, I don't expect that an actor is going to sit down and record hours upon hours nonstop in only one take. However, the production team should have ensured that the quality of the recording was consistent throughout the production, because having such drastic differences in sound quality was distracting.

That being said, it didn't affect my rating of this story. It could've been the most phenomenal audiobook ever and I wouldn't have given it more than a 3/5. But if you are looking to pick this up I would suggest steering clear of the audiobook.

I doubt I'll pick up the sequel, but who knows?

I’m not sure what I’m going to rate this yet. It’s either a 2 or 3. I didn’t actively dislike this, and there was a good chunk of the second half that I liked quite a bit, but I never felt super connected to this. The protagonist is a mixture of The Chosen One and a ‘not-like-other-girls’ girl in a way that doesn’t feel original. I think I like the idea of this more than the execution. I may move on and try the next book, because I did think the second half was stronger than the first, but there are so many other things I’m excited about that I want to prioritize over this series.

*UPDATE 3rd time read in June, 2020*
I want to finally complete this series since the third book has been out for a year. I feel like people are sleeping on this series a bit. This first book especially is really interesting and fun. I love the dynamic between our two protagonists and their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationship arc. Also the discussion of A.I. and what makes someone human is done really well here, in my opinion. Now, maybe the way the third book ends the series will have an affect on my views about this overall as a series, but I do recommend this first book as a fun space romp.

***ORIGINAL REVIEW***
Noemi is a young soldier, training for a suicide mission to protect her beloved home planet of Genesis against attack from Earth. During training, her ship is damaged and she take refuge on an old abandoned Earth ship. To her surprise, she finds an AI (called a mech in this story) named Abel who has been trapped inside for nearly 30 years. Abel ends up becoming Noemi's to command, and together they work to destroy a gateway that constitutes Earth's road to Genesis.

This story is told in third person through both Noemi's and Abel's perspectives, and I thought it was really well done. For the most part, each chapter skips back and forth between the two main characters, and I think it's really successful. There are so many instances where an author will do that and it doesn't work because:

1. The characters don't have distinct voices so it becomes confusing.
Or
2. One of the characters' perspectives is far more enjoyable to read from than the other, so the balance and flow is off.

In Defy The Stars, I loved both of the protagonists equally. I loved their interactions and banter, and seeing them grow both together and separately over the course of the novel was really wonderful.

I love the discussion this book bring up of what it means to be human as well. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the arc of Abel's character coming into this book, but I really liked it. For being a sci-fi book, I found his story believable, and I attribute that to the quality of the writing.

Even though this book has quite a bit of action, the character development inside is wonderful. I found the action to be very character-driven. For one example, their entire mission is based on Noemi's desire to save her best friend and later her planet from attack. Her courage and determination inform her actions, which is what propels the story further.

As far as the world-building goes, I do wish we'd gotten more of the planets themselves. I think that Claudia Grey did a wonderful job setting up the basics of each planet and their role in the galaxy politically and culturally, but I just wanted a little more. I know this is the first in a series, so I'm hoping now that we know these characters she expands on the world. Maybe this is a little nitpicky...so be it.

I felt like the book ended in a great place. It's not all wrapped up in a neat little bow, but it felt like the end of the first act, and I could see the direction it was going but didn't feel cheated out of an ending.

I can't wait for the next book in this series. In the meantime, I need to go read this author's other work, as this was my first experience with her books.

I really loved this book! It gives me slight Big Little Lies vibes with the school and all of the families having their different dysfunctions. I really enjoyed the structure here. Dual timelines are done A LOT in mystery/thrillers and it can get kind of old but I felt like the author did a really good job integrating the timelines. The pacing was pretty much perfect and the number of twists and turns kept me guessing right until the end, which I really appreciate in a thriller. This is definitely one of the best I’ve read this year!

I’m not sure why I never reviewed this when I first read it, but I stand by my original rating of 4 stars. Possibly 3.75ish.
I really enjoy this series. It’s world, characters, and plot are all engaging and interesting. This second book adequately expands on the universe and I like that several characters from the first book are back. I do feel like the arcs of our protagonists isn’t quite as much of a focus as I wanted it to be, especially after the extent that both characters grew during the course of book one.


I liked where the plot went, and am eager to complete this series finally with the third book.