Across the Universe

Across the Universe
By Beth Revis
Razorbill, 2011. 398 pgs. Young Adult

Elder is on board the spaceship Godspeed, which left Earth hundreds of years ago, headed for a new planet that will sustain life. The only teenager on board, he is being raised to be the next leader of the ship. However, Eldest, the current leader, seems to be keeping secrets, and Elder is determined to find out what is going on. What he finds is beyond what he ever expected: there are frozen people on board, who are set to be thawed out when the spaceship lands on the new earth. However, one of them, Amy, is thawed out early, and now, Elder finds himself with another teenager on board--a teenager who is as determined as he is to get some answers.

This book started out a little slow for me, but it picked up in the middle. However, the ending was just so-so; one big problem was resolved satisfactorily but the other seemed a little oversimplified. I think there were some areas of the plot that were underdeveloped, such as Amy's relationship with her parents. However, the book is a good pick for those who want either a science fiction choice.

AE