YA Review - A Million Suns

It was by sheer happenstance that I came across this exciting sequel to Across The Universe. I cannot stand cliff-hangers especially in books which take so long to write, print and produce. I strive to avoid reading works of art in motion. Had I known that this end of the story was yet to be printed, I would have avoided the series like a plague till the finale was firmly etched in ink.  At the conclusion of Beth Revis's first novel, I was pleased with my experience, ready to move on to something new when I came upon this book marked "to read" in a friend's feed. The whole series is a trilogy!  I was gobsmacked and angered all at once. I'm a greedy reader who needs to know all there is to know about a story immediately! How will I ever survive until 2013 when the finale is released? 

A Million Suns by Beth Revis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fantasmic tale of love, learning and betrayal by Beth Revis.

My emotional roller-coaster and unreasonable love affair with the Amy and Elder, our two protagonists in Beth Revis' illustrious story is a testament to the fascinating tale that our author is taking us on. In this installment, we learn more about Orion and what he learned about the Godspeed during the twenty years he was hiding from Eldest. Amy and Elder learn about life aboard Godspeed before the Eldest System, the controlling force of Phydus and the mysterious plague. Amy remains an outsider on the ship, unable to meld into the fabric of her new home. She doesn't think like everyone else, doesn't look like everyone else, and is not content with the status quo like everyone else. As for Elder, he is learning truly - Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Life on the Godspeed is significantly impacted now by the three causes of discord. Regardless of his upbringing (by "nature" and nurture), Elder struggles to fill the fairly flawed and very large shoes of the ship's last leader.

In telling their tales, Amy and Elder reminded me that the two heros I am rooting for are still very much teenagers and are teenagers required to make very adult choices The older people in their lives are not much help to them and they have to trust each other more than ever. I enjoyed watching Elder come into his own and I wished there was similar growth in Amy. Amy held onto her petulant attitude a moment too long that shifted my allegiance away from her slightly.

While I enjoyed the mystery of unlocking the secrets of the Godspeed, I was not very surprised by the reveals. The surprises at the end of each corridor were ones I would expect from the story. The unravelling of the web of secrets was tense and engaging, definitely my favorite part of the book. I did not enjoy the rather rapid descent into anarchy of the inhabitants of the Godspeed. The escalation of events seemed rushed and inexplicable at times.

I am looking forward to the next chapter in the series. Beth Revis has woven Elder and Amy into the fabric of my consciousness. I am genuinely concerned about their future together and I am rooting for them. A great read and definitely worthy of purchase. 4 out of 5 stars!

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