For Darkness Shows the Stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Release Date ~ 6/12/12
Format ~ ARC
Publisher ~ Balzer + Bray
Source ~ Publisher
Purchase: The Book Depository

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, 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.
Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

   I'll admit it, I'm not a huge Jane Austin fan. I have no problems with her work, but as a guy, it's sort of in our job description not to like 19th century romances. Still, For Darkness Shows the Stars looked pretty good... I was in the mood for a dystopian with originality. Sadly, For Darkness Shows the Stars was not the book for me.

  I thought Elliott was a good main character. She was very adamant about supporting her family's estate, and about betting living conditions for the posts and the reduced, and though she chose the estate over running away with post-reductionist, Kai, she was very open minded `to a world where posts and Luddites live as equals. She was the only main character I actually liked. Kai, the love interest, was so annoying. He made me want to throw the book across the room! He kept on acting like Elliott was a piece of crap, stuck-up Luddite who thought she was better then everyone else, when she was in fact the opposite. The other starring characters were just so forgettable, I have already forgot them.

  Peterfreund did have a good writing style that appealed to me, and it worked for some scenes, but not for others. It's always very high pressure and intense, I just wish she had some comic relief in this book. Because I never laughed once.

  The thing that broke this book's back was that for 85% of the book was that nothing was really happening. The main problem didn't even reveal itself til the book was almost done. For the first 350 pages it was just "Why doesn't Kai like me anymore?" or "Why is my sister such a jerk?", and I need more out of a book then that.

   Though Austin fans might like this book more then I did, it wasn't my cup of tea. It wasn't un-enjoyable, it was just pretty forgettable.

Cover Comments: This cover is awesome! I love the black dress and all the stars!