Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

27 November, 2013 Reviews 52 comments

Everybody is talking about this book and not without good cause. This is a really hard book for me to review, not only because Meg and Amie are friends of mine, but also because I’m about to see them on Friday. Talk about awkward. And yet this review comes in full knowledge that they might throw things at me, or tear apart my manuscript, if I can ever convince them to crit it for me, out of revenge.

See how much I love you guys? I’m ready to make ALL the things awkward for your benefit!

The problem with These Broken Stars is that it’s so adorable, I think I’m going to die.

Like, for real, I’m 99% positive this book gave me diabetes…

I kind of have the biggest lady boner for Lilac and Tarver. They are, without a doubt, the strongest aspect of this novel. People looking for complex world building, fast-paced action or a complicated plot are probably going to be disappointed. However, those ready to bask in a character-centric tale of love, growing and sacrificing need to get this book right now. To be honest, I was utterly enchanted by these two futuristic lovebirds.  Enchanted all the way down to my brutish, thuggish, cold, dead heart.

The positive parts of this novel include the writing. It is, as I expected, simply stunning. But this was no big surprise, I have read Meagan Spooner’s previous works, and technical ability was never something that she lacks.  I’m in love with her style, and ability to bring vivid scenes to life.  She and Kaurfman are obviously very complimentary in this regard.

However, the biggest test for me was always going to be the pacing. My biggest weakness as a reader is that walking books kill me. Plot has to be happening, mysteries flying at you like metaphorical balls to your face, and the entertainment factor has to be just right, or I’m lost. I felt in this aspect, These Broken Stars walked a tight-rope that was valiantly saved by how charismatic and hilarious Tarver and Lilac’s interactions were.

For a pretty straight forward plot, they make it exciting and sweet, the character’s humour and witty dialogue creating a kind of magic that I didn’t want to stop. I kind of get the sense that the authors had a beginning and end in mind. As to everything that happens in the middle, to me it felt less tightly plotted, leaving the events seeming a little random. This may not be true, it was just my intuition as a reader. But sometimes as I was reading, I almost felt between the lines that one of them would be like, “Dude what are we doing next?” And then the other one would be like, “Add some kissing and stuff. Make something up.” And that there is this certain point in the novel where it feels like they both said to each other, “No, really, how’s this ending?” before they set about making it work.

*Disclaimer: This is all in my head, by the way, I have no idea how this book was actually written.

Ultimately this doesn’t really negate the good things in the novel. Lilac and Taver’s story is still incredibly emotionally compelling.  And the most important aspects of this novel, being a highly character-driven story, are nailed so perfectly that it’s easy to bypass the rest and just soak in the feels. Of which Tarver and Lilac will give you many.  Totally a Sploogefest.


And the entertainment I got from reading them together in this book is what drives my high rating more than anything else. I feel like I can forgive a lot of things, if I am ultimately entertained. And this story of hardened space marine meets bratty princess socialite utterly thrilled me.

I think if a novel can manage to be romantic, entertaining, tense, and occasionally creepy, then that means it has a lot going for it. At least in my books. Of which I have none – so trust nothing I say.

 

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52 Responses to “Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner”

  3. Meg

    Sounds like a great read! Every now and then I get a serious hankerin’ for some futuristic YA, and this would beautifully fill that need. Also, the cover is gorgeous! Character-centric stories are totally up my alley . . . I’ll keep an eye out for it!

  4. Ikao

    I do want that dress! The color is not my favorite, but it’s shinning perfectly. I would love to cosplay as Lilac if I don’t remember the fabrics will be pretty expensive

  5. Rashika

    I am actually curious as to what I’ll think of it. There seems to be a mixed reaction. Some people loved this book to pieces while others thought that it could have been better.
    Great review Kat! 🙂

    Also.. eh if I got that dress I wouldn’t be wearing it 😛 I’d be staring at it all day drooling over it. You just don’t wear a dress like that (outside your house) 🙂

  8. Mirriam

    I would wear that green dress with everything from boots to bare feet. My family would get sick of seeing it.
    (I wouldn’t)

  9. Gayatri (Shivani)

    Not that I wouldn’t love this dress but I would rather have this dress in some other color. For instance turquoise. I would love this dress if it were in turquoise color!!

  11. Iona

    I don’t think I’d suit THAT green dress. It’s so pretty and it goes well with Lilac’s red hair but on me it wouldn’t look so good.

  12. Adelynne

    Meh. Most likely not; it’s way too gigantic for me, and dresses aren’t really my style. 😀

  13. Cyn

    I want that dress so ridiculously badly haha.
    Great review, I do agree with the floaty middle but yeah, I really enjoyed this book overall.

  14. Kristie

    Well considering my height, I don’t think that it would suit me well. But hypothetically, yes I would like that dress.

  17. Jenny

    Of course I want the green dress! Especially if it means I get to go to space and have it billow out like that (but also SPACE!).

  18. Maryline VP

    Who wouldn’t want that dress? It’s absolutely gorgeous. Lovely giveaway too! (too bad the dress is not included 😉 ) x Happy reading, M.

  19. Sam @ Realm of Fiction

    I’m reading this at the moment and liking it a lot – more for the Lilac/Tarver entertainment value than anything! I agree that this probably isn’t the book for anyone looking for hardcore sci-fi, but I knew I to expect something quite romance-orientated going in, and it seems like that has helped. I’m curious about how it ends now. Great review!

  20. Rochelle Sharpe

    This dress is very beautiful and yes, I’d love to get my hands on it! This book sounds so good I can’t wait to read it! Thanks so much for the giveaway 🙂

  21. Lynn K.

    The dress is gorgeous but not really my color, haha. If I could I would totally wear it though!

  25. Charlotte

    This is a book that I really want to read. I requested it from NG months ago but got disapproved. >,< Right now, I am more determined than ever to get my hands on this book after this awesome review.

    I think I could stomach the slow pacing of this book if like you said, the interactions between Lilac and Tarver were quite entertaining. I'll take your word on this, Kat.

    And thanks. And why is everyone hyping about that dress? It sure is pretty but I think even the low gravity of space would not help Lilac stay afloat with a heavy dress like that.

  26. Stacey

    The dress is beautiful but I’m really more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. Sooo excited to read this though!

  30. Cait

    Yes to the green dress. But only if a Tarver comes with it. 😉 I ADORED this book. It totally has allll the feels. I was really surprised, though, that it was more of a survival story. The blurb doesn’t hint at that at all. Interesting. But, all the same, it’s adorable. Their arguments are adorable. The ending was sort of mind blowing.
    Also, your GIF usage? The. best. ever.

  31. Alexandra

    I would looove that dress. It looks so beautiful & silky! I really want to read this book! I have heard amazing things about it! 🙂

  34. Roxy

    Um, maybe for my daughter, but she’s only 8. As for me, I’m kind of past the “green dress” stage of my life, unfortunately, but if you would have asked me 20 years ago, the answer would have been a definitive yes! It’s beautiful!!!

  39. Franny

    LOVE a good character-driven YA novel! I was initially skeptical about this one (not sure why), but now I’m sold. 🙂

  42. _Sandra-

    Dress is absolutely gorgeous!!! I would looove to have it! But I would settle for the book at the moment. 😉 Thanks for a giveaway! 🙂

  43. _Sandra_

    Dress is absolutely gorgeous!!! I would looove to have it! But, I would settle for the book at the moment. 😉 Thanks for a giveaway! 🙂

  44. Christina (A Reader of Fictions)

    Really? I didn’t think it was all that fluffy. I liked the survival stuff at the beginning a whole lot. That’s when the book and I were friends. I SHOULD have been all over Lilac and Tarver. They bantered and everything, but I couldn’t really tell their voices apart, so it was like reading about someone falling love with with their reflection or something.

    *dodges empty gin bottle hurled by Kat*

    I do really like both Spooner and Kaufman’s writing. They just happen to write really similarly. I’m totally cool with walking books, though. It was a solid 3.5 all the way until ending, which yeah. Whuuuuuuuuuuuuut was that?

  45. Casey B.

    Sure! Couldn’t really wear it in public though without twenty people holding up the back:) Thanks!

  46. Stacy L

    After watching your video-reading of this book, it is official: I no longer want to read books unless you are reading/acting them out! It was so amazing: I especially love that the Doctor Who phone booth! And now I have to know how bobble-head Loki and my Little Pony princess (I mean Traver and Lilac) survive, so I cannot wait until the 10th for its release. And the whole time I read it, I will read it aloud with my best attempt at an Australian accent (which will probably be downright pathetic), all the while envisioning Loki and princess Pony! So awesome! 🙂

  47. Stacy L

    And, I got so excited, that I forgot to mention my response: no I don’t want that dress because I now only imagine Lilac with rainbow colored hair and pink plastic flanks!

  48. Nicola W

    Who doesn’t want the green dress? It’s amazing! Sadly it would only fit my left leg from how small it is, oops

  52. Jaime Lester

    I don’t know what to say other than I need to read this book right this very minute. I want to know these characters, and for once fluff is calling my name!