Opinião - Across a Star-Swept Sea

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Diana Peterfreund

Páginas: 464 (ebook)

Editor: Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062208798

Sinopse:

From Rampant and Ascendant author Diana Peterfreund comes this thrilling companion to For Darkness Shows the Stars

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, Persis Blake's world is once again in the throes of rebellion.

For Persis, her public life is that of a socialite, filled with parties and ball gowns. But while she seems to be a frivolous aristocrat, inside Persis beats the heart of a spy—the same heart that is falling for the enemy, Justen Helo.

Persis's heart belongs to Justen, but before she can tell him the truth, she discovers he has a secret as well—one that could plunge their tropical paradise into another dark age. And Persis realizes she's not just risking her heart, she's risking the world she's sworn to protect.

Across a Star-Swept Sea is a romantic, science-fictional reimagining of the classic The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Opinião:

Que livro! Mais uma vez Diana Peterfreund conseguiu deixar-me completamente cativada com as suas personagens e o mundo criado. Além disso deixou-me com imensa curiosidade para ler a história original em que o livro foi baseado, The Scarlet Pimpernel.

O mundo que nos é apresentado neste livro é completamente diferente daquele que já conhecíamos do livro anterior. Parece até que estamos a ler uma história completamente diferente. Os nomes atribuídos às coisas e às diferentes camadas da sociedade são completamente diferentes, há uma cura para a Reduction, os hábitos dos habitantes são completamente diferentes daquilo que já conhecíamos. É impressionante como a autora conseguiu criar um mundo que é tão diferente e ao mesmo tempo tão igual àquilo que já conhecíamos.

E se por um lado o mundo e todas as engenhocas que a autora introduziu são magníficas o melhor são sem dúvida as personagens. Ambas as personagens principais estão extremamente bem criadas e coerentes. Ver os conflitos das personagens, os enganos, as mentiras. O facto de não se conseguirem aperceber de diferentes realidades. De ambas combaterem com o mesmo objectivo, mas sem serem capazes de confiar um no outro. Toda esta dualidade que vamos encontrando ao longo da narrativa está extremamente bem construída e conseguida, e penso que seja o que mais valor trás ao livro. Além de que as personagens são bastante diferentes na personalidade que apresentam relativamente ao que vimos no livro anterior, o que faz com que não sintamos que a autora não tem capacidade para criar novas personalidades. A autora não se limita a dar-nos aquilo que ela sabe que resulta, ele tenta algo diferente, e isso é bom.

O facto de a autora nos presentear com os seus antigos personagens ao longo da narrativa foi inteligente, sentimos logo uma emoção, um reconhecimento que nos traz um sorriso aos lábios. E foi bom ver que algumas personagens realmente não mudam. Resumindo, adorei e recomendo!

Mini Opinião - The First Star to Fall

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Diana Peterfreund

Páginas: 34 (Ebook)

Editor:

Sinopse:

Discover how it all began…

New Pacifica was designed to be a tropical paradise, a refuge for humanity filled with natural wonders and technological marvels. A place of perfect peace, where “war” was only a war out of ancient history–or so the privileged teenage aristocrat Persis Blake had always been taught.

But then comes the revolution and the death of a queen, and suddenly it’s no longer enough for Persis to trust the words of her parents, the lessons of her teachers, and the decrees of the men in power.

One terrible night, Persis witnesses the truth: there are those who will stop at nothing to destroy her world… but is there anyone who could save it?

Opinião:

Posso dizer que adorei o primeiro livro que li da autora, For Darkness Shows The Stars, e isto apesar de não ter lido o livro em que se baseia. Contudo, segundo os entendidos, este livro faz justiça ao original! Posteriormente li uma novela acerca de um dos protagonistas e senti-me um pouco defraudada. Esperava mais, mas às vezes isso é difícil de se conseguir em tão poucas páginas. Com a data de edição do segundo livro passado neste mundo pós-apocalíptico a aproximar-se decidi ler esta pequena novela acerca do personagem principal do próximo livro. Aproveitar para me ambientar a uma nova faceta e estilo de vida dos personagens. E que emoção foi! Adorei cada pequeno momento desta pequena história. Deu para entrever as personalidades e o despertar dos personagens para o caminho que hão-de vir a trilhar. E deu para ver que irão ser grandes personagens! Ao contrário da novela sobre o Kai, que me desapontou, esta encheu-me as medidas e deixou-me completamente entusiasmada para ler o próximo livro.A sociedade criada pela editora é tão diferente da que vimos no livro anterior e ao mesmo tempo tão cativante. Não vejo a altura de conhecer um pouco mais da Wild Poppy.

Mini Opinião - Among The Nameless Stars

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Diana Peterfreund

Páginas: 60 (Ebook)

Editor: HarperCollins

Sinopse:

Before Kai joined the Cloud Fleet, he wandered… AMONG THE NAMELESS STARS.

Four years before the events of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, the servant Kai left the North Estate, the only home he’d ever known, and Elliot North, the only girl he ever loved, in search of a better life. But the journey was not an easy one.

Featuring narrow escapes, thrilling boat races and at least one deadly volcanic wasteland.

Opinião:

This short story tells us what Kai went through when he decided to leave everything behind and become a "free man". We start to see the man he came to be in For Darkness Shows The Stars. An aspect of his character that I had not noticed before is how proud he is. Not in a bad way, but in a way that lets us walk with our heads held high no matter what. We got to see a little glimpse of Sophia, and I was sad that I couldn't watch more.

The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that it was implicit, in For Darkness Shows The Stars, that he had a lot of crap thrown at him, that it was almost do the genetic procedures or die. When I read what really happened I felt disappointed. I hoped for more tragedy. I'm not saying that it wasn't bad, I just think that the author could have chosen a better way to tell us what happened. I was hoping to course through the story, and that didn't happen.

It's a nice way to know what happened if you are curious, but nothing you're going to miss if you don't read it.

Opinião - For Darkness Shows The Stars

Ficha Técnica:

Autor: Diana Peterfreund

Páginas: 293 (Ebook)

Editor: Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 9780062114372

Sinopse:

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and 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.

Opinião:

So, it's the first time I'm trying to write a review in english, and I'm sorry if some parts get a little confusing. I will try to do my best to talk about this awesome book I just read. For Darkness Shows The Stars was chosen as one of the readings for this month read-along. For quite some time now, I've been wanting to read this book, but another book always got in the way, so it kept being left behind. Until yesterday. What can be more fun than reading a book with a bunch of people and then discuss it? I have to say that I was a little eager and selfish. I read the book in just one night, because I couldn't put it down.

The book tells us the story of Kai and Elliot, and I need to confess, in the beginning I was a little bit confused, because Elliot is a guy's name. But in this case is a girl! The story is basically told in the present, but we are able to see what it was like when they were young, and the kind of friendship they had. The way the author uses to tell us this is with letters that they used to send to each other since they were very young. These letters not only show us what were they like, but they are also used to make us understand how this world works, since Elliot and Kai were always discussing everything they learned in school or with their parents. And thanks to the fact that they are in different social classes, they have different points of view about everything, what makes us able to understand the different actions of Elliot and Kay when confronted with the same problem.

The book starts with the first letters that they ever wrote to each other. That way we know how everything began. And it was a very funny way of starting a friendship. These letters were always able to put a smile on my face. One thing that I really loved about the book is the story of how and why the world collapsed. The DNA engineering and everything else was well described and it shows that the author took time to understand what she was talking about. Plus, I'm a laboratory girl too, with a thing for genetics, so as you all can imagine, I loved every description that Diana did about this subject.

Talking about the characters, most of the book is told by Elliot’s point of view, so we understand more her actions than everyone else’s. We see a little bit of Kai too, but not enough to really get him. I liked it that way, Kai has an aura of mystery surrounding him, and the best way to keep it that way was showing us the less possible. Elliot was a character that intrigued me and made me feel confused. I liked her, I really liked her. And I understand all her internal struggles. It's not easy to overcome the beliefs you were raised to. And she is a very strong character, with a mind of her own, and someone that fights for what she believes is right. But she is not quit the kind of character we are used to call strong. When we think about strong characters we normally think that they fight with all their body and soul, and confront everything and everybody that stands in their way. Elliot was nothing like that. She was strong because she was able to let go someone she loved because she had to take care of everybody else. She didn't fight her father or sister, but tried to manipulate them in a way that could bring benefits for everybody. She always let them step on her to protect everyone else. And it was strange to see her let them do it, because when she was not with them, she was so brave. But I get it, I really get it. And I praise the author for making me understand her ways. And I hated her father. He is abominable, and that is something that is good. When the bad guy makes us hate him, it means that the author is doing something well.

So I really recommend this book. I am also very curious to read the short stories and the second book that is coming out October 15th. I want to know more about this world.

A very big thank you to p7 from Bookeater/Booklover for helping me make this review understandable.