Review: Across a Star Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Series: For Darkness Shows the Stars Book #2
Format: Paperback
Pages: 452
Rating: 4 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Post-Apocolyptic, Sci-Fi
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 
Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine. 

Review

Yay!!!. I finally read this one! I do like the first book better, but this was still a very solid book.

Not a lot of YA books are written in third person like this or at least not that I've read. I'm really glad because it helped me get a better idea of what was going on New Pacifica. I was still confused sometimes, because all the sciencey talk made me confused.

Persis especially a great character. She was pretty badass in a few different ways. There was a little bit of political navigation which I always enjoy. She has so much on her shoulders, but she doesn't become angsty or mopey.

The other characters like Isla and Justen were also well done. I actually would like another book for a few reasons like some unresolved questions. Maybe a story set after this one that follows Isla and what she does to navigate her personal and political life. But I'm guessing that will never happen. :(

Thanks for reading!
Holly