Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Goodreads Book Description: 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.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

My Review: This book has received some rave reviews so I've had it on my TBR list for quite some time. It's not a perfect book, but this was one of those rare books that even with its flaws, I LOVED. So I'm giving it 4.5 stars.

For the Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund is marketed as a retelling of Jane Austen's famous Persuasion (and quotes are interspersed within section headings of the book) in a dystopian YA world. I admit I haven't read Persuasion, but I really enjoyed this book. We are introduced to Elliot, who has been named for her grandfather, and at a young age has had to take over a large load of responsibilities at her farm. She loves her grandfather but he has been continually becoming more senile, and she fights against her father who is rigid and many times cruel to the Reduced (mentally disabled group of people who "played with genetic fire" and now have become a slave population) who work on their farm. There is another group emerging called the Posts, children of the Reduced who have regained intelligence but because of their birthright still remain slaves. Kai is one of them, Elliot's childhood sweetheart, who has dodged all odds, escaped the farm, and made a name for himself. After four years, he's suddenly back in her life, and now Elliot wages an internal war between responsibility to those she loves and freedom to be with the man she loves.

It's all more complicated than that of course, but there are some really amazing twists that the reader must discover for himself or herself. I admit it. I loved this book. It's rare for me to clutch a book and be so moved that I linger on every page and can't let go. Most of that is because of Peterfreund's lyrical prose and also Elliot herself. She is an amazing character-- she knows what is right and that guides her to stand up for people she loves. She is what makes the book sing. I was almost in tears when she was abused on so many levels but still managed to stay on top.

Like I said before, this isn't a perfect book. The letters from younger Kai and Elliot are more distracting than anything else, but there's a reason that I decided I'm okay with this decision, and that is because of what Peterfreund does at the end of the book. Also, Kai is kind of a douche bag, and Elliot is so amazing that I don't think he is anywhere good enough for her. There's a reason he's angry, and it doesn't seem a good enough reason to be so cruel at times. Lastly, I felt like there were some ethical issues that were just really open ended, and I am not sure how they could be reconciled, but I would have liked more discussion between Elliot and Felicia (who knows a lot) to help clarify things at least.

However, even with these issues, the gorgeous prose and the terrific protagonist swept me away. You should take a look at this book.

What did you think of this book?