For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1) by Diana Peterfreund

Apr 25, 2013 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, crushworthy-guys, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you

I first heard about this book a year ago through Catie's fantastic review. As a fan of Persuasion, I figured this was an automatic skip. I mean, come on, Wentforth? And why is Coco Rocha modeling a dress on the cover? In space? Fast forward a year later, I saw this was available at my e-library and thought, Why not? Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the DNF Shelf. I loved it. And the thing is, objectively, I still agree with the points Catie made -- but sometimes, you have to go with yo...more

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May 13, 2013 Komal Mikaelson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-lust, abnormal-behaviour, beyond-comprehnsion, cliched, didn-t-get-it, dragging, dystopian-fiction, haywire-story, huge-letdown, is-this-for-real, love-conquers-all, man-that-cover, mehhh, revolted, so-s-l-o-w, what-the-f

Initial Reaction After Completion

Why? Why, am I always deceived by pretty covers? I mean just look at the cover.
LOOK AT IT.
It is so pwweetttyy.
And the story it encapsulates: dreadful, painful.

You know I hate biology. And I absolutely loathe crop management. I never understood that topic because I never bothered learning it. It was plain ol' boring. Now imagine a book that pops 'genetics of wheat' every other page.
It is a big deal I completed it at all.

The book felt like a stinky, lacklustre mi...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Mitch rated it 1 of 5 stars

Personally, I would just read Persuasion. Dystopian retellings seem to be all the rage these days and For Darkness Shows the Stars is no exception; at this point I'm convinced all these authors and publishers are all thinking, let's add a bleak futuristic setting and some moral quandaries to all our plots and profit! (Either that or the good old vampire/werewolf/angel trifecta.) Too bad you do actually need more than that for a good book - I've read Persuasion and I've read good dystopians, and...more Personally, I would just read Persuasion. Dystopian retellings seem to be all the rage these days and For Darkness Shows the Stars is no exception; at this point I'm convinced all these authors and publishers are all thinking, let's add a bleak futuristic setting and some moral quandaries to all our plots and profit! (Either that or the good old vampire/werewolf/angel trifecta.) Too bad you do actually need more than that for a good book - I've read Persuasion and I've read good dystopians, and this is neither a good Persuasion adaptation nor a good dystopian.

Where to start? The first half of this book was really boring. I liked how Peterfreund transforms ~~Anne Elliot~~ Elliot from a weaker character in the original into a really strong heroine and having her take a much more active role in managing ~~Kellynch Hall~~ the North Estate, but that's about it. Peterfreund takes way too long setting up the backstory - basically people in the future perform genetic manipulation on themselves (the Reduction) leading to all their kids (the Reduced) being mentally challenged. And just to spite everyone who didn't get gene therapy, those who did blow up the world. Except a bunch of people who believed gene therapy went against God's will (the Luddites) survived and now they use the Reduced as slave labor until the Reduced start birthing kids with normal IQ (the Posts), hence the first moral dilemma of using Posts as basically slaves. And of course, the second's whether or not it's ok to develop new technologies, in case that leads to another Reduction. Seriously, that didn't need to take up half the book.

I have to admit, those dilemmas got really interesting in the second half. Elliot, no surprise, is a big advocate of Post rights against her traditionalist father and sister, but I loved how she's torn between Luddite antitechnology sensibilities and the desire to improve the welfare of the Reduced on her estate by embracing the new Post inventions. Because both sides make sense, there are strong arguments for either position, and I loved seeing Elliot's internal debate with herself. And some of the twists genuinely surprised me, particularly the ones having to do with illegal gene therapy; they tossed a huge wrench in Elliot and Kai's relationship and really challenged Elliot's attitude towards the Posts and what they're trying to do. But ... nothing else happens, we go directly from her being horrified by what the Posts are doing to ending up happily with Kai ... um, what? The protocols against gene research aren't garbage, they serve a purpose, and Elliot's quick change of heart felt far too naive and convenient.

As for the Persuasion adaptation, I guess For Darkness Shows the Stars is best when it tracks the Austen original. Because a lot of the extra bells and whistles, like all the cute letters between Elliot and Kai, really didn't work for me. So they were childhood friends and Elliot eventually did something unforgiveable to Kai, really didn't give the impression of much of an epic romance. And somehow Kai ended up being a bigger douche than Captain Wentworth - Kai's not just cold and distant, but is almost maliciously cruel at times, not really a good thing. I think Elliot went easy on him in the end.

Really, For Darkness Shows the Stars falls victim to my pet peeve with a lot of the current crop of dystopians, they try to explore some really deep themes and never quite get to what they seem to be aiming for, always end up disappointing me. Either make your book fun and not so heavy or get it right, dammit.(less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Austen's Persuasion

Shelves: read-2012, young-adult, arc

Rating Clarification: 4.5 stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund is an ambitious retelling of the classic Persuasion by Jane Austen. I’ll admit now that I’m not well versed when it comes to Austen and I’m probably one of the last few who hasn’t read Pride and Prejudice. However, Persuasion is one that I enjoyed actually a couple of years ago, so Captain Wentworth is to me what Mr. Darcy is to other Austen fans. Overall, to experience Diana’s journey through the frame of reference...more Rating Clarification: 4.5 stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund is an ambitious retelling of the classic Persuasion by Jane Austen. I’ll admit now that I’m not well versed when it comes to Austen and I’m probably one of the last few who hasn’t read Pride and Prejudice. However, Persuasion is one that I enjoyed actually a couple of years ago, so Captain Wentworth is to me what Mr. Darcy is to other Austen fans. Overall, to experience Diana’s journey through the frame of reference of Persuasion was actually quite enjoyable and well worth the time and emotion I afforded this novel.

Peterfreund’s story is very unique as it takes a well known classic and puts a Dystopic or slightly SciFi twist to the story. I feel where other authors would possibly fail miserably in this attempt, Peterfreund took a daring approach and really made the story work. She pulls you into her novel using the familiar setting of Persuasion, but at calculated moments she infuses some back-story and elements that are uniquely her own. She’s actually quite crafty with her approach as she doesn’t catch you off guard and confuse the reader, but rather has you digging for more details as she piques your curiosity at well-timed moments.

I did have a hard time pinning the time reference of this novel. It’s definitely set in the undefined future, but there were events and details that made the novel feel almost historical in nature with the lack of technology, rudimentary medical practices; and even the attire felt not of modern times. It’s almost like humanity regressed in many ways both in knowledge and innovation. Either way, where in other novels the ambiguity would possibly frustrate me, I found myself easily suspending my reality and quite intrigued.

Luddite Elliot North, the MC of this story, is probably one of the most likeable female characters I’ve read in quite some time. She has a quiet strength and determination about her that I found admirable. Loyalty and compassion are two character traits I appreciate and Elliot carried them in spades. There were times when I wanted to just scream at the other characters in this novel that either hurt or threatened Elliot in some way, but she held her own quite well, defended herself when it was necessary and walked away when she had nothing to gain. I loved that about her. There wasn’t one moment in this story where my allegiance and compassion for this character wavered and she was a worthy narrator of this journey.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel for fans of Persuasion. However, if you’ve never read the classic, that won’t take away from the magic For Darkness Shows the Stars has to offer. If anything, you’ll experience twists and outcomes in a spoiler free fashion. This novel is a perfect blend of engaging and captivating. Well done! (less)

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May 14, 2013 Cecile rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: idiotic-mc, trying-too-hard, bored-me-to-tears, couldn-t-get-into-it, wtf

Oh, oh, oh it’s finally OVER, I’m done with this book *kisses the ground and sobs* I think anyone who manages to go through with this one deserves a medal of some sort. Or some Harry Potterish chocolate, you know, the kind that makes you feel better after a scare. Well, OK, I wasn’t scared but I definitely need a pick me up.

I guess I knew, early on, that this one wouldn’t (couldn’t) go higher than 2*. And I went back and forth, thinking “but the writing is OK, it doesn’t deserve a 1* like all t...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, good-uns, dystopian, ya

Originally reviewed here.

I know this is an almost unpardonably early review. But honestly, I waited on it as long as I possibly could before the effort of holding it in caused me some sort of bodily harm. I've been anxiously looking forward to FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS for going on two years now, and the day an ARC showed up on my doorstep was just a very good day indeed. When a book you've been dying to read finally falls into your lap, do you ever just hold onto it and savor the possibilit...more Originally reviewed here.

I know this is an almost unpardonably early review. But honestly, I waited on it as long as I possibly could before the effort of holding it in caused me some sort of bodily harm. I've been anxiously looking forward to FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS for going on two years now, and the day an ARC showed up on my doorstep was just a very good day indeed. When a book you've been dying to read finally falls into your lap, do you ever just hold onto it and savor the possibilities? I do. I did with this one for a little while. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I just tear into it immediately. But sometimes I don't. Because sometimes dreaming about it while you're actually holding it in your hands is special, too. So I savored and I dreamt and I started reading and . . . I was gone. My first reaction to finishing it was a sense of complete satisfaction mingled with sadness that it was over. My second was thinking that I cannot wait to see FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS work its magic on readers far and wide. As post-apocalyptic retellings of classics go, it pretty much killed it on all levels for this devoted Austen girl.

Elliot North knows how to work hard. As a member of the elite Luddite nobility, she has a keen sense of what is expected of her, of which actions are acceptable and which ones could get you disowned and out on the streets. It is that very sense of duty that kept her from following her childhood friend Kai four years ago, when he fled servitude on her father's estate for a life of uncertainty and, just possibly, freedom. Their friendship was forbidden from the beginning, as Kai belongs to the Post-Reductionist class, and ever since the catastrophic Reduction, matters or birth and class ruthlessly define every aspect of a person's life. But now, four long years have passed, and at eighteen years old, Elliot is the only thing keeping the family lands going. As her father and sister grow further distanced from reality, the world as they know it is changing. Determined not to be left behind, Elliot convinces her family to lease the land to a group of unusual shipwrights known as Cloud Fleet. Hoping the extra income will save her home, Elliot is, well, gobsmacked when one of the renowned shipwrights turns out to be none other than her old friend--no longer playful, open Kai, but smart, remote Captain Malakai Wentforth. Elliot knows how to work hard, but even she may not be up to the task of withstanding the flood of guilt and longing that threatens to overtake her with his return. Especially given the suspicions that being to swirl in her head regarding just what he and his fleet are up to.

Everything about this book soars, from its supernal setting to the dreams its characters hold in their hearts. Having read (and adored) Persuasion for years now, it was extremely gratifying to see the massive amounts of care and thought that went into the crafting of this story inspired by Jane Austen's final novel. In fact, I felt a healthy dose of admiration for the storytelling the entire time I was reading it. But the wonderful bit is that it won me over on its own strengths entirely. The world and its sinister history, the characters and their eerily perfect names, the writing and its effortless flow--they're all so interlocked and balanced, coming together so as to make hours go by like seconds. I may have been predisposed to like Elliot, but the way my heart launched itself into my throat when hers did, the way my temper rose on her behalf, and the way I held my breath at her restraint and cheered her adamant refusal to be downtrodden . . . I more-than-liked Elliot. I more-than-liked Kai (even when I wanted to hurt him). And most of all, I more-than-liked the brilliant ending. Here is one of my favorite non-spoilery passages (taken from my uncorrected ARC), in which you get a feel for the way the writing lauds the original while extending it to support the strengths of these new characters and their spectacular world:

Elliot had had enough. "If you can't be civil to me, Miss Phoenix, I wish you'd leave me in peace. I have never done anything to you, and if you seek to punish me for past misdeeds, there is nothing you can devise that I haven't already suffered." Four years of worrying about Kai, followed by all these weeks of having him back here, but hating her. Was that not punishment enough?

"You baffle me, Miss Elliot," Andromeda replied in the same high-wrought tone. "I can't reconcile the young woman I see before me with the reports I have had."

What lies had Kai been spreading abroad? "I'm sorry to hear that, but it's none of my concern. I am the same person I've always been." She turned her face away from Andromeda, away from the crowd and from Kai. "Maybe you should ask yourself why, if I am the person you've been led to believe, someone would put their faith in me at all?"

"People are foolish when it comes to love."

Elliot hadn't been. She'd been rational, logical, reasonable, prudent. She'd been cold and cruel and disloyal and distant.

She hadn't been foolish.

She'd been the most foolish girl on the island.

Great, no? The killer thing about Elliot (have I mentioned how much I love her?) is that she has all the layers. She's the perfect blend of unmitigated strength and harbored regret. Every moment of every day she embodies dedication and resolve, all the while trying to mask the hope and the pain she lives with every moment of every single day. Here is Elliot:

No one came. Not her sister or her father, not Benedict or the Fleet Posts or even Admiral Innovation. No one appeared in the hall all afternoon but the mute, shuffling figures of the Reduced housemaids as they went about their chores. Time passed, and Elliot sat in the chair, waiting for the verdict from Felicia.

How much of her life had she spent waiting? Waiting for a plant to sprout? Waiting for her father's judgment? Waiting for another letter to appear in the knothole from Kai? Waiting for years after Kai left to feel at peace with her decision? She fed the Reduced, she did her chores, she avoided her father and her sister, and she waited. She did every duty she'd been taught as a Luddite, and she lied with every breath.

I'd say I don't know what to say, but I do. And it's this. Snatch it up the day it comes out--this beautiful book--this meticulous, breathtaking retelling of one of the greatest love stories ever penned.

Lastly, I just want to thank Diana Peterfreund (from the bottom of my heart) for page 117. Got it in one!(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to oliviasbooks by: Arlene

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, scifi-dystopian-apocalyptic, retellings-continuations, love-story-romance, favorites, favorites-of-2012, read-2012, to-re-read, cry-a-little, high-expectations, yabc-quarterly-challenge-6, hug-them-lick-them-favorites

"'What's so funny? […] That you take a little spill from a horse and everyone wants to rearrange the world so you don't suffer a moment of inconvenience?' 'No,' she said, and her voice was even. 'That I would wait a month in agony just to hear you insult me. I'm a miserable girl indeed, don't you think?'"

The lion’s share of my rating decision is always based on my own personal enjoyment of a book. And my ability to enjoy a book certainly depends on the characters and how they manage to move me,...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Alexa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, young-adult, arc, to-buy, borrowed

4.5 stars

Just some random thoughts...

I love the cover, but I don't think the girl looks like Elliot... :|

Elliot was awesome!! And there were so many times I wanted to comfort her because some of the characters were just cruel to her. :'( Some seriously deserve to get slapped! Those characters made me so angry! I wish I could have gone in there and drop kicked them in the face! Thankfully, the ones who were redeemed (like I knew they would be) I was able to forgive. ;)

This book was inspired by Pe ...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Susana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wishlist, dystopia, favorites, 2012

Entrancing, engrossing, amazing, beautiful, unforgettable....sigh

Normally at the beginning of a review, the first thing i mention is what the book has made me feel...or what i felt about the characters. In this one i will start by the thing that i normally leave to the end: the writing.... it was so, SO BEAUTIFUL...the characters and feelings were perfectly portrayed. There was no exaggeration of style, only raw feelings...one could feel how much they were hurting, one could feel the longing, an...more Entrancing, engrossing, amazing, beautiful, unforgettable....sigh

Normally at the beginning of a review, the first thing i mention is what the book has made me feel...or what i felt about the characters. In this one i will start by the thing that i normally leave to the end: the writing.... it was so, SO BEAUTIFUL...the characters and feelings were perfectly portrayed. There was no exaggeration of style, only raw feelings...one could feel how much they were hurting, one could feel the longing, and the sadness, and the hope....

A beautiful romance, about two people that had to make choices, and consequently had to go on with their lives in the absence of one another. Because sometimes love isn't enough.

From all the classics that i've read, Jane Austen's Persuasion" is one of my all time favorites. In fact with time,i've come to appreciate it even more so than "Pride and Prejudice". The story of a love that time itself isn't able to make fade away, the story of a couple who's hearts won't let them forget one another, isn't easilly forgotten...luckily for me, the same happened with this story.

But this one, isn't only a "Persuasion" re-telling. In fact it is so much more than that...
In this dystopia, that takes places in a distant future _ i'm guessing here _ technology is seen as the ultimate sin. In fact throughout the book we can see the struggle between the conservative ways, uphold by the "Luddites" and the progressive ones defended by the "Posts", or "COR- children of reduction".

You see, a long time ago, genetic wanted to take Gods place. But something went wrong, and the keepers of that knowledge preferred to destroy it alongside with their minds, instead of sharing it with others. That's when the event called "The reduction" took place. And that's when the "reduced" appeared. Now we have a social classe that barely speaks and for which "the Luddites" _ known as salvators of humankind, since they never adhered to the profane ways of genetic _ will be responsable for.

But what if that situation is reversible? What if "the reduced" are slowly recovering? Not in years, but in generations? Will the "luddites" allow them their freedom, or will they keep them as a little more than slaves?

Progress can lead to disaster, but it can also lead to salvation. In the end, it doesn't matter how many turns it makes, how many dead ends and disasters it causes, because progress, like a phoenix will always rise from its ashes.
It can never stay dead and buried.

Elliot, was outstanding in her strength and convictions. And so was Kai, a character bigger than life...

To finish, i will just say that i loved reading the letters that these two exchanged in the past. Great idea. That allowed us glimpses of their lifes, without being too much....

Truly a great story.(less)

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Sep 14, 2012 AmyFlo rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The concept of this novel is so brilliant. I've long held the stance that modernizing Persuasion can't work. I've yet to read a modernization that gets it. So, Peterfreund doesn't modernize the story - she puts it in another setting completely. The social restrictions of the past do not exist in the present, so Peterfreund invents them in the future. Her believable depiction of what could happen to humanity is wonderfully complex. OK, so it may not be completely believable, but it worked.

I love...more The concept of this novel is so brilliant. I've long held the stance that modernizing Persuasion can't work. I've yet to read a modernization that gets it. So, Peterfreund doesn't modernize the story - she puts it in another setting completely. The social restrictions of the past do not exist in the present, so Peterfreund invents them in the future. Her believable depiction of what could happen to humanity is wonderfully complex. OK, so it may not be completely believable, but it worked.

I loved the set up so much, I wish I could give the book more stars. But the complex morality debate she sets up takes up too much of the narrative. First in its description and then in its dilemma for the heroine. And that could have been OK if it wasn't dropped at the end. Are the Posts immune to Reduction? Is it OK that they've resume the experiments? Is it morally right to do the experiments? We're never told. We're not even told to draw our own conclusion. It kind of just fades as the pages wind down. While I was relieved not to have some sort of moral Statement, I thought the story would have been tighter if some sort of resolution was made.

The relationship between Elliot and Kai was no Anne and Wentworth. Knowing each other since childhood, it never seemed to get past the teasing phase. Their relationship in the past was conveyed through letters, and they all seemed to be about the same thing: Kai hates the Luddites and wants to be free. Elliot is constantly defending the beliefs she's been raised to have (and are still valid). He's angry; she's apologetic and defensive. I didn't fee any love between the two aside from the very beginning when she kisses his hand.

The Kai of the present didn't do it for me either. When he grabbed her and challenged his former fellow-Posts, I was taken aback. Even though Kai didn't hurt Elliot, I was surprised that he treated her so roughly. And I think there was a lightbulb moment, after Elliot learned his secret and she was so angry with him. But it wasn't clear enough. One moment, he's so violently angry at her (again, not physically violent, just so pissed off) and the next, he's staring at her like he wants to take her in his arms and...

On the bright side, Elliot is a marvelously updated Anne. There was no persuasion in this story at all. There was no Lady Russell to dissuade Elliot from going off with Kai. Elliot's reasons for staying are so much more noble than Kai gives her credit for. How could he possibly realistically expect her at fourteen (FOURTEEN!?) to run off to God knows where when he has absolutely nothing to protect her? It makes his anger completely unfair and harsh. At least Captain Wentworth didn't offer total poverty at first. Elliot had people to take care of, especially the innocent Ro. And her father was truly such a monster. No foppish, indifferent Sir Walter in this version! But I liked that he was a tyrant. It made her decision to stay all the more realistic, and again, Kai all the more unreasonable for hating her for staying. And I know this is a young adult novel, but FOURTEEN!? How could any girl be asked to make such a decision at fourteen. Elliot, Kai, and Ro are eighteen at the end of the novel, and I still think that's way too young to be considered faded.

The homages to the narrative were uneven. Kai saving Elliot from the horse was a wonderfully emotional moment. But his flirtation with Olivia didn't seem to fit. Because unlike Austen, marriage isn't the focus of this novel. And Olivia being fourteen (again, the fourteen thing) lessoned any threat she had on Kai's affection. And that it held until nearly the end of the novel took away Kai's growth as a character to me. Olivia was supposed to be shown in contrast to Elliot's temperament. She's supposed to be brash and determined. But she's really a sweet girl who isn't encouraged to stick firm to her purpose. Kai really does intentionally use her to hurt Elliot, unlike Wentworth, who really didn't know what the hell he was doing. So, that aspect didn't quite work for me in this narrative.

I list all this stuff, and it sounds like I didn't like the book. And that's far from it. If I didn't like the book, I wouldn't have bothered writing such a review. I just wish that I could tell the author - this is a good first draft. Now try again.(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: out-in-2012, love-the-cover, annoyed-me, abandoned-all-hope, read-in-2012, there-is-no-plot-yawn, snoooooore, you-disappoint-me

This going to be DNF review for me. I made it to page 224. That's all I can do, I'm afraid. This is rather disappointing to me, because I was really looking forward to this book earlier in the year. But it did not live up to my expectations. I'm really glad I decided to get this from the library instead of the e-book or a physical copy.

The only reason I would consider displaying this on my bookshelf is the beautiful cover. However, this cover is a bit misleading. For one, the model looks nothin...more This going to be DNF review for me. I made it to page 224. That's all I can do, I'm afraid. This is rather disappointing to me, because I was really looking forward to this book earlier in the year. But it did not live up to my expectations. I'm really glad I decided to get this from the library instead of the e-book or a physical copy.

The only reason I would consider displaying this on my bookshelf is the beautiful cover. However, this cover is a bit misleading. For one, the model looks nothing at all like Elliot is described. Elliot has brown skin and black hair. She also, as far as I read anyway, never wore a dress. The model on the cover has blonde hair, white skin, and a very pretty dress. I hate it when this happens. Why do people just slap something on the front of a book even when it holds no meaning to the story?

Elliot was a very responsible girl. She was logical, reasonable . . . and about as exciting as a peice of lint. She had an extremely flat personaility, and even when she's thinking about being romantic, she comes off as kind of calculating and just boring. I appreciated her maturity and respect, but there was nothing interesting about her.

Kai. I assume that he changes sometime later on in the book, but I just couldn't stand him one moment longer. He shouldn't hate her so much just because Elliot chose to stay and take her of her land after her mother died. If she had left, everything she left behind would have collapsed. As far as I can tell, Kai was a jerk. And not the brooding sexy kind. The kind you actually do want to punch in the face.

I liked the letters between Kai and Elliot in the beginning, but eventually I found myself wanting to skip over them, and skimming a book is something I rarely do.

There is no apparant villian in this story, for as far as I got. I guess Elliot's sister and father could be counted but . . . not really. There was nothing pulling this along, nothing that made it really interesting. I just had to go with the flo for a while, hoping it would get better. But. It didn't.

There's nothing wrong with Diana Peterfreund's writing. It's actually very nice. But good writing is not enough to save a story.

Some people think that you shouldn't write a review for a story that you did not complete. But I just don't believe in sticking with a story if it isn't holding your interest. I usually give a book about 100 pages, but I gave this one 200, simply because I was looking forward to it so much. I'm giving it two stars instead of one, however, because there were bits here and there I actually enjoyed.

It just wasn't enough. (less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Rosamund Hodge added it

Shelves: 2012

This is a really hard book to discuss. It's Persuasion retold as a post-apocalyptic YA, and--look, there's one huge problem with retellings/pastiches of Jane Austen novels: NOBODY IS JANE AUSTEN EXCEPT FOR JANE AUSTEN. It's like trying to write an extra Shakespeare play. You may produce something super-awesome, but on some level it will still be a failure.

So how does For Darkness Shows the Stars measure up against Persuasion? (Besides not being the product of a legendary genius.) Well, it doesn'...more This is a really hard book to discuss. It's Persuasion retold as a post-apocalyptic YA, and--look, there's one huge problem with retellings/pastiches of Jane Austen novels: NOBODY IS JANE AUSTEN EXCEPT FOR JANE AUSTEN. It's like trying to write an extra Shakespeare play. You may produce something super-awesome, but on some level it will still be a failure.

So how does For Darkness Shows the Stars measure up against Persuasion? (Besides not being the product of a legendary genius.) Well, it doesn't have the original's exquisite portrait of what it's like to be an introvert. It doesn't have the poignant sense of regret and wasted opportunity. (It can't, because the heroine is 18 instead of 27, and those are fundamentally different ages.) And it doesn't have the same tight thematic focus as the original. (For instance, the Louisa subplot is still there, but it's not as closely tied into the central theme.)

On the other hand, it does have the same delicious cocktail of "the only man I ever loved now hates me"/"and I totally deserve it"/"except my actions were justified enough to qualify me as unjustly persecuted" ANGST as the original. This was, I admit, one of the reasons I loved Persuasion, and it made me inhale this book in one sitting. So in terms of delighting the reader, this book totally succeeded.

A few more quibbles (slightly spoilery but not very):

1) The apocalypse came about as the result of overenthusiastic genetic engineering, which basically left everyone genetically retarded (they're called "Reduced") except for the few Luddites who survived unchanged and made technophobia the cornerstone of their religion. Except now some of the Reduced are having normally-intelligent children (called "Posts"), some of whom are questioning whether or not the Luddites' technology restrictions are reasonable. I'm with them on that score, but they're also questioning whether genetic experiments on humans are such a bad idea. And if you're expecting a nuanced discussion of the ethics of genetic engineering, you'll be disappointed. Genetic engineering is A-OK, and it will be different now because . . . it's not very clear. Somebody suggests that the appearance of the Posts means their genes have overcome whatever caused the defects. This does not remotely satisfy me as a practical argument, much less as an ethical one . . . but then, I wasn't reading this book for the genetic engineering anyway.

2) The Luddites decided that they have a duty to take care of the Reduced, which basically boils down to keeping them as healthy, well-fed manual laborers on their farms. And keeping the Posts that way too. It's basically the most sympathetic reason for slavery ever, and . . . I really don't know what I think about that. As a fictional society, it's fascinating. As a system that the heroine is part of, it's very disturbing. The childhood letters between Elliot and Kai actually do a pretty good job of showing the injustice inherent in the system, and how Elliot's good intentions really aren't always enough (and her attempts at kindness are sometimes hurtful). But I wish that in the current-timeline sections, there were some Posts on the farm who chafed under Elliot's rule (however kind).

3) The final letter. I can't fault Peterfreund for wanting to include That Letter, because that's the most awesome part of Persuasion. Of course you want to include it. But (1) it borrows several phrases from the original letter, and while (again) this is understandable, I think this is really a mistake, because it just makes you compare it with the original and of course there is no comparison. And (2) -- SLIGHTLY BIGGER SPOILERS BUT NOT MAJOR -- (view spoiler)

So, definitely not a perfect book. But I still enjoyed it quite a lot, and I'm totally jealous that somebody else thought of doing it before I did. And now I need to go reread That Letter in the original Persuasion. SWOON.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Zemira Warner rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, retelling, how-rude

I am super excited about this book. It'a a dystopian retelling of Persuasion by Jane Austen. How cool is that?

Finished it a couple of hours ago. It felt a little bit dry. Where are the emotions? Not sure if I should write a review for this book. What is there left to say? I felt like this book was a combo of Gone With the Wind and Persuasion only in future. Attention: The cover is misleading! Elliot spends most of her time in grey shirt and pants. No pretty dresses inside.

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Jun 28, 2012 Gemma rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Austen lovers who aren't too obsessive...

Shelves: reviewed

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

I am a huge Austen fangirl, and my all-time favourite story of hers happens to be - you guessed it - 'Persuasion'. So when I heard that Diana Peterfreund was working on a futuristic novel inspired by that very story, it was impossible for me not to read it at the first opportunity - this is the woman responsible for a series about killer unicorns, after all.
Although it might seem like I had a lot of misgivings about this book, I actually really enjoyed it. If the author's...more Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

I am a huge Austen fangirl, and my all-time favourite story of hers happens to be - you guessed it - 'Persuasion'. So when I heard that Diana Peterfreund was working on a futuristic novel inspired by that very story, it was impossible for me not to read it at the first opportunity - this is the woman responsible for a series about killer unicorns, after all.
Although it might seem like I had a lot of misgivings about this book, I actually really enjoyed it. If the author's intention was to make me like it more than the original, then she failed, but I doubt that's the case. Peterfreund has clearly spent a lot of time studying 'Persuasion', trying to figure out how to remain true to its spirit while also putting a new, modern spin on it. For me, she (mostly) succeeded, above all in her portrayal of Elliot (but I'll gush more about her later), who manages to feel like a modern heroine while retaining the strength and innate goodness that made the original Miss Elliot my favourite Austen girl.

If I was reading this book without any prior knowledge of 'Persuasion', I'm fairly certain I would've loved it to death. Unfortunately, when someone writes something inspired by another book it's impossible not to compare the two. Despite there being much to love about 'For Darkness Shows the Stars', when I finished it I was left with a slight feeling of dissatisfaction in amongst the glow that's there when you know you've just read something great. I think this is mainly down to the romance, or lack thereof. I just wasn't feeling the passion between Kai and Elliot. This is probably because the majority of the time they spent together after Kai's return consists of him trying his damndest to insult and upset her, and subsequently their conversations are either filled with conflict, very polite or just not very long. For me this lack of chemistry was a real shame; as much as I love Austen the third person narration often means you don't really feel the extent of their emotions, so I was hoping the YA slant on it would bring out some of that hidden passion.

In 'Persuasion', Anne rejects Wentworth because she is easily persuaded and afraid to disobey the people she respects. He is a nobody and she is a baronet's daughter - of course they can't get married! The sting of rejection must have hurt like a bitch. So when he finally returns, extremely rich and successful, it's understandable that he wants to show Anne exactly what she missed out on (and it doesn't hurt that he is super hot, too...). At the same time, we can't help but feel sorry for Anne, who has spent nine long years regretting her decision and loyally loving Wentworth. It doesn't help matters that Austen is brutal in telling us readers how Anne's advanced age and loss of her 'bloom' have pretty much put paid to any hopes she now has of marriage, and as it's obvious she's a decent, caring person you feel sympathy for her in spite of her foolishness. Austen makes us realise that both characters have acted wrongly towards the other, and yet she creates a perfect blend of sympathy and understanding for them both. Genius!

However, in 'For Darkness Shows the Stars', the balance of emotions is not quite so perfect. Elliot gives up her chance at happiness with Kai in order to protect others dependent upon her for survival - she's not being weak-willed, she's being noble. As a result I was immediately unable to feel badly towards her - it was the 'right' thing to do, after all. This might've been the reason why I felt like it lacked something; in order for me to like and sympathise with Kai, it's necessary for me to feel that Elliot was wrong in leaving him. But she wasn't - in staying she spared everyone (including Kai's friends) on her estate from a lifetime of misery - and it's impossible to blame her for that. So when Kai seemed hellbent on humiliating Elliot and bitching about her to his friends, instead of, 'Yeah, you show her', all I could think was, 'What an asshole'. I knew something had went wrong when I ended up resenting Kai for abandoning Elliot to deal with all that crap alone, even though he was being treated as little more than a slave and just wanted a better life for himself. It is made up for at the end of the novel with that brilliant re-working of the letter - I'm swooning just thinking about it now - but the lack of sympathy I felt for Kai during 3/4s of the novel meant that even that was too little, too late for me.

Another source of my dissatisfaction was the sense that a lot of things seemed half-finished. The characters of Andromeda and Donovan never seemed fully fleshed out, and I didn't like the last impression we were given of Andromeda as a childish girl unwilling to let her brother be happy, particularly after what we found out she went through. We never learned what became of Benedict, and he never became a contender for Elliot's attentions, only popping up here and there until he's banished for being a rapist & never heard of again. The actual mechanics of how the Reduced came into being and how Felicia was changing the Posts was never explained fully enough for me. Also, Elliot's moral conflict was resolved too easily. After all the emphasis on how digusted she is at Felicia's activities and Kai's enhancements, her assertion that it doesn't matter to her since she loves Kai so much seemed a bit of a cop out. Elliot says the only way they'll ever be able to make sure the enhancements have no after-effects is to never have children - so what? She and Kai will never get married & have babies? This sense that Peterfreund never fully realised the world she created left me deflated when I finished the book - it felt more like the first in a series rather than a stand-alone. Despite that, it was lovely to read a stand-alone fantasy YA novel - my first in at least two years - as I've gotten so sick of everything in this genre being franchised.

Their age was another reason why I found it hard to judge Elliot - they were FOURTEEN, for Christ's sake! I appreciate the difficulty the author had - she was adapting it for a YA audience, but the plotline just didn't work as well with younger characters. Despite that I thought she chose the ages well. Like Elliot I'm an eighteen year old girl, and when thinking back to my fourteen year old self while in many ways I am now completely different, I can easily believe that someone that age could fall deeply in love.

In spite of appearances, I did not hate this book - there is much awesomeness to be found in 'For Darkness Shows the Stars'. The most awesome thing about it for me was Elliot. It was such a relief to read a story with a female protagonist who did not annoy the living shit out of me. She's a great character, and very true to the Austen mould; self-sacrificing & decent, but also tough as nails. Although it probably means I'll have to ditch my feminist membership card, I have a bit of a thing for heroines who give up everything for the sake of others - it's so satisfying when they get their happy ending. Peterfreund managed to replicate what Austen did best by giving Elliot all of these qualities without her once seeming like a Mary Sue. Everything she does is for the good of her friends & the people who work for her, and that responsibility clearly weighs on her and affects every decision she makes. She's not held up as a perfect model of womanhood - she's human and makes mistakes, but not once did I ever dislike her.
Weirdly I was under the impression that this story was going to be very space/sci-fi based, probably due to the cover/title and talk of 'ships'. It ended up being more post-apocalyptic with a mild sc-fi/historical feel, but overall it's difficult to pigeonhole it in any one genre - it succeeds in feeling like a modern YA while calling to mind the atmosphere of books like 'Jane Eyre'. I ended up being slightly confused for the first quarter or so of the novel, but in spite of that the writing was so skilled that I couldn't make myself put it down to try and clear my head. You could feel the love Diana Peterfreund has for Austen in every page, and this prompted me to grab my own copy of 'Persuasion' and re-read a few choice chapters (*cough* Chapter Eleven *cough*). In fact, reading this book has revived my love for Jane Austen, so much so that I've made a date for tomorrow with her various TV adaptations and my two friends, Ben & Jerry... :)

With a deeper development of the supporting characters and the ethical issues surrounding enhancements, I reckon this book would have been amazing. As it was, I still really liked it - how could I not with Peterfreund's brilliant writing and clear love for the original, like me? Perhaps my adoration for 'Persuasion' always meant that it would fall slightly short, but 'For Darkness Shows the Stars' was an obvious labour of love for the author, and one that I think has paid off. (less)

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Jan 08, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian

Let me start off by saying I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan. So when I heard this book was an “ode to Jane Austen” with a sci-fy twist, I couldn’t resist!!!

The Setting
Elliot lives with her family on an isolated island after some futuristic war that split the population into two very different evolutionary humans. The Luddites, including Elliot and her family, represent the upper-class. They were untouched by the biological war yet believe
that technology is inherently evil. They choose not to experim...more Let me start off by saying I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan. So when I heard this book was an “ode to Jane Austen” with a sci-fy twist, I couldn’t resist!!!

The Setting
Elliot lives with her family on an isolated island after some futuristic war that split the population into two very different evolutionary humans. The Luddites, including Elliot and her family, represent the upper-class. They were untouched by the biological war yet believe
that technology is inherently evil. They choose not to experiment with biological advancement, including medicine and genetically engineered crops, even if the medicine and crops are for the greater good or survival of their people. On the other end of the spectrum, the Reduced are humans as well but lack major mental capabilities such as advanced language and learning. They are confined to the Luddites care to be watched over but more importantly to be slaves. Post children are born to families of the Reduced but have the same mental and physical capacity as the Luddites. Kai is a post and also happens to be Elliot's best friend. But Elliot has not seen Kai in years, not since she refused to leave her family and flee with him. But suddenly Kai is back and he is anything but the poor farm boy she knew and loved. Do Kai and Elliot still care for each other after so much has changed? And what secret is Kai hiding?

What I LIKED about this book
Elliot is a strong, capable female lead. I love that she is hard working, inventive and caring. This is very Austen-esque of the main female character. I absolutely love the sci-fy element in this book although I wish they would have expanded upon it a little more. It leads me to believe there will be a sequel in which I hope we learn more about Kai and his company. This book, while not as adventurous as some of the books I have read, still had me turning the pages. Perhaps there will be more adventure in the sequel…

What I DISLIKED about this book
I’m tired of the stubborn and moody male leads. Maybe I’m a little jaded but men don’t pout, they move on. But I guess it's endearing that Kai is hopelessly in love with Elliot after all these years…

Parting Thoughts
Overall I'm going to give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. It seems all the books I have read as of late have been really good, and For Darkness Shows the Stars is no different. This book will appeal to romance fans (especially Austen lovers like me), and perhaps the dystopian fanatics, however this book might be more romance than a teenage boy is willing to read.

Read more at http://thebiasedbookie.blogspot.com/(less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Kid Robot rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-fucks-sake, put-in-puddle-drop-in-toaster, read-if-you-want-to-shoot-yourself

I have a thing: I don't have any sympathy for slave owners. It's just one of those things with me. Who knows why.

Who thinks that a dystopian Persuasion remake of a slave owner loving a slave is a good idea? Apparently this author. I get that she created the whole "reduction" curse thing to make the "slaves" unable to care for themselves, but every time someone uses a slavery plot and decides to make the slaves somehow simple-minded as a justification for that slavery, I want to punch through a w...more I have a thing: I don't have any sympathy for slave owners. It's just one of those things with me. Who knows why.

Who thinks that a dystopian Persuasion remake of a slave owner loving a slave is a good idea? Apparently this author. I get that she created the whole "reduction" curse thing to make the "slaves" unable to care for themselves, but every time someone uses a slavery plot and decides to make the slaves somehow simple-minded as a justification for that slavery, I want to punch through a wall. If you are going to write a dystopian story with elements of the historical plantation life, please remember there was nothing physically or mentally wrong with the slaves--they were just Black.

I have also always hated, the "benevolent master" who feels it is his/her solemn duty/right to have slaves and care for them (i.e. force them to work for you in substandard living condions and expect them to love you for your magnanimous generosity). The author tries to juxtapose Elliot and her father to demonstrate "Good Master" vs. "Bad Master," as if there is any such difference. So he's cruel and punishes them, clearly bad. She wants them fed, and happily working for her, free to leave if they wish...but those loyal "Posts" who refuse to leave her (because she's such a good master) and the "Reduced" (who are too "simple" to have a choice) are still working her plantation, still running her estates while she is free to sail the ocean. That would be fine if they were farming land and getting something out of it. But what are they getting out of it? Wages? A livelihood? No, they're still working for someone else with nothing to call their own. They get fed, but is it the food she eats in her big house? They have shelter, but is it a home of their own? They own nothing, and that means, whether they are Reduced or Post, they are still slaves.

Anyone ever see Birth of a Nation, the first five minutes of which portrays joyful slaves dancing on their plantations, while their masters look on in fondness? I walked out of film class. This book reminded me of that.
(less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Sydney Owen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-stars

I'm confused. Is this a series or a standalone? Because For Darkness Shows the Stars seems to be making way for another book.

There was a lot of untapped potential. Side characters were only half-fleshed out. Diana Peterfreund looked to be simply throwing whatever she could think of out there to make the retelling as futuristic as possible. Even then, the newly added items were not explained in depth and didn't even contribute much to the plot.

On the bright side, I have not read Jane Austin's Per...more I'm confused. Is this a series or a standalone? Because For Darkness Shows the Stars seems to be making way for another book.

There was a lot of untapped potential. Side characters were only half-fleshed out. Diana Peterfreund looked to be simply throwing whatever she could think of out there to make the retelling as futuristic as possible. Even then, the newly added items were not explained in depth and didn't even contribute much to the plot.

On the bright side, I have not read Jane Austin's Persuation *ducks from being hit by a tomato* but For Darkness Shows the Stars was independent enough from its original tale that I didn't have to. I enjoyed Diana Peterfreund's writing style and loved her version of Anne Elliot.

Elliot plucked a single bloom and rubbed the petals between her fingers. They were so small and perfect, so alive and vibrant. How could such a thing, such a tiny, beautiful thing, be a sin against God? ...Whatever else this meant,... told Elliot one thing: Let her father trample what wheat he may--Elliot would not give up.

Elliot has always put others' needs before herself, which is why she said goodbye to Kai instead of running away with him. It would be a cold day in Hell if she ever left behind Ro, a poor Reduced girl, and her friends to the mercy of her father.

Her whole world changes when she is forced to chose which side she's on: the Luddite or the Posts, normal children of the mistreated Reduced (those who can only handle "a few words, a few signs, and simple repetitive tasks").

In every letter, in every line, she saw him. He hadn't changed - he'd only grown into the man he'd meant to be.

Kai was a jackass, okay? They were only fourteen and if Elliot left with him, the estate would be in ruins, and everyone would be miserable. He shouldn't have gotten out of his way insult her just because she was being selfless and responsible. Whenever he came into the scene, I wanted to give him the punch he deserves.

In all honestly, I was only interested in reading the letters between Elliot and Kai. They were very adorable to read. Did I care about their outside interactions? Not at all. Well, except for the ending at least.

Minor Notes - I'm guessing that For Darkness Shows the Stars takes place during Earth's geomagnetic reversal (or a place where Earth's magnetic field is off), which gives another reason for why technology is almost backwards and explains why compasses don't work.

This review also appears on Starry Storm.(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: austenesque, ya-dystopian-post-apocalyptic, ya-science-fiction

you can also read the full review here: http://wrappedupinbooks.org

To be fair, this book seems to have been written with someone like me as it’s target audience. I didn’t read much young adult literature when I actually was a young adult, but I read all of Jane Austen during high school. Now that I read (and enjoy) YA, my taste tends to favor science fiction and fantasy, so this hit two of my sweet spots as a reader.

I loved it.

Maybe it has something to do with the protagonist’s name: Elliot. She...more you can also read the full review here: http://wrappedupinbooks.org

To be fair, this book seems to have been written with someone like me as it’s target audience. I didn’t read much young adult literature when I actually was a young adult, but I read all of Jane Austen during high school. Now that I read (and enjoy) YA, my taste tends to favor science fiction and fantasy, so this hit two of my sweet spots as a reader.

I loved it.

Maybe it has something to do with the protagonist’s name: Elliot. She’s named after her grandfather, and it’s deliberately meant to be a boy’s name. My favorite Nancy Drew character was her friend George. I like gender-neutral names, and love gender-defying names.

But no, it isn’t just her name. Elliot is everything Ann is in Persuasion: endearing, dedicated, true. She doesn’t deny her emotions, she just realizes their is more to the world than her own feelings. As the main character, she was certainly the most developed, and I genuinely liked her.

As far as science fiction goes, this is definitely what I’d call “sci-fi lite”. There’s not a lot of development of the “how” of the world—it’s clear that genetic manipulation is what contributed to the demise of a good portion of the population, but there’s no hard science. It’s not the details that the story relies on, however; the idea suffices. The slow way the past is revealed allowed it to serve as a background to the romance.

And the romance is what you read it for. Though the story is set in the future, the old-fashioned ideas of class and courtship play out in excruciatingly delightful way. Will the Elliot and Kai get together, like they most certainly would if it was truly a Jane Austen novel? I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out.

In young adult literature, the romance is often a tale of boy meets girl. There is instant attraction, then they battle their family/evil overlords/zombies/etc. together, so it was refreshing to read a story that starts years after the protagonists fell in love. Rather than sacrificing the tension, this configuration magnified it exponentially. Though we don’t get so much as a kiss between Malakai and Elliot, the tension and angst surely don’t suffer.

I recommend this book for those who like their YA romance with a side of dystopia and a sprinkling of sci-fi.(less)

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Nov 22, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-library, classics-redux, dystopian-apocalyptic, fiction, political-social-issues, read-2012, sci-fi-fantasy-paranormal, young-adult, on-my-shelves, own-print, signed-copies

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a dystopian/post-apocalyptic take on Jane Austen's Persuasion. And it's wonderfully done.

The basic gist of the story is that genetic and scientific experiments caused the Reduction, which decimated much of humanity and gave rise to a society in which Luddites form the nobility, most technology is forbidden, and many people are Reduced. The story centers around Elliot North, the daughter of a Luddite noble. Elliot befriends Kai, one of the servants, as a child and...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, dystpoia

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a beautiful blending of Jane Austen's Persuasion and a futuristic world where genetic engineering and technology are forbidden and society looks back to a time when things were simpler.

Elliot North (aka Anne Elliot) is determined to save her family's estate and the people living on it, despite her father's extravagance and neglect. She works in the fields and the house everyday beside the Posts and the Reduced. The Reduced are a result of genetic engineering gener...more For Darkness Shows the Stars is a beautiful blending of Jane Austen's Persuasion and a futuristic world where genetic engineering and technology are forbidden and society looks back to a time when things were simpler.

Elliot North (aka Anne Elliot) is determined to save her family's estate and the people living on it, despite her father's extravagance and neglect. She works in the fields and the house everyday beside the Posts and the Reduced. The Reduced are a result of genetic engineering generations in the past: humans built themselves better and stronger and wiser, until one day it was all stripped away and now the Reduced are barely more than animals with low IQ and almost no speech. The Posts are children born to Reduced no longer cursed with these hindrances, yet still with no place in the upper levels of society. Elliot loved her childhood friend Kai, a Post, but he left her to seek better fortunes away from his slave-life on the North estate. Then one day he unexpectedly returns to her life, a decorated ship's captain and famous explorer. Years of regret, anger, and repressed emotions boil into tension as the two are forced into socializing. But a childhood love isn't the only thing on the line: the lives of everyone on the North estate, perhaps even everyone left in the world, could hang in the balance.

The way Diana weaved the premise and characters of Persuasion into this story was at times near seamless. As fans of Austen's work, I recognized immediately that Elliot is named for the last name of Austen's heroine, that Kai's adopted name (Wentforth) is a play on the brooding ship's captain in Persuasion, Wentworth, and so many other little details. But Diana wove her story well enough that you don't have to have read Persuasion to understand what's going on, or feel the emotional ups and downs of the characters. She took a classic tale of love lost then found again and spun it into a new world, one where the stakes are far higher than a spinster girl finally getting married.

Elliot was at times a frustrating heroine, but then she is a girl with a broken heart. She chose her family's estate and the people living there under her protection over the boy she loved, and when he returns to her life his anger at her choice is apparent. They are united by years of friendship and love, but divided by one choice and the four years that followed. They were fourteen when they parted, and now at eighteen each have grown into their own, no longer dreaming children, but adults. The emotional heart of For Darkness Shows the Stars is about how these two can find their way back to friendship and love even when they have grown so far apart as to seem they are on opposite ends of the world.

The heart of the action of For Darkness Shows the Stars is very similar to Persuasion. Yet this world and Austen's world are separated by a apocalyptic disaster: Elliot and Kai live in a world that was brought to its knees by science and had to turn to the past to survive. But now the Reduction is generations past and hope blooms in the hearts of the Posts, who are immune to the genetic disease that crippled their ancestors. Elliot now finds herself caught with a difficult choice: does she stay true to her past and her ancestor's beliefs, or does she move forward into a frightening, but hopeful future.

A beautifully written story, and a true testament to Jane Austen, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a wonderful read.(less)

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May 04, 2012 the golden witch. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc-galley, bastardized-history-or-classics, dystopia, post-end-of-the-world, teenage-shennanigans, best-of-12, vaginal-scifi, not-for-swap, vaginal-fantasy, reviewed, own-print-arc, for-review

I admit that I haven’t read “Persuasion”, but I’ve read Peterferund’s previous work, and loved it. “For the Darkness” doesn’t disappoint. In a world several hundred years after humanity has nearly destroyed itself, a new society has been built by the new nobility, the Luddites, the peasants, the Reduced, and the new middle class, the Posts and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It actually makes me want to read the original if just to compare. All I know is that I absolutely adored this retelling, and wh...more I admit that I haven’t read “Persuasion”, but I’ve read Peterferund’s previous work, and loved it. “For the Darkness” doesn’t disappoint. In a world several hundred years after humanity has nearly destroyed itself, a new society has been built by the new nobility, the Luddites, the peasants, the Reduced, and the new middle class, the Posts and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It actually makes me want to read the original if just to compare. All I know is that I absolutely adored this retelling, and when I reached the last page, I wanted to turn back to the first and start all over again.

This is not an easy book to read in the emotional sense – there’s a lot of heartbreak with Elliot and Kai, budding love with the Groves and the other Innovations, and a lot of lack of family love within Elliot’s family (especially with her father and sister). The entire “threatened estate” bit felt a whole lot like something from “Downton Abbey” and I absolutely loved that. I loved Elliot as a heroine even with the lack of love and her emotional issues (and the fact that the entire North estate is now on her shoulders in terms of survival), and Peterferund just really had her character nailed. Elliot felt like a real girl, 100%. Kai was a little less filled out, but I was satisfied with his character construction as well. In fact, with all of the characters, I couldn’t really find anything to really poke at. When it comes down to it, Peterferund knows what she’s doing, and you can tell this one was definitely a labor of love on her part.

Her use of sensory language and imagery was perhaps the most powerful I’ve read from her so far – I loved her “Rampant” series, and that was pretty rich in terms of sensory language, but “For the Darkness” tops it. The Star Cavern, the Cliffs, the terror of the Birthing House…all of it was as if I was really there, next to the characters as the story played out. I could smell the dust of the new racing track, feel the chaffs of wheat, dance with everyone at the Fall Harvest Party. It’s definitely one of the most intense reading experiences of the year in this aspect – in my top ten for sure. Going hand in hand with the sensory language is the worldbuilding – we get a hint of the world before humanity became Reduced, but Peterferund really rebuilds the world into something new and bucolic and even with Elliot’s small rebellions, very bucolic and utterly charming. It felt like a real, full world – and I think that’s more than partially due to how it was written – interchanging POV narration with that of the letters between Kai and Elliot and journal entries from the past. It’s one of the more different approaches to worldbuilding that I’ve seen for this year, and I hope authors take note from her technique.

The rest of the technical details are outstanding – the arcs and sub-arcs were executed beautifully and generally, there’s nothing I can find to really poke or pick at except for the fact that I wish there was a little (but not too much) more of the previous world lurking about in terms of the setting (like ruins or something), but that’s kind of a minor detail in terms of setting. Overall, I was very, very satisfied and pleasantly surprised at how this knocked me off my feet. I read this in one sitting with only a few breaks, and I know I’ll be reading it again. I’m a bit sad this one is a standalone because I got so attached to the world and the characters, but at the same time, I’m glad it’s a standalone because now I can have the mental freedom to wonder what’s going to happen to our heroes next.
Final verdict? A definite must-read, as this one’s in my top ten for best of 2012 so far list. “For the Darkness Shows the Stars”is out from Balzer + Bray/HarperTeen on June 12, 2012. You simply cannot miss this one, guys. Highly, highly recommended!

(posted to goodreads, librarything, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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Mar 04, 2012 Caitlings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, favourites, romance, read-in-2012, ya, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, own

First posted at whatchYAreading.net:

I totally had something else on the schedule for today but then I read this and I HAVE to talk about it! I don't even care that it's not out for four months. It's the best book I've read this year and everyone needs to read it. And love it and want it and stroke it and hug it....sorry. Got a little creepy there.

Okay, so, confession. I've never read Persuasion. I know. I KNOW. I will, I promise. I just...haven't...yet. I'm not really sure why. I've seen two mov...more First posted at whatchYAreading.net:

I totally had something else on the schedule for today but then I read this and I HAVE to talk about it! I don't even care that it's not out for four months. It's the best book I've read this year and everyone needs to read it. And love it and want it and stroke it and hug it....sorry. Got a little creepy there.

Okay, so, confession. I've never read Persuasion. I know. I KNOW. I will, I promise. I just...haven't...yet. I'm not really sure why. I've seen two movies and I love all of Austen's other works, that I've read. But I haven't. So, that's where I coming from when talking about For Darkness Shows the Stars.

Which was just beautiful and wonderful and so damn good. I'm not entirely sure I can be coherent about this. Okay, so before reading the book, I knew two things about it. One, it was written by awesome-killer-unicorn-lady, AKA, Diana Peterfreund. And two, it was a sci-fi retelling of Persuasion. One of these things is misleading and it isn't the idea that the story is going to be full of strong females and angsty goodness.

It wasn't all that sci-fi. I feel like if this had been published last year they would've shouted "DYSTOPIAN" from the rooftops. I was totally expecting this version of Wentworth to be a starship captain and for their to some interplanetary war going on in the background of all the angst and romance. But...yeah...no. If anything the book is more of a post-apocalyptic story with some sci-fi elements. Most especially genetic engineering. This isn't really important to the story, I just want everyone to have the proper expectations.

I don't even know where to start with what I liked about this book. Everything? The letters that had previously been written between Elliot and Kai as they were growing up? How they were shown to us out of order and the entirety of their relationship revealed all slow and restrained but with such passion and caring and knowing that I could not help but fall in love with the idea them.

Elliot is smart and practical and wants more than anything to protect her friends and loved ones from her father's controlling cruelty. Kai is smart and reckless and passionate and wants so much more than to be stuck on a farm for the rest of his life fixing broken equipment and making things run smoothly, and he recognizes that despite her responsibilities, Elliot wants more than that as well.

I loved the character of Ro, who could say so much by saying so little. Which, now I think about it, is what was really amazing about this book. You got so much from so little. I'm pretty sure Elliot and Kai never kiss in this book. They barely touch one another. But their emotions and their relationship and all these feelings I'm left with is so much more than anything else I've read recently. There are scenes when all they do is stare at one another. No words or actions necessary and I was still jittery with a NEED for them to work out their problems and just be happy and together.

There's so much more going on though. There's class prejudice and slavery and a group of people stuck on an island with very little technology and no way of knowing if the rest of the world is still out there. Recovering from some sort of genetic engineering mistake that made the majority of people become simple minded and unable to speak more than a couple syllables at a time. And all that was great and I'll probably appreciate the world-building a lot more the second time I read it...this first time was all about Elliot and Kai though. All the mystery of how society as we knew it came crumbling down isn't important. All the family drama, for me, existed simply as a way to pull these two apart and then bring them back together. All this stuff that I usually love in books just didn't matter. I needed to know how Elliot and Kai ended.

And, I'm don't want to spoil anything here, but of course, there's a love letter. And...well...let's just say in the course of reading this book I have decided that kissing someone's knuckles is the most romantic action on the face of the planet.

I loved this book dearly and look forward to months of forcing people to read it!(less)

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Jun 23, 2012 Kiara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, june, favorites

Love, love, loved it sooooo much. Best post apocalyptic book I've ever read. Kai and Elliot <3333 Lovely romance. Each and every character is very well developed, I loved Ro, Dee even Andromeda. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

And lastly knuckle kiss FTW :D:D:D

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Dec 13, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a touching, but frustrating, romance set in a futuristic world. Having never read Persuasion, I cannot compare this re-telling, but it was a good story in it's own right.

My favorite part of For Darkness Shows the Stars is the world that Peterfreund has created. It's the future, and society became so technologically advanced that some humans became "reduced." They do not have the ability to speak. After several years, reduced humans began having normal babies, and...more For Darkness Shows the Stars is a touching, but frustrating, romance set in a futuristic world. Having never read Persuasion, I cannot compare this re-telling, but it was a good story in it's own right.

My favorite part of For Darkness Shows the Stars is the world that Peterfreund has created. It's the future, and society became so technologically advanced that some humans became "reduced." They do not have the ability to speak. After several years, reduced humans began having normal babies, and these babies are called "posts" (for post-reduction.) Both of these types of humans live, basically, in slavery. The humans who rule are Luddites. They do not believe in any technological progress. Nothing can change or be improved -- not farming, medicine, or any conveniences can be improved upon.

Elliot, our main character, lives on an estate farm and basically runs it. Even though her older sister is supposed to, Elliot is the only one who really knows how to run the farm. She tries to take care of their posts, but her father is constantly coming up with plans to spend the money that is supposed to help them survive the winter. Since her childhood, she has had a secret friendship with Kai, a post.

At the beginning of For Darkness Shows the Stars, Kai has been gone from the farm for four years. We slowly figure out what happened and why he left as the current story progresses. And, in the present, Kai returns to the farm a much different person.

The world is changing. Posts are changing. Some Luddites are breaking the rules. And the romance -- well, that was secondary to me. I just didn't feel much romantic tension. The estrangement was based on mis-communication, which really annoys me in a romance. I like the characters, but as far as the romance was concerned, I knew how it was going to end. Not all the details, but I knew the romance part would end the way it did.

I think I'll stop there. The story line of For Darkness Shows the Stars is complex, and there are many characters. I really enjoy that complexity -- when I sit down to write a summary, and think, "Wow! There's a lot here!" But, it also took me a while to get all the characters straight. After about 80 pages, I had to sit down and make a list of the characters and their relationships to keep it straight.

I've seen many, many reviews stating this is a favorite book of the year. I didn't get that, although I did enjoy the story. For Darkness Shows the Stars has also made me interested in reading Persuasion. I would recommend this to "dystopian romance" fans. The dystopian part is fairly light -- not really any heart-pounding suspense -- but it is still a very interesting world.(less)

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Apr 24, 2013 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was entertained. I was not entertained enough that I texted my best friend to tell her to buy it immediately. But after slogging through the first 25% of the book in many separate readings, I got into it and did not put it down until it was done.

Summary
The Lost Wars happened an unspecified amount of time ago. One group, the Luddites, were anti-technology and against genetic manipulation. The other group, the Lost, used genetic enhancements to make themselves smarter, faster, and in all ways be...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Maggie Boyd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I wavered between a 3 and 4 on this one. This is a retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Elliot North has always known her place in the world. She just hasn't always understood it. Or believed in it. Elliot is a Luddite, a descendent of the humans who turned their backs on bio-technology and thus saved humanity. Her father's estate is run on the backs of the reduced - the descendents of humans who used bio technology and are now unable to read, write, speak beyond single syllable words or do hi...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Dawn by: Wendy

I really enjoyed this book! It pulled me in and kept my interest throughout. Think Jane Austen's Persuasion in a post-apocalyptic setting. The author openly acknowledges her debt to Austen, but she also makes the story and characters her own. The language and pacing of the story are more modern and brisk, as well.

I really liked Elliott, the main character. What a strong woman-- agonized at times, but strong in standing for what is right! I also enjoyed the science angle and the ethical dilemmas...more I really enjoyed this book! It pulled me in and kept my interest throughout. Think Jane Austen's Persuasion in a post-apocalyptic setting. The author openly acknowledges her debt to Austen, but she also makes the story and characters her own. The language and pacing of the story are more modern and brisk, as well.

I really liked Elliott, the main character. What a strong woman-- agonized at times, but strong in standing for what is right! I also enjoyed the science angle and the ethical dilemmas of that world. I appreciated the author's treatment of Ro, who may have had a handicap, but was still loved and valued and obviously talented in her own way. Other characters were multi-dimensional and interesting, too, such as the woman who helped Elliott run the farm, the female scientist/doctor, and even Elliott's seemingly shallow sister by the end. Sorry, it's been a little while since I read it, so I'm blanking on some of the names. I thought Peterfreund (what a name) did a very good job with some of the romantic conflict scenes, especially the part in the barn where Wentforth wants to know if Elliott will betray him. I loved Elliott's reactions and dialogue there. Anyway, great story! I'm not attracted to other series by Peterfreund, but I'm looking forward to reading a sequel of this book. Thanks, Wendy, for the recommendation!

Having read Persuasion, I found a few of the parallels amusing. Wentworth versus Wentforth? :) Another noteworthy (non-amusing) comparison: the father in Persuasion is vain and shallow, but the father in For Darkness Shows the Stars is actually malicious. While Wentworth is cold in Persuasion, Peterfreund's Wentforth is young, angry and a bit vengeful. Actually, both of Peterfreund's protagonists are much younger and less experienced than in Persuasion. But they are just as feeling, and their eventual reconciliation is quite satisfying. Most of the secondary women come across as more intelligent than in Persuasion--another modern touch. I even went back and re-read parts of Austen's novel in order to remember certain details and to determine just how faithful this adaptation was or not. (less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Kim (magicsandwiches) Lawyer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-ll-borrow-from-library-again

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a retelling of Persuasion, but with a futuristic dystopian setting. Crazy, I know, but it works really well for the first half of the book. The same painful longing between Elliot (Anne) and Wentforth (Wentworth) is extremely well done and the setting actually enhances it! All the familiar characters and important plot elements are there. I was surprised by how well the author included them.

Unfortunately, the story gets bogged down by the futuristic elements about...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, with a touch of Gone With the Wind and the lyrics of Sting.

Personally, I love retellings. After all, there are only so many plot ideas. And classic beloved stories are classic and beloved because their authors have crafted these stories in ways that resonate with many people over a very long time. So why not elaborate on them?

If you know the story of Persuasion (which you can read for free online in a nice...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Kate Conway rated it 4 of 5 stars

ENGLISH TEACHERS TAKE HEED! This book should – no, MUST – be on the classroom reading list. I’d say it is best for the 8th grade and up crowd due to size, but on a reading level, it is not at all difficult. This is a literary gem with rabid appeal to teens.

The story is a dystopian retelling of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION. In the future, humanity has nearly reached extinction. Man’s race to create a better human and world – live longer, run faster, less disease, greater bounty – has resulted in a ca...more ENGLISH TEACHERS TAKE HEED! This book should – no, MUST – be on the classroom reading list. I’d say it is best for the 8th grade and up crowd due to size, but on a reading level, it is not at all difficult. This is a literary gem with rabid appeal to teens.

The story is a dystopian retelling of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION. In the future, humanity has nearly reached extinction. Man’s race to create a better human and world – live longer, run faster, less disease, greater bounty – has resulted in a cataclysmic error. Those humans who have partaken in these genetic alterations lead to a race of humans that are mentally limited and child-like.

Heroine Eilliot North and her family, however, have escaped this fate as they (and their fellow believers, known as the Luddites) shunned such advances as an affront to God. They hid, underground during the times of the Reduction (which produced the limited individuals known as the Reduced). When they returned to the surface, they took it upon themselves to care for the Reduced, however . . . the Reduced became more like slaves to the Luddites, who saw themselves as nobility.

Years after this Reduction, the Reduced are starting to give birth to children who are not, themselves, Reduced. The children are entirely normal. While the Luddites call the children CORs (Children of the Reduced), these new generations reject the term, believing that time of the Reduction is over. Instead, they call themselves Posts – Post Reductionists. Needless to say, the North family relies on the work force of their Reduced and COR workers. They do not want to buy into the idea that the Reduction is over and they cling to their beliefs, outlawing all technology, medicines and any interference with nature. Elliot, however, is wavering on her Luddite beliefs and has even gone so far as to secretly develop a stronger yield of wheat through genetics. A big no-no. Elliot is also childhood friends with Post child and servant, Kai, who runs away to a Post enclave.

Years passed since Elliot last saw her beloved friend and she is shocked when the fabulous and technologically advanced Cloud Fleet (solar-powered ships) asks to lease the North family’s ship-building facilities. Elliot agrees (and managed to sooth her strict, Luddite father with a bribe of amazing Cloud Fleet horses) and is shocked to come face to face again with Kai, who is now Capt. Malakai Wentforth, a Cloud Fleet Captain.

The majority of the novel is spent on Elliot coming to terms with her renewed affection for Kai, who has obviously tampered with nature and therefore risks the wrath of God in the Luddite’s eyes. But as Elliot begins to see the truth of what she has always been taught, she starts to question the reality of the Reduction and if, in fact, the Luddites are clinging to an ancient, erroneous belief. She also starts to question who she truly is at her core and the strength to stand up to her domineering father who treats the Reduced and Posts so badly.

A literary gift for the mind. A true masterpiece for the classroom and a story in which teens will actually be enthralled (less)

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