For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1) in And So It Begins Reading Challenge

Dec 13, 2018 Darlene rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-own, bought, young-adult, dystopia, science-fiction, romance, read-in-2018

I have to admit that I have not read Jane Austen's Persuasion. I definitely have to remedy that, after reading this story that is inspired by it.

Elliot North and her family are known as Luddites, who are a wealthy class of "pure" bloodlines. It is their responsibility to care for the Reduced and their offspring, the ones who played God in an experiment which backfired. The Reduced are somewhat simple-minded to put it bluntly. They are incapable of speech, other than simple yes/no answers and, wh I have to admit that I have not read Jane Austen's Persuasion. I definitely have to remedy that, after reading this story that is inspired by it.

Elliot North and her family are known as Luddites, who are a wealthy class of "pure" bloodlines. It is their responsibility to care for the Reduced and their offspring, the ones who played God in an experiment which backfired. The Reduced are somewhat simple-minded to put it bluntly. They are incapable of speech, other than simple yes/no answers and, while they can be trained to perform menial labour, they are not skilled. In only 5% of cases, a Reduced parent will have a baby that develops normally. These children are known as Children of the Reduction or CORs, but prefer to be called Post-Reductionists or simply Posts. Whether Post or Reduced, they became the property of the Luddites whose estate that they were born upon, like chattel.

Elliot is the second-born daughter to the Baron North. Her older sister, Tatiana, has as much business sense as their father. When Elliot's mother passed away, the running of the estate went to Elliot. She doesn't mind it. Unlike her sister, she enjoys mucking about and socializing with the staff. She even has been doing a little experimentation herself, which is strictly forbidden. If her hybrid wheat is a success, it will be ready for harvest sooner than usual and there will be enough food for all the staff during the winter.

The Norths are contacted by someone who wants to rent the shipyard on the estate next door belonging to Chancellor Elliot Boatwright, for whom Elliot was named...her grandfather. Elliot sees this as a good business opportunity and agrees to the deal. She is shocked when the guests arrive, and one of them is none other than her long-lost childhood friend, Kai, who was a Post on the North estate.

Between the chapters are letters written between Elliot and Kai when they were children.

It took a bit for me to get a grip on all the lingo, but the author does a great job at the world-building. I love Elliot! She is a great heroine, and her choices are always in the best interests of her staff and not for her own personal gain. This is what ultimately tore Elliot and Kai apart in the beginning. However, now he has returned!

At the end of the book, I immediately bought the prequel and sequel and am looking forward to continuing on in this series!

This review was posted on my book blog:
https://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com... ...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Ezmirelda marked it as to-read

The summary for this sounds sooooooo goood! :D

"And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him."

And that COVER! *eyes are glued to the screen*
...more

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