Defy the Stars || Book Review

Hi guys! I picked Defy the Stars up from the library on a whim– it seemed interesting, not necessarily my style but worth a try. I left it on my shelf for three weeks, seeing no need to hurry up and read it. When I finally started reading it, it hooked me.

Summary

This book is told from the alternating POVs of Noemi and Abel.

Noemi is a soldier, fighting for her planet Genesis with a fierce passion and willing to die for its freedom.

Abel is a mech. Having been abandoned by in space by his master for years, his programming has started to evolve. His only goal is to find his creator and be free.

To the tech-hating people of Genesis, he’s a horror.

When Noemi and Abel are forced to work together, they realize the fate of the worlds is in their hands. Though they are enemies, they could end the interstellar war for good, but not without sacrificing something very important. The more time they spend together, the more they question whether everything they’ve been taught is true.

Only through sacrifice can Genesis survive.

Characters

I loved the idea that Abel was technically a robot, though I thought of him as a human. The book really touches on the question of what it really means to be a human, and was really thought provoking in that way. It’s interesting to see how different people interact with Abel, and how that affects how he thinks of himself.

Plot

The plot was really engaging and kept me thinking and questioning, which I like, and the characters were truly relatable, especially Noemi.

It portrayed emotions very well and some of the imagery got me.

Sometimes she wishes she could turn herself inside out. That way people would see the good in her before they saw the bad.

It’s just full of wisdom.

That’s what the dead would tell the living if they could – to grab hold of joy whenever it comes

Rating

Overall, I really enjoyed Defy the Stars, and I will give it a solid four stars. It was really engaging, but some parts of the book fell short.

If you’ve noticed, I’ve been really into technological Sci-Fi, especially with alternating POVs, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know.

Have you read Defy the Stars? Did you like it? Does it sound interesting? Let me know in the comments.