Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe by Beth Revis ☆☆☆☆☆

Take young adult romance and coming of age, add a dystopian society and a murder mystery, and top it off with a little science fiction and you have this book. I don't usually read science fiction, it's just not my thing, but a few reviews of this book and some classic shelf placement at the book store made me pick it up. And I devoured it.

One of my favorite things about this book is its usage of social commentary. On the surface is a story about assuming responsibility and a budding romance. But below the surface is thinly veiled critique of society in the past, present, and possible future. Revis takes our world histories of violence and racism and shows the many different ways that it can be misconstrued. At the same time she plays off of the idea of the differences between crazy and normal and flips what/who can be filed into the categories created. I loved just how many levels this book worked on.

The other thing I really loved was how much emotion I had for the book. I felt angry when the characters were angry and angry when they couldn't see what was right in front of them while I could. I felt helpless with the conditions they were faced with and wanted so badly to take them and give them happy endings before I even reached the ending myself. I really felt for this book and the characters in it. And this is especially purposeful when a large portion of the book questions the lack of emotion in people and the desire to feel anything even if the feeling is rage.

Now while I wasn't entirely satisfied with the book, and while I wouldn't necessarily read it again, I still give it five stars instead of four because I like what it said underneath and not just on top. I liked how it had more layers than I could ever possibly explain. And it's because of those layers that I would recommend people I know to read it.