Review: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
What: This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Who: Allen and Unwin
When: November 19th 2014
How: A copy of this novel was provided by Allen and Unwin for review.
Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.
Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.
Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.
Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.
The stunning second novel in the Starbound trilogy is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.
I’m gonna be up front and say that whilst I really liked This Shattered World, I didn’t love it as much as These Broken Stars.
It took me a while to get into This Shattered World. I was not 100% into the beginning, and I was becoming sorely disappointed that it wasn’t the piece of beauty that was its predecessor. Fair enough, I liked everything, but I was in no way as in love with it as TBS.
However, somewhere along the way, it captured me.
I fell in love with Jubilee and Flynn, and I found myself turning each page quickly because I wanted to find out what happened RIGHT NOW. I was all of a sudden invested in their story, and their lives, and well, their romance.
The romance in this book is not heavy. There are only two kissing scenes (two!), but the connection between Flynn and Jubilee was tangible in its realness and force. I was shipping those two from page one until page end, and I must say I wasn’t disappointed in their relationship in the slightest. There was no instalove, no declarations of feelings that haven’t had time to develop. In fact, there’s a perfect scene and a perfect sentence where Jubilee says that she wants to find out if she can love Flynn (of COURSE SHE WILL – HOW COULD SHE NOT?).
The world building was on-point, as was the storyline. I could see Avon so clearly, and I was never left with the WTF is going on feeling in regards to the pacing and the the crap that was going down. The plot was intricate and simple all at the same time – which seems impossible, but that’s how it was.
There were some really heartbreaking scenes because this novel is heavy in the death and betrayal department, and I just really felt for all the characters because they were really broken. And I love broken characters. This Shattered World definitely had me cheering for a Happily Ever After for everyone involved.
TARVER. I loved that we got to see Tarver again, and that he is still so in love with Lilac. EEP. Those two are so high on my ship-it list, it’s not even funny. So it was awesome being able to read about them again.
I have a really big feeling as to who the third book is going to focus on, and I hope I am right because it would be AWESOME reading about this certain character, especially with the way they were introduced to the story in This Shattered World.
All in all, This Shattered World was an excellent sequel to These Broken Stars, and I cannot wait to see how the Starbound trilogy ends!
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.
I’m about 100 pages in and I’m starting to fall in love with them! Seriously can’t wait for them to fall in love with eachother. OMG WE GET TO SEE TARVER AGAIN?! This is so exciting I can’t even. Must keep reading!
Awh, yay! I’m glad you’re liking it Laura :D
YES WE DO GET TO SEE TARVER AND IT IS AMAZING.
TWO kissing scenes??? SO RUDE HOW CAN WE BE DEPRIVED IN SUCH A WAY??
I’m so so happy that Tarver and Lilac are in the book <3 Although I really think I need to read TBS again before TSW so I can remember everything about them and ship them even harder than before.
I KNOW, RIGHT. WHAT EVEN???
Ugh they’re so cute – seriously one of my favourite ships <3
I seem to be the black sheep with this one, unfortunately. I loved TBS but not this one as much. But I’m still so excited to see what’s next!!
I definitely didn’t love this one as much as These Broken Stars, but I still really liked it and I’m also really excited for the final book :D
Great review Chiara :) I loved seeing Tarver again in this book as well, and how Flynn and Jubilee’s relationship developed. I can’t wait to see what the final book will be about!
Thanks, Eugenia :D It was awesome seeing Tarver again, right? :D And yes, their relationship development was one of my favourite aspects. I can’t wait, either!
I am still in awe at the worldbuilidng because it was so on point. Brilliant, truly and a big step up from the first book. AND THE TARVER CAMEO WAS JUST AMAZING. I SHIP THEM SO MUCH. Fantastic review, Chiara! x
The world building was ace, and I loved it.
THE TARVER CAMEO WAS SERIOUSLY AMAZING, RIGHT? EEEEEK.
Thanks, lovely <3
I’m really liking the sound of the characters as well as the romance between them. Shame that it didn’t entirely hook you in from the start, I think I would have gotten a little discouraged then-especially since you’re inevitably going to compare the two books. Glad it picked up after that though. And yay, world building and feels!
The characters and their romance is awesome, Alise :)
I was a little bit disappointed because it didn’t hook me right from page one, but I’m glad I kept going!
Ack! I think I need to start this one already! I’m glad you enjoyed this one, Chiara – I’m really liking the sound of the romance and the world-building. Fantastic review, sweets. <3
You do, Ebony :D The romance and world building were fabulous, I must say! Thank you, lovely <3
This was definitely a fantastic read Chiara. glad to hear you liked it too! The worldbuilding really stood out to me, and Jubilee was a really well-developed character as well. Fabulous review!
A second comment! XD
The world building really was great, and I loved reading about Avon! And Jubilee was a great character – I loved how complex she was.
Thank you again!