[Review] These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars 
Series: Starbound #1

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Science Fiction, Romance

Release Date: December 10, 2013

Source: Audiobook borrowed via library, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it. - via Goodreads

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I'm not sure about stars but there are definitely some things that are broken...

I saw Meagan Spooner at an author event not too long ago. She described These Broken Stars as being The Titanic is the ship had crashed in the first 15 minutes and was in space. This could not be more true.

Lilac is not my favorite person in the world but due to her upbringing we'll dismiss it and give her some credit for have a keen sense of self awareness and guts. When the time called for it, she buckled down and got stuff done. However, it's Tarver that I preferred to hear from. His inner dialogue was less self-depreciating, practical, honest, and, most importantly, he had a great sense of humor. I'm always down for someone who can still laugh even when things go south. 

The tense... the past, the present... so confusing :/

Let's talk about format for a bit. The story was told in (mostly) alternating chapters of Lilac and Tarver in first person, present tense. In-between chapters there were clips of Tarver's debrief interview, which is refers and alludes to items in the narrative. So we know the narrative is past tense and Tarver's interview is present tense, if not also past tense. I'm not really sure why this format was chosen but it was very confusing to listen to at first. Maybe it comes off differently in text or maybe it's just me?  

Whispers... so mysterious

The Whispers are probably one of my favorite things about this entire book and I still have sooo many questions. Unfortunately we don't really get to know these/this character as well as I would've liked. Maybe a couple chapters of narrative from them could've answered some questions and provided explanations.

Overall the story line and plot development is nicely paced to allow for necessary character development to occur and move everything forward. There are a couple moments where the plot just happens but for the most part everything fits into Kaufman and Spooner's world. I'm definitely looking foward to the second book in this companion series, This Shattered World. 

3.5 Stars – Earth is good, no whispers.