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Sky Without Stars

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Special thanks to NetGalley for an early edition.

I am an affiliate with Z Publishing House. For more information, see the link a the end of the post.

Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell was published by Simon Pulse and was released on March 26th, 2019.  It is the first in the Systems Divine series. I had been reading through this before the release and, unfortunately, didn't have time to finish it before then. This book is a sci-fi, dystopian, revolution novel for YA readers. 

This is usually described as Les Miserables . . . in space. And that's what you get, minus the 150 pages describing everyone's interior decorating.

This book follows Chartine-- disguised as a boy named Theo-- who is a thief in the Third Estate as she tries to steal enough money to buy her freedom from her life and her past. Meanwhile Marcellus is the grandson of the General and must prove himself to his grandfather and the entire Second Estate that he is not like his traitor father. The two are forced to work together to find the murderer of the Enfant Patriarche and the rebels behind the riots bubbling under the surface of the Third Estate. But things are not all as they appear to be. Meanwhile, Alouette is training to be a Sister in the Refuge, taught to read and to preserve history, she is tempted out of her protective walls when Marcellus is injured at her doorstep. 

I really liked this book. A lot. There were some elements that I could predict but Brody and Rendell do a good job of giving slight twists to the common tropes. And even when they don't, the characters and their dynamics and personalities make my forget about the things I would normally roll my eyes at (lots of blushing when Chartine/Theo and Marcellus are in close quarters but not knowing why or how to react). I also liked how your knowledge of the characters grows throughout the book. For a long time, I couldn't figure out why Marcellus was such a wimp when it came to fights, especially if he's being groomed for a high ranking position. Yet each time we see him in a fight, we get hints that he physically can't because of a recurring trauma.

For fans of Les Miserables, there are soooo many references. I'm sure I didn't notice all of them but whenever one came up (always slightly altered in some way) I couldn't help but grin. It's so fun and satisfying.

There are a few little things though . . . First of all, I found Alouette's plot line a bit boring. She's got practical skills like hot-wiring and medical knowledge, but she has no clue what the world is like or how to act in it. She's been sheltered her whole life and raised to be a nun-like character . . . and that's about it. I know there's hints that she'll play a bigger role later on, but she was just so boring to me. The love interest for Marcellus and the potential rival for Chartine/Theo. Not much else for her. I also wish Marcellus was not so wimpy when it came to fights-- especially considering how many he finds himself in-- but I understand why he is. Again, it just made it hard to believe he's really going to be any good as a commander. I also kept forgetting that they were 17/18 years old. There are points where they feel a bit younger and some points where they're acting a bit older. Not a plot killer, just a little thing. Finally, I really wanted Chartine to keep her disguise up a little longer. I get why she didn't, but I rolled my eyes at the reveal. It felt like the most cliche thing, especially since she was actually letting herself be vulnerable after a loss; I didn't need or want the sudden shy romance.

At the end, everyone has made a decision or reached their initial goal, but none in the way they thought or wanted. It's a great ending and I'm all for it!

Overall, I loved this book. I finished it and immediately needed the second one, which isn't going to be released for a while since this was just released a few days ago. Anyone who wants a look at Les Miserables without the music or hundred of uninteresting scenes and pages, this is the book for you! I hope this book does well because I'm really interested in seeing what else these authors do. 

I am an affiliate with Z Publishing House. If you're interested in reading the works of emerging authors, this is a great place to start. Please note I do receive a small commission for any items purchased through this link: http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264

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