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The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer Review
Two boys, alone in space.
After the first settler on Titan trips her distress signal, neither remaining country on Earth can afford to scramble a rescue of its own, and so two sworn enemies are installed in the same spaceship.
Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor, with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: Evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed—not when he’s rescuing his own sister.
To survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust one another… especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.
So as for my The Darkness Outside Us review, let's start. To answer the question which is usually the most frequent one - Why you should read this book? Let me tell you. A huge thanks to Katherine Tegen Books for sending an ARC my way.
1. A Science Fiction set in the future
"I could stare at this forever: swirling stars in the background and a human being, a real live human, lost in a task."
Lots of science, theories, astrophysics, laws, and training, like ALOT. I loved how detailed it was, the author did so much research and it showed. I'm a science major and that was so impressive, I wouldn't have doubted for a moment if Eliot revealed himself as a NASA scientist. I don't really read sci-fi because most of the time they successfully bore me, but woah The Darkness Outside Us is definitely one of my all-time favorite sci-fi books.
2. Two Boys from enemy nations alone in space
"I will unravel here."
Ambrose and Kodiak, from nations who are at war with each other, have to live together in peace because that is their only option. When new truths are discovered and even life seems fragile, love might be the only way to get through it. It was not your wholesome-fluffy read with loads of cuteness, instead, this was so much deeper. Ambrose and Kodiak loved each other, despite their broken life, love that crossed eternities, love that remembered them even when they forgot each other, the only way they survived. Love.
3. The intricacy and layers in writing
"Between those times we'll fight to live."
I cannot even give justice to the superb writing and how well the layers were in it by speaking, but you'll know what I mean once you read the book. It consumes you within it, and you cannot stop. I loved how it flowed, even though the story changed dynamics but the writing did not stray away, and the reading does not get affected.
4. Story is the real deal
"This planet isn't my new home, it's the only home I've ever had."
Two spacefarers were on a rescue mission to save another spacefarer who went out of touch years ago, but apparently, the connection was restored and the time ran out. But the truth is not always what is told to us, it can be different, brutal, and can hurt much more. Maybe nothing was real, including their existence, or maybe it was, everything seems fake, the line dividing real and fake is getting blurry and they can do nothing but wait for the future which can be even worse.
5. I did not finish the book rather the book finished me
"This lifetime is yours to make what you will of it."
I went into the book thinking it to be about sci-fi, romance, and space adventure, but oh boy, I was so wrong. Don't get me wrong it was all of the above but so much more, it broke me so much, I'm not spoiling anything but damn, like I'm utterly wrecked, that's all I can tell you without spoiling the story.
If you're thinking about the problems with the book there is one indeed, it'll break you with love and a cruel smile. You're going to read it again and again just to come back to Kodiak and Ambrose, to witness their love and relationship, how beautiful and devastating.
