The Darkest Star
Following an alien invasion that left their world in pieces, the tension between humans and Luxen, the alien race that had assimilated into society, was astronomically high. While not all of the ...
Following an alien invasion that left their world in pieces, the tension between humans and Luxen, the alien race that had assimilated into society, was astronomically high. While not all of the unnaturally ethereal beings were the cause of 220 million human deaths, they were feared and looked down upon. The Darkest Star picks up with the story of Evelyn Dasher, a teen that ends up getting tangled in the alien-y, admittedly hot mess that is Luc.
Y’all, I was hyped for this book. Middle-school me loved the Lux Series, which is the series that antedates this one, so this spin-off was like a dream come true!
To be honest, middle-school me must have had subpar taste. Ha, that’s the understatement of the year!
The Darkest Star started off strong with intriguing characters and a good plot. I did, in fact, like the book, but I had some problems with it.
Plot
Now, I’m a sucker for an alien plot line. I don’t care if it’s overdone, and I don’t care if it’s uber-cliche. I love it. Since I had already read the Lux Series, I was familiar with the plot, and very much stood behind it. Hot, powerful, quirky aliens? Sign me up!
The beginning was fast-paced, interesting, and everything I was expecting! I freaking love Luc, the male protagonist, and Evelyn was relatable and fun as well.
As with any of Jennifer Armentrout’s books, the plot was strong, the ‘twists’ were engaging, and I honestly did want to know what happened next. I wanted so, so badly to be ecstatic with what I read.
But the filler.
Oh, the filler.
It was chapter after chapter of conversation and a lack of character development. I totally understand that this is only the first book, though. With the Lux series, I honestly wasn’t in love with the first two books, but the last three were really great. However, it just felt like Evelyn was asking questions, not getting full answers for some reason, and then the ‘suspense’ of the unknown aspects of the plot became the conflict for the next few chapters.
Characters
Oh, how I love these characters. What I always love about this author’s writing is how she really captures how teens think. From the obscene references to the self-deprecating inner-monologues, The Darkest Star really hit the nail on this one.
And when the OG characters made cameos, I’m being dead-honest when I say that I screeched! I hope there will be more in the future, because my OTP didn’t show up together, and I need to see them and their lives because I live vicariously though them. Duh.
Luc is a phat mood. I love him and his charismatic, arrogant, alien self. He likes Harry Potter, which makes him a great person automatically. The showcases of vulnerability and emotionally-powered rage in different scenes were amazing, too.
Evie was super realistic. She was still naive, kind of a mess, and dances like a Muppet, which I personally relate to on a spiritual level. She wasn’t perfect, and I appreciated that. Evelyn was a senior in high school, so she obviously behaved like one as well.
Overall, I did like the book, and will definitely keep following Evelyn’s story. However, do I think you should wait to get it in paperback or at the library? Yeah, probably.
Lindy Geyer says
Enjoy ur overall review and enthusiasm !