[ Originally on my blog ]Well I can honestly say I've never felt like this about any book in my entire life. It's odd - I absolutely loved Across The Universe as well as really disliking it and I think whilst writing this review I will decide what rating to give it.Amy and her parents are from Earth; they are being frozen and carried on a spaceship to the new Earth, Centauri Earth, to be the leaders of the new world they plan to build out there and will be reanimated upon their arrival in 300 years time. However, Amy is awoken 50 years before they are due to land and gets thrust into a world of lies and deceit whereupon someone is trying to kill the frozen people of Earth.One thing I loved about this book was it's ability to create a scenery. The ship world alone was amazingly complex, everything was described in detail - the different sections, what the people that inhabit it do and the intricacies of the technology. I felt instantly as if I was there in that world with them and wasn't left wondering about certain things. There was probably more description than was needed with regards to that, but what I love about a book is being described something but also being left with something to do with that imagination upstairs - this was perfect for me.I've recently read another book about people being frozen (A Long Long Sleep), and this was definitely nothing like that which was a plus - the story was interesting and original, the idea behind everything was quite plain and simply genius. Everything was slightly predictable though if you really thought about it, and even the main plot twist wasn't too surprising either which was kind of disappointing. The 'red herring' in the novel was no more of a red herring than an elephant as well which really annoyed me, as a bit of proper 'murder mystery' wouldn't have gone a miss. It seemed like an idea was slightly lost in space as it may be.Thinking back, the characters were bland - they had no personality, nothing that makes them tick, no real passion, they just seemed to be there to make the story and anybody could have taken those roles. They were all pretty stereotypical - the hero, his sidekick, the heroine, the bad guy. I really have nothing more to say on that subject as the characters were just lifeless.I think the thing that kept me interested most of all, was the idea of learning more about the ship and what lies were being spread around it and about it. What was Elder, the second in line to the leadership, or Amy going to find out next, and how was it going to affect them and those around them? It was definitely an intriguing book to say the least and this intrigue does make me wish that the book didn't end in some respects.This book really is like marmite to me. I just feel as though it's a lot of loose ends, which when tightened up could form an amazing masterpiece - it just needs that extra something.
