For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

This is a very good book. The world Peterfreund created was so futuristic that it had seemingly gone back in time. Elliot lives a simple life, almost Victorian in nature. There's a high society that employed a lower class of servants, each with their own rules and protocols to follow. Elliot (LOVE the boys name for a girl protagonist!) was a fabulous character. Head strong and wise beyond her years. I loved the letters with Kai that fell between chapters. The fact that they were out of chronological sequence made the rest of the story all that more intriguing. It was a brilliant way to divulge Elliot's past with Kai without getting too heavy on exposition. And though I didn't find myself falling in love with Kai as much as I had hoped I would, he was still a lovely gentleman to watch.

I was nervous that the cast system plot points would come off as preachy, but they didn't at all. I also noticed that the descriptions lacked in color. Nothing to describe clothes that were worn or the way a room looked. There were only a few small places where Peterfreund chose to describe something (like Ro's scarf) and I think the story suffered a little from the absence of colors.

As a last tidbit to note, I felt that the story had a very specific momentum and pacing to it. The kind where if I left the book for too long, I would lose interest. Luckily, I was able to read right through with minimal interruptions, which I think factored heavily into how much I liked this book. I've read Peterfreund's Rampant and Ascendant, both of which I also enjoyed, so I was very much looking forward to this sci-fi-with-a-twist novel. This is an author who has cemented her way into my list of authors that I will read everything they write.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars