Book Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.


Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.


But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.


When I read that For Darkness Shows the Stars was a modern re-telling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion I was a bit apprehensive.  While my experience with Austen was limited to my British Women Authors class the first year of my Master’s program, I have to say that Persuasion was never one of my favorites.  (I still haven’t read Sense and Sensibility—BAD book lover).  However, Peterfreund managed to take a somewhat dreary Austen story into a beautiful novel about dedication to family, friends, duty, and love.  


The novel alternates between narration in third person limited point of view Elliot, and a series of letters exchanged between Elliot and her childhood friend and love, Kai.  First I’m going to discuss the use of letters: Peterfreund did an excellent job portraying the different ages through the writing ability and the voice of Kai and Elliot.  It was also a wonderful way to introduce the reader to the different point of views on the Reduction and its aftermath through the debate between a Luddite and a Post. I also really enjoyed the ability to imagine the meetings between the characters based on their letters to one another, it really enables the reader to participate in the story and to provide their own images and ideas.  


Since the rest of the story is narrated in third person through Elliot, there is a certain amount of suspense that the reader is thrust into upon the familial problems, the arrival of Kai and the other Posts, and the scientific aspects that are revealed.  I think that this was the best POV to tell the story through because it definitely served the purpose of making sure the reader discovered things only as Elliot did.  


I feel that the love between the two main characters, Elliot and Kai, was somewhat slow to build and it felt as though it had very little payoff at the end.  However, I understand that this is a very Austenian aspect of the novel–but I’m warning those who are super fans of the romantic trysts and KISSING! (Haven’t read any Austen? Talk about delayed sexual gratification!)


Overall, I really loved For Darkness Shows the Stars and am about to re-read Persuasion with a new set of eyes.  


4 Bards.