"Even ordinary things gain great power when we have been without them for too long."

First book I cried over since Heir of Fire. Anyone who thinks YA is shallow and superficial need to read this book because honestly... it was absolutely incredible.

I had one singular criticism of this book, and that was the ending. However, I have since discovered it is a duology (I did not notice before, on account of the fact that I am an idiot). my criticism of the ending was based on the assumption this is a standalone, and I find it a Highly Satisfactory ending for a first book in a series so I officially now have NO CRITICISMS. I have attempted to think of some, but to no avail.

Abel and Noemi were utterly convincing characters, complex and beautiful and flawed. I found the balance of Abel's robotic nature and emergent human nature to be perfect, not too quick or too slow of a transition, and some elements of his mech-self still remain throughout the book. he hasn't become a human, because humans are not inherently better than mechs; he has become something discrete from either.

Also, the plot was completely unpredictable. Honestly, whenever I thought I had something 101% figured out, either I would be completely wrong or the characters themselves would figure it out on literally the next page. There was always something going on and never a dull moment, but the intertwining threads of plot never made the novel seem too chaotic or convoluted, but seemed to all weave together into a perfect whole.

There is a measure of romance, but not really. It’s sort of like a sub-sub-plot, and i'd say it was necessary to the overall plot. it was also completely cliche-less, free of literally YA romance convention ever. And this is coming from someone who hates unnecessary romantic sub-plots.

READ THIS. SERIOUSLY. DO IT. If you don't want to read it because you think it might be boring or cliche, IT'S NOT. I PROMISE. PLEASE. DO IT.

Defy The Stars is a thrilling, action-packed novel with absolutely engaging protagonists and an eloquent writing style that immerses you into this futuristic sci-fi world. Gray’s writing is wonderful and engaging, creating these wonderful images of these new planets and their inhabitants. Gray handles all the characters and all the worlds, alongside all the motivations, so well that the piece very rarely feels unbalanced.

"Make a choice. Assert your own will. It's the first step toward being something more than a machine. Find out what you might become."

* * * *
4 / 5

Woah. I picked this up because I had fondly read A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray and thought hey, great, she's writing something new - and it has robots in space, so why not? In Defy the Stars Gray shows the same depth of imagination as she did in the Firebird Trilogy, creating an equally vivid and inspired universe. Noemi and Abel are amazingly compelling characters. My only problem is that Gray really likes to write love stories and about the power of love, which isn't what I thought Defy the Stars was going to be.

The copy of Defy the Stars that I had did not have "love is the ultimate rebellion" on it, so I didn't think was going to be a love story. But oh, it was. Mostly I thought it wouldn't be because the synopsis didn't imply it, but mostly it was because when Abel was described as "one of Earth's robotic mech warriors" I pictured something like K-2SO from Rogue One. Instead Abel is dashingly blond, ripped, and disturbingly human inside and out (he's even programmed with knowledge of sex positions). Having plonked this information at the start of my review so that other readers will be aware that whilst this not purely a love story, it is actually quite a minor part and is written in a charming manner, it is an element of the book when I thought it wouldn't be at all.

"She's learned how to fight. Next she has to learn how to die."

Noemi Vidal is willing to die for Genesis, an Earth colony that has rejected technology beyond that which is "necessary" for survival. Genesis is at war with Earth, which sends mech soldiers to fight Genesis' blood and flesh soldiers. Obviously, Genesis is losing the war when Noemi volunteers to take part in the Masada Run, a suicide mission meant to buy Genesis a number of years by tampering with the Gate that creates a passage from Earth to Genesis. Caught in a minor skirmish, Noemi boards the Daedalus, looking for medical aid for her injured friend Esther. Unfortunately for her, the Daedalus has been abandoned for thirty years, inhabited only by the most advanced mech ever created by Burton Mansfied: Model A, Abel.

Whilst Abel is unerringly loyal to Mansfield, his programming demands that he submits to the orders of the human with the highest ranking aboard the ship which is now, after thirty years of isolation, is Noemi Vidal. Together they embark on an adventure around the universe to save Genesis. The best aspect of this book is the development of Noemi, Abel, and how they relate to each other. You really have to like the pair of them because for a good 75% of this book they are the only characters. Noemi despises Abel for being a soldier of Earth, but also because he has no soul: he is a pure machine. But she also knows that this hate is ridiculous, for without a soul there can be no sin. Abel dislikes Noemi because she is keeping him from returning to Mansfield on Earth. The book alternates between their perspectives, but always remains in third person.

"Noemi knows what her duty to God is right now: Fight like hell."

Noemi is interesting. She doesn't like herself much, sees herself as selfish, a coward, an inconvenience. Yet we never see any evidence of this. She is selfless in agreeing to a suicide mission, brave in facing her fears. There is literally no reason for Noemi to see herself in this way and it's a bit jarring to read, as it clearly and obviously contradicts her actions. She is clever, innovative, loyal, and a good soldier. Her primary duty is always to Genesis and it is really enjoyable to watch her develop over the course of the book. What was particularly interesting was her perspective on religious faith, which isn't something that crops up in non-Christian-eque books. She talks about sin, about faith, and souls, and I really think it does add well to the plot and her character. The culture on Genesis has reverted back to strong focus on faiths of all types; Noemi belongs to the Second Catholic Church and whilst she never loses this faith, she does question and doubt it, providing a nice parallel to Abel.

Like every good science fiction novel a lot of Abel's character revolves around whether or not he has a soul, how close is Abel to human? This is a really interesting philosophical inquiry: does he have free will? Can he choose to disobey his programming? The philosophy university student in me didn't think that Gray pushed these questions enough, but the reader in me thought that for a YA novel it had just the right amount of questioning. Beyond this, Abel does have a personality of his own. He loves Casablanca, for example. He also loves his creator, Mansfield, and their relationship is written in a lovely, tender, and heartbreaking way. Beyond Noemi and Abel there aren't many characters that get much page time, but my favourite is Virginia Redbird: a code breaker and nerd who has 0 self-preservation skills. In terms of diversity, Virginia is bisexual and Noemi is of Latin American and Polynesian ancestry and is relatively bulked up, which is great to see in a female character.

"But even if you don't need something, can't you want it? Surely it can't be wrong to want to see more of creation. To behold the universe from every possible angle - to be the way in which the universe is able to behold itself."

Initially, I was slightly concerned about the plot. Amazon puts Defy the Stars at about 450 pages, but the plot is very simple: destroy the Gate so that Genesis can be safe from Earth. It's really simple and I did not see how it could stretch to cover such a long book. I still think it was a bit too long, but it did allow for the reader to experience all of the world Gray has crafted. There's the Loop: a ring of five planets connected by Gates; Genesis, which has preserved its natural resources and nature, connects to Kismet, holiday planet for the wealthy, which connects to Cray, a hub of scientific investigation that lives below the surface of the planet, to Stronghold, an over-populated mining colony, to Earth, ruined after hundreds of years of extortion, back to Genesis. It's a simple setting but it works so well. It's also got a bunch of other good sci-fi tropes like disease (called Cobweb), more robots, and a sense of rebellion in the air.

"Abel thinks of Noemi as belonging to both Genesis and to the stars, as a person who will always have a place on more than one world"

Gray's writing style is also wonderful. The voices of Noemi and Abel are wonderfully distinct; I'm always sure whose chapter I'm reading and they both have great inner dialogue. As I mentioned before, it's got lots of scientific, religious and philosophical undertones which are often present but never dominate the plot. I went highlighter crazy on this book!

Defy the Stars was a beautiful read, which I thoroughly recommend if you liked A Thousand Pieces of You (for the writing style and the emphasis on love) or sci-fi stories set in space like A Long Way To A Small Angry Planet or perhaps Asimov's works.

When I first read the summary of Defy the Stars I was immediately drawn in as it kind of reminded me of the Partials trilogy by Dan Well - one of my favourite YA sci-fi books.

Defy the Stars is a thrilling adventure with two likable protagonists. Noemi is strong, kind, and selfless. I loved how determined she was to save her planet, and far she was willing to go to do this. Abel, a robotic mech from Earth, was just as interesting as Noemi. Although he is a mech his POV is far from boring. In fact I loved his reflections on humans, life, and the world. His unintentional humour also made me smile.

Defy the Stars is a really thought provoking read, I''ve always found stories about humans and robots fascinating. Throughout the book I was questioning things just as much as Abel . For example, does a mech have a soul when he can think for himself and feel?

Noemi and Abel's adventure from planet to planet was fun and exciting. I liked the inclusion of diversity, Noemi herself is a POC and the worlds that we are introduced to are diverse in terms of religion and race.

The romance was also well done. Noemi and Abel start of as enemies, but slowly come to understand, trust, and rely on each other. This is my fave kind of romance - all slow burn and shippy.

Overall, Defy the Stars was an addictive read. I finished it in 4 days which for me is a feat because I usually don't have much time to read due to work. In this case, however, I found myself staying up far longer than I should have. I'm both excited and nervous about the sequel!

I. AM. OBSESSED! This is one of the best books I've read this year, if not ever. Seriously, I thought the Firebird trilogy was great, but this blows them right out of the water and defied all expectations! The level of brilliance and thought that so obviously wen into every single character and plot point is astounding. It's just the right balance of sci-fi adventure, thought provoking commentary, and humor that's bound to make you addicted!

I love that Abel doesn't fully realize how human he really is at first. He just thinks he's malfunctioning. Also, the slow-burn romance between him and Noemi that develops as his more human traits emerge is so fitting. The universe it's set in, the way it came to be and functions, is so believable too. It's a future I can see happening if the way we take of our planet doesn't change. Knowing that is chilling, but the thrill I get from the realistic aspect to a sci-fi piece is a absolutely worth it. It's a truly gripping and unforgettable tale; I can't wait to see where their paths take them next! See for yourself join and Abel and Noemi on their voyage. Are their fates set in stone or can they Defy the Stars?

I've really liked Claudia Gray's writing before, but this book just fell short for me. I haven't really been in the mood to read Sci-fi lately, so that could account for some what I found boring about this book, but I don't think that's all. I found the romance to be basically non-existent to be honest. Or at least one sided. I could kind of see it happening with Abel, in his own way of not knowing why he does the things he does, but I just didn't see anything on Noemi's side until the very end.

The look at immigration was something that was interesting about this book Noemi comes from Genesis, a world that is fighting for it's independence from Earth in order to keep their planet from being destroyed and used up in the same way that Earth and the planets under it's control are being. But as Noemi sees more of the universe and what is happening in and around the other planets, she has to rethink her opinions.

It was a really good look at the ramifications of immigration as well as the reasons why we should be sensitive to the plight of refuges.

Even though I didn't get on well with this book, for those reasons, I do think this is a good one to read.

Outstanding! I wasn't sure what to expect in this new YA sci-fi series, what I got is adventure, action, just the right amount of global politics, and a story revolving around a girl & a robot. This results in an exploration of humanity and what it means to be human, as well as a brilliant look at important topics including environmentalism and religion. Claudia Gray does this completely unique thing and blends religion into a science fiction novel. This may sound off-putting, but as someone absolutely not-religious, I can tell you it's remarkable and handled in the best possible way making a mind-blowing plot. Defy the Stars is very fast-paced. It will keep your interest leaving you wanting..actually needing more. We highly, highly recommend!

I received this book from netgalley.

I've read Claudia Gray before, but this was an entirely different level of writing. It was funny, heartbreaking and full of wonder. The story follows a young girl who is fighting a war against AI. She befriends a mech called Abel and it is their journey to closing the gateway between her planet and the others.

I enjoyed reading Abel's thoughts more so than Noemi's - it was almost poetic or lyrical in substance. His thinking truly was in line with AI and it was an amazing character development. This was also true of Noemi.

While this book is filled with adventure, war, friendship and more, the fact that romance was thrown into the mix was also great. I had guessed from the start what would happen romantically but wasn't sure that actually would happen until the end. One of my favourite scenes was where Abel and Noemi watched Casablanca!

I also loved the main character, she was strong but doubted herself and it was great to watch her become more confident, to open her mind to new possibilities and then stand up for her beliefs to her superiors. I only hope the stigma surrounding Abel as a mech is cleared up if there's to be a second book, I want him to be able to stand there and say 'here I am' and for those who had previously sneered at a mech with a soul to gape and realise how wrong they were.

Beautiful writing, intricate characters and an entertaining, thought provoking novel. Can't wait for more.

This was just not for me - there was nothing wrong with it, so don't let me dissuade you from reading this. I think a lot of people are going to enjoy this book. However for me it just didn't work. I didn't connect with the characters and I wasn't invested in the plot. I had to push myself to finish.

Wonderful book with amazing characters and even better story! I enjoued every word of this book :)

Defy the Stars is deliciously written, skilfully paced and blessed with two leads that are absolutely beyond compelling. It had got a nice Asimov vibe to it and that made me only enjoy the book more.
Strangely enough, when I started it, I didn't know Abel was a robot, which is pretty dumb of me because the blurb is more than clear about it. But when I add to my wish list books by author I already know, I only give to that a cursory glance and don't think too much about it. I was SO happy when I found out Abel's actually a machine! I just love the robot-with-feelings trope.
Both Noemi and Abel are absolutely stunning characters, incredibly easy to sympathize with and relate to, and both have a strong and solid characterization unlikely to disappoint even the most demanding readers. I loved every single one of their interactions, and their romance is delicious and slow-burn: loveliest thing ever.
I was also completely invested in Abel's relationship with his creator, absolutely heart-wrenching and so, so touching. Generally speaking, I think the characters are the greatest asset of the book.
I had no doubt Clausa Gray will surprise me once more with her work, but she surpassed all of my expectations: Defy the Stars was utterly and magnificently brilliant.
I'm so glad I received this arc! Thank you to the publisher for this opportunity!

I really enjoy Claudia Gray's writing style, I think her world-building and imagination must be limitless because some of her ideas are just fantastic. At times in this book I honestly felt like I was watching a movie, seeing the ship floating over different planets and gazing at the scenery in slow motion - this world is utterly immersive.

Abel is a mech, he has been built by a highly revered professor, Burton Mansfield. Mansfield has created 25 models of machines like Abel, but none are quite as advanced, complex, or free-thinking as him. Abel is uniquely human. But he's not much of a threat as the ship he and his creator resided on was once attacked, all humans fled and Abel was left behind. He has been stranded on the Daedalus for almost thirty years. So it's a good thing he's not human because he'd probably have gone mad!

Noemi however does not originate from Earth, nor is she a mech. She is from Genesis, Earth's enemy planet, and she is a warrior built to survive their battles. Which makes Abel her enemy. So it's kind of unfortunate for them both when Noemi finds herself upon said enemy ship and in need of Abel's help.

I really liked the characters in this story, whilst the secondary characters weren't as well fleshed out, Abel and Noemi are really good fun to read about.. Abel is bound by oath to be commanded by the dominant human aboard his ship, which puts Noemi in charge, but this doesn't mean he does so happily, and it's nice to see his true feelings, mostly begrudged, about Noemi's orders. Abel is the most sarcastic machine I have ever encountered, I absolutely loved his dry humour, blunt fact telling and ability to reason; he's certainly an interesting, multi-layered, character. Noemi is a fire-cracker, she is incredibly volatile but has a really cool way of suddenly getting her head in the game when the time calls for it. She is mostly emotionless actually, which makes her a good match for the sarcasm of Abel, but also eliminates the tendency for super emotional moments to take over the story; I absolutely love the characters for this. Equally, their romance is a slow build, and pretty convincing - they didn't just lock eyes on the ship and fall in love, which was refreshing.

As the story unfolds Abel must help Noemi, whether he likes it or not, to protect Genesis. The plot moves swiftly, with huge amounts of action throughout, and some adventures across multiple planets which was really interesting. I did find the overall concept a little tame - Noemi basically wants to destroy something which will prevent Earth from having an advantage. This requires Abel (and probably Noemi too), since he's the only one who can finish the job, to be a bit of a sacrificial lamb. It is a pretty bit game changer, but it's not that exciting an idea to pin a whole story on because I just never fully believed Noemi was as ruthless as I think her character should have been to make this a convincing idea. However, some of the smaller elements of the story were tantalising enough to make up for that. I especially liked the element of mystery behind Abel, his creation and also his creator. The sub-plot was especially strong for this.

This was a really great read, I found myself half way through it before I'd even noticed - the sure sign of a good book. The world-building is so believable and really quite beautiful, I was fully sucked into this story. I feel completely attached to Abel and Noemi now and I can't wait to see what happens next.

I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Protagonist/s: 4/5
Love Interest/s: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall score 16/20 which is 4 stars.

Well damn, I wound up staying up late to finish this book.

Defy the Stars is the new sci-fi novel from Claudia Gray. It's a classic novel that'll be inhaled by fans of Amie Kaufman, Marissa Meyer and the like.

The story focuses on a human girl called Noemi from Genesis and a mech called Abel from Earth. In alternating chapters you read about their journey to save Genesis, the people they meet and the burgeoning relationship. It's an amazing book with a memorable cast of characters that ends in such a way you need more right away.

The world building could be a little more and there was a scene that randomly skipped at the end and confused me for a few seconds but as a whole this was a really gripping read and I would definitely recommend this to everyone.