Check out Scott Reads It! 
 Across A Star-Swept Sea is the companion to For Darkness Shows The Stars and I'm so glad that Peterfreund decided to revisit the world of the Reduced. Across A Star-Swept Sea took me a while to read due it's extremely slow-pace and there were several times where I felt like abandoning it. I trudged through Across A Star-Swept Sea for a decent part of the book, but then suddenly I decided to put aside all of my books and focus only on this book. I quickly became addicted to Star-Swept Sea once I focused on it and I think my distaste of this novel originated in the fact that I wasn't really in the mood for this one when I first started it. 
 Across A Star-Swept Sea trudges a bit in the beginning and readers expecting to read an action-packed adventure will surely be disappointed. This is an extremely thought-provoking novel that discusses gender roles, prejudice and social classes. Peterfreund is clearly trying to make a statement with Across A Star-Swept Sea and Persis's story does come across as extremely powerful. This novel deals with so many classical struggles that are still relevant in today's society, making Across a must-read. 
 Most of the time whenever I read retellings, I'm usually familiar with the source material that the author is basing it on. I have never read The Scarlet Pimpernel nor I have read Persuasion (For Darkness Shows The Stars is based upon this Jane Austen novel) and yet I find myself in awe of these retellings. It's really a testament to Peterfreund's writing abilites that readers can pick up both of her For Darkness novels and still enjoy them without having any knowledge of the original novels they are based upon. My lack of familiarity with The Scarlet Pimpernel only enhanced my desire to continue reading Across A Star-Swept Sea because I was extremely curious to see what happens next. 
 I love the whole "gender swap" in Across A Star-Swept Sea because it really worked as an effective means to juxtapose Persis's true personality and the facade that she hides behind in the court. Persis is such an amazing character and it was intriguing to see her internally struggle with the two different identities she possesses. Her romance with Justen was perfectly crafted and I loved the scene with the two of them in the cove. Justen and Persis definitely give Kai and Elliot a run for their money, the romance in this companion suited me much better. 
 Diana Peterfreund has such a beautiful writing style and I absolutely love the descriptions she included in Across. Whenever Peterfreund described something, I was always mesmerized by the fact that her prose is so immersive and visual. New Pacifica read like such a beautiful, breath-taking location and it was a delight to take a literary vacation there. 
 Across A Star-Swept Sea is slow-paced, but it makes up for it with a superb plot, thought-provoking themes, vivid imagery, and beautiful prose. I would re-read this again in the future after reading The Scarlet Pimpernel to compare the two and just so I can relive the amazing cameo made by two beloved characters from For Darkness Shows The Stars.