THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE US by Eliot Schrefer

They Both Die at the End meets The Loneliest Girl in the Universe in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission, from two-time National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer.

Two boys, alone in space. Sworn enemies sent on the same rescue mission.

Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed—not when he’s rescuing his own sister.

In order to survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust each other . . . especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.

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Title : The Darkness Outisde Us
Author : Eliot Schrefer
Format : Hardcover
Page Count : 416
Genre : YA Sci-fi/LGBTQIAP+
Publisher : Katherine Tegan Books
Release Date : June 1, 2021

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

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Micky’s 4 star review

Headlines:
Expect the unexpected
Whispers into the future
Connections

I didn’t expect the story I got going into The Darkness Outside Us but I’m exceedingly happy with how that turned out. This was scifi, LGBTQIAP+ style but that’s where my non-spoilers end. This story conveys future possibilities and carries a bucket load of existential questions and ethical dilemmas.

Now, that might sound heavy, but really it isn’t. That’s because Ambrose and Kodiak, the two spaceboy-extraordinaires of this piece, carry a witty and sometimes emotional narrative, dialogue and more. Ambrose was all sunshine, hope and flirt, while Kodiak was grump-reluctance and pragmatism. I really loved their dynamic together and how they problem-solved and connected.

There were some moments in this story that really took my breath away with the emotionality and my eyes were brimming. How is that possible with two spaceboys on an intergallactic mission? Please, read and find out!

Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Katherine Tegan Books for the review copy.