Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
(Carve the Mark, Book 1)
Released: January 17, 2017 | Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Space Opera
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In a galaxy powered by the current, everyone has a gift.
Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.
Akos is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the frozen nation-planet of Thuvhe. Protected by his unusual currentgift, Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost.
Then Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?
Carve the Mark is Veronica Roth’s stunning portrayal of the power of friendship—and love—in a galaxy filled with unexpected gifts.
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Veronica Roth first came up with the basic idea for Carve the Mark when she was only about 11 or 12 years old. The story changed a lot over the years and she rewrote it roughly 20 different ways before arriving at the final version.
REVIEW
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆
Way better than Divergent.
It’s a relief to finally read a YA book that leans more adult than young. Carve the Mark doesn’t shy away from death or violence and can be brutal at times. The science fiction elements are also a refreshing break from the endless parade of dystopian novels.
One trend that often frustrates me in YA is the endless filler; there’s always a lot of “nothing happening.” That’s not the case here. Every chapter and scene serves a purpose, developing characters and keeping the story moving at a compelling pace.
My only complaint: The final chapter should be removed. (Don’t worry, no spoilers here.)
The penultimate chapter delivers a significant ending that would have made a perfect lead-in to the second book. Then comes the last chapter: humble, heartwarming, and emphasizing camaraderie among the characters. On its own, it’s nice, but after the punch of the previous chapter, it downplays those events, almost as if they weren’t important. It feels like a false sense of closure, which undermines the fact that this is only the first half of the story.
