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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed the Divergent series from Veronica Roth and I liked her writing style. This book was challenging with all the new world building and characters. But unlike The Chosen One and Divergent – this storyline was slow-paced and took me a while to get into.
In this world everyone has a gift which they call a currentgift. This book is set from two character’s point of view. The first character is Cyra. She is the sister of the brutal tyrant named Ryzek who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — a gift in which she hates and is in total agony but 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. She is determined free herself from her brother’s control. The second character’s point of view is Akos and his currentgift is unusual. He is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the planet of Thuvhe. 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 this brother out alive — no matter what the cost. Akos and Cyra are stuck together in a world they want to get out of and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?
The one thing I liked about this book is the multiple POVs, enemies to lovers and the found family tropes. I liked the characters that came from both world who wanted to work together and fix the issues on each planet. Cyra also grew on me during the novel and I liked her character development. I liked Akos from the first chapters because of his actions and his loyalty from the beginning. I just struggled with this book. It was very slow-paced compared to Roth’s other series. I struggled with the world building and the new terminology that I didn’t really understand the first quarter of the novel. Once I got into it, I was just waiting for the big action or the big reveal that didn’t really happen.
I was very disappointed because Roth’s other books are quite strong and this one just didn’t do it for me. I don’t know if it was the space aspect of it or the slowness of the novel, I just really struggled to get through this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent
This book took me a month to finish but it was quite nice.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Carve the Mark - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
The Fates Divide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I really liked this duology! I read these last year and re-read them again this year. This story, though slow to start, had great world building and character development.
Some of the other high points for me:
- I really liked Akos and Cyra’s character! She’s the warrior and he’s the gentler of the two, which was an interesting take.
- The concept of currentgifts and how they interplay within the story was interesting and well done.
Overall, this duology had its ups and downs (research the problematic content r/t this series). It was a pretty quick read and I thought it had an interesting story.
The Fates Divide - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I really liked this duology! I read these last year and re-read them again this year. This story, though slow to start, had great world building and character development.
Some of the other high points for me:
- I really liked Akos and Cyra’s character! She’s the warrior and he’s the gentler of the two, which was an interesting take.
- The concept of currentgifts and how they interplay within the story was interesting and well done.
Overall, this duology had its ups and downs (research the problematic content r/t this series). It was a pretty quick read and I thought it had an interesting story.
Official rating: 4.5 stars
With all of the controversy around this book, I have been really thinking over a review and rating for it.
This story was about a future where space travel and different races dominated parts of outer space and different planets. We follow Cyra and Akos's stories as they cross paths as Akos, being the son of a murdered farmer and a missing oracle, is the one of the two people that can touch Cyra, who is the sister of a heartless tyrant, whose currentgift is pain for herself and whomever she touched/touched her. Akos's currentgift blocks currentgifts of whoever touches him, therefore not getting hurt from touching Cyra. But as they become closer to getting Akos's brother, who is also an oracle, out of Cyra's brother's control and assassinating Ryzek, Cyra's brother, they learn more about their world, universe, and ultimately each other.
The one topic that I am seeing hate towards Veronica Roth and her book, Carve the Mark, is the fact of "showcasing" chronic pain. Ms. Roth, herself, said that she experiences chronic pain and she was able to relate to Cyra, a lot, through writing this. I think that it was interesting to hear the perspective of someone who feels pained all the time and with the second meaning of her not being able to touch someone without hurting them.
Ms. Roth writing about Cyra with such similarities reminds me of how Ms. Leigh Bardugo related to her main protagonist in "Six of Crows," Kaz Brekker.
Overall, I actually loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on "The Fates Divide."
I'd definitely recommend this novel, but I'd also recommend looking up the controversial topics inside this book that readers saw parallels with, to the real world. It is interesting how people linked these things, and how Ms. Roth answered the questions.
With all of the controversy around this book, I have been really thinking over a review and rating for it.
This story was about a future where space travel and different races dominated parts of outer space and different planets. We follow Cyra and Akos's stories as they cross paths as Akos, being the son of a murdered farmer and a missing oracle, is the one of the two people that can touch Cyra, who is the sister of a heartless tyrant, whose currentgift is pain for herself and whomever she touched/touched her. Akos's currentgift blocks currentgifts of whoever touches him, therefore not getting hurt from touching Cyra. But as they become closer to getting Akos's brother, who is also an oracle, out of Cyra's brother's control and assassinating Ryzek, Cyra's brother, they learn more about their world, universe, and ultimately each other.
The one topic that I am seeing hate towards Veronica Roth and her book, Carve the Mark, is the fact of "showcasing" chronic pain. Ms. Roth, herself, said that she experiences chronic pain and she was able to relate to Cyra, a lot, through writing this. I think that it was interesting to hear the perspective of someone who feels pained all the time and with the second meaning of her not being able to touch someone without hurting them.
Ms. Roth writing about Cyra with such similarities reminds me of how Ms. Leigh Bardugo related to her main protagonist in "Six of Crows," Kaz Brekker.
Overall, I actually loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on "The Fates Divide."
I'd definitely recommend this novel, but I'd also recommend looking up the controversial topics inside this book that readers saw parallels with, to the real world. It is interesting how people linked these things, and how Ms. Roth answered the questions.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really excited for this book because I liked Divergent and the plot seemed interesting to me. As I read it, the characters seemed exciting enough, but the book didn't draw me in like I expected. There was something missing from the book and so it was okay, but it wasn't one of those books where I constantly want to just read. I'd pick it up and read because I wanted to finish the book, but not really because it was super interesting. The characters were interesting and I liked them, but the book just didn't draw me in. When I actually took the energy to open the book and start reading, I'd only read for a couple minutes before getting bored.
Woooooooow. This book was so boring. And the writing was so bad it nearly killed me. 😱 Thank god this is over.
The world building is minimal and there’s no clear plot. One event happens after another, which happens after another. Blah blah blah.
In terms of the racist tropes, it didn’t seem like dark skinned aggressor to me. It mentions the Shotet are of mixed race, and that they were actually peaceful until the Noavek family took over. So 🤷🏼♀️
I can see where the stuff about chronic pain can get a little dicey. But I’m sure there are reviews done by others with personal experience who can speak to this topic better than I can.
All in all: this ain’t the Divergent series, kids. Stay away. Stay far, far away.
Update Jan/5/2017:
Sorry I didn't post this sooner, but Emily May's review clarifies that the two main races of the book were mixed-up. Therefore the aggressor in this book actually has light-skin.
In other news, I am probably going to pick up this book now that their has been a clarification of information (after skimming the book to figure out if this new information is correct, or if it's the other post that I have linked that's still correct).
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I was so looking forward to reading this book, but then this was brought to my attention and now I am very sad and disappointed and not going to be picking up this book when it comes out. :(
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I know a lot of people didn't like the way allegiant ended but I actually loved it :p I can't wait for Roth's new book to come out!! This one sounds so good!!!
The world building is minimal and there’s no clear plot. One event happens after another, which happens after another. Blah blah blah.
In terms of the racist tropes, it didn’t seem like dark skinned aggressor to me. It mentions the Shotet are of mixed race, and that they were actually peaceful until the Noavek family took over. So 🤷🏼♀️
I can see where the stuff about chronic pain can get a little dicey. But I’m sure there are reviews done by others with personal experience who can speak to this topic better than I can.
All in all: this ain’t the Divergent series, kids. Stay away. Stay far, far away.
Update Jan/5/2017:
Sorry I didn't post this sooner, but Emily May's review clarifies that the two main races of the book were mixed-up. Therefore the aggressor in this book actually has light-skin.
In other news, I am probably going to pick up this book now that their has been a clarification of information (after skimming the book to figure out if this new information is correct, or if it's the other post that I have linked that's still correct).
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I was so looking forward to reading this book, but then this was brought to my attention and now I am very sad and disappointed and not going to be picking up this book when it comes out. :(
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I know a lot of people didn't like the way allegiant ended but I actually loved it :p I can't wait for Roth's new book to come out!! This one sounds so good!!!