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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
I initially bought this because I loved the Divergent books.
I found this book hard to get into. Veronica's style of writing seems different to her divergent books and I didn't feel captured enough by the words to feel like I really wanted to keep reading. I could easily put it down for something else. I enjoyed it to an extent, but wasn't wow'd by it.
I felt like the characters didn't connect enough or have any real emotion between them. I felt there were some great concepts there for the makings of a great book, but I just didn't connect with it enough.
I will read the next book in the series, because I already have it. Hopefully the next book will draw me in a bit more.
I found this book hard to get into. Veronica's style of writing seems different to her divergent books and I didn't feel captured enough by the words to feel like I really wanted to keep reading. I could easily put it down for something else. I enjoyed it to an extent, but wasn't wow'd by it.
I felt like the characters didn't connect enough or have any real emotion between them. I felt there were some great concepts there for the makings of a great book, but I just didn't connect with it enough.
I will read the next book in the series, because I already have it. Hopefully the next book will draw me in a bit more.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Behind her was the amphitheater where she'd almost lost her life, but to watch her walk, with that straight spine, it was like nobody had ever tried to peel her apart."
-Veroncia Roth Carve the Mark
While this book had its moments that frustrated me, I will definitely be reading the next one, The Fates Divide. Carve the Mark was very satisfying, if not somewhat predicatble.
🛑Slight spoilers ahead🛑
Part of what I enjoyed about this book is how strong and seemingly independent Cyra is (see quote above). However, when she let's Akos help her, she not only makes things easier on herself, her heart (and currentgift) starts to change. She recognizes the things that are worth fighting for.
“Can I kiss you?” he said. “Or will it hurt?”
Her eyes went wide. Then she said breathlessly, “And if it hurts?” And smiled a little. “Life is full of hurt anyway.”
-Veroncia Roth Carve the Mark
While this book had its moments that frustrated me, I will definitely be reading the next one, The Fates Divide. Carve the Mark was very satisfying, if not somewhat predicatble.
🛑Slight spoilers ahead🛑
Part of what I enjoyed about this book is how strong and seemingly independent Cyra is (see quote above). However, when she let's Akos help her, she not only makes things easier on herself, her heart (and currentgift) starts to change. She recognizes the things that are worth fighting for.
“Can I kiss you?” he said. “Or will it hurt?”
Her eyes went wide. Then she said breathlessly, “And if it hurts?” And smiled a little. “Life is full of hurt anyway.”
1,5/5
Chvalabohu, konečne je to za mnou. Toto bolo jedno sklamanie za druhým. Asi je to vina toho, že som mala vysoké očakávania, ale aj tak. Toto proste nebolo dobré.
1. Autorka si síce vytvorila vlastný svet, ale napriek tomu na tej knihe nebolo nič originálne. Všetko som videla alebo čítala niekde inde.
2. Väčšinu knihy sa vôbec nič nedialo. A ak, tak ma to vôbec nezaujímalo.
3. Čítalo sa mi to hrozne pomaly a mala som obrovský problém sa k tomu prinútiť.
4. Kniha vo mne nevyvolala vôbec žiadne emócie. Jedine ak... považuje sa ,,prosím, nech už je koniec'' za emóciu?
5. Ako sa vraví, nádej umiera posledná (nakoniec to bola veľmi pomalá a bolestivá smrť), takže som celú dobu dúfala, že sa udeje niečo, čo mi vyrazí dych. Miesto toho som strácala záujem viac a viac a keď sa nakoniec niečo stalo, tak sa to stalo presne inak ako som dúfala a ja som chcela vyšmariť knihu z okna.
6. Neskutočne zle napísaný záporák. Strašne plochý, strašne predvídateľný. Keďže ja si zvyčajne záporákov obľúbim, tak som v duchu plakala a myslela na Lokiho, Dartha Vadera, Moriartyho, či Mastera.
7. Ani Akos ani Cyra mi síce nijako zvlášť neprekážali, ale ani k jednému som si nevedela vytvoriť žiaden vzťah.
8. Veľmi nudné, zdĺhavé, zbytočné informácie a žiadne prekvapenia. (Pamätáte na koniec Rezistencie so super cliffhangerom, že človek chcel hneď pokračovanie? Tu na to môžete zabudnúť.) 9. Bolo mi ľahostajné na tej knihe úplne všetko. (Okrem obálky, tá je nádherná.) Do dvojky sa vážne púšťať nebudem.
10. Je síce fakt, že Rezistenciu a Experiment som okrem koncov úplne vypustila z hlavy (ako čoskoro aj toto), ale Divergencii sa to absolútne nevyrovnalo. Bol to taký rozdiel, akoby ste porovnávali ja neviem... holuba a hypogrifa? Starého somára a jednorožca?
Na druhej strane si myslím, že by z toho mohol byť naozaj skvelý film, lebo do filmu trvajúceho hodinu a pol sa toľko zbytočností nedostane a mohlo to byť celkom akčné a zaujímavé.
Chvalabohu, konečne je to za mnou. Toto bolo jedno sklamanie za druhým. Asi je to vina toho, že som mala vysoké očakávania, ale aj tak. Toto proste nebolo dobré.
1. Autorka si síce vytvorila vlastný svet, ale napriek tomu na tej knihe nebolo nič originálne. Všetko som videla alebo čítala niekde inde.
2. Väčšinu knihy sa vôbec nič nedialo. A ak, tak ma to vôbec nezaujímalo.
3. Čítalo sa mi to hrozne pomaly a mala som obrovský problém sa k tomu prinútiť.
4. Kniha vo mne nevyvolala vôbec žiadne emócie. Jedine ak... považuje sa ,,prosím, nech už je koniec'' za emóciu?
5. Ako sa vraví, nádej umiera posledná (nakoniec to bola veľmi pomalá a bolestivá smrť), takže som celú dobu dúfala, že sa udeje niečo, čo mi vyrazí dych. Miesto toho som strácala záujem viac a viac a keď sa nakoniec niečo stalo, tak sa to stalo presne inak ako som dúfala a ja som chcela vyšmariť knihu z okna.
6. Neskutočne zle napísaný záporák. Strašne plochý, strašne predvídateľný. Keďže ja si zvyčajne záporákov obľúbim, tak som v duchu plakala a myslela na Lokiho, Dartha Vadera, Moriartyho, či Mastera.
7. Ani Akos ani Cyra mi síce nijako zvlášť neprekážali, ale ani k jednému som si nevedela vytvoriť žiaden vzťah.
8. Veľmi nudné, zdĺhavé, zbytočné informácie a žiadne prekvapenia. (Pamätáte na koniec Rezistencie so super cliffhangerom, že človek chcel hneď pokračovanie? Tu na to môžete zabudnúť.) 9. Bolo mi ľahostajné na tej knihe úplne všetko. (Okrem obálky, tá je nádherná.) Do dvojky sa vážne púšťať nebudem.
10. Je síce fakt, že Rezistenciu a Experiment som okrem koncov úplne vypustila z hlavy (ako čoskoro aj toto), ale Divergencii sa to absolútne nevyrovnalo. Bol to taký rozdiel, akoby ste porovnávali ja neviem... holuba a hypogrifa? Starého somára a jednorožca?
Na druhej strane si myslím, že by z toho mohol byť naozaj skvelý film, lebo do filmu trvajúceho hodinu a pol sa toľko zbytočností nedostane a mohlo to byť celkom akčné a zaujímavé.
Controversy aside, I had to slog through it. Characters were dull, and I was not very impressed with the world this was set in.
*I read this book despite the controversies around its narrative and marketing because I wanted to a) find out for myself, b) make my own opinion and c) I was genuinely excited for this book before everything came out about it!*
To some extent I did really enjoy this book, but also I felt pretty 'meh' too.
There was a lot of potential for this book, especially with Veronica Roth as its writer, which was perhaps part of the problem considering everyone expects something of the calibre of the Divergent series. I wanted the thrilling action, the political background and the overarching yet not plot evolving love story that I liked about her previous books. While there was plenty of politics, a vague love story as well as some great action, thrills and surprises at certain points, the ability to hook from the very beginning until the end as Divergent did just never happened.
The book fell flat in the middle as I felt a lot was explained in the first couple of chapters leaving very little backstory or detail to be discovered later on (particularly in terms of Cyra). It meant that after knowing everything about the world and the characters, there was nothing intriguing to get me through the book until the final conclusion.
I feel a lot of the problems with this book - both with its controversy and my enjoyment of this book - comes from its structure and the sequence of events Roth has chosen. I found out too much at the beginning, a criticism I rarely have with books, and therefore, had nothing to carry me through.
However, at a lot of moments I did enjoy the book, largely at the beginning and particularly the end - which was incredible and the kind of writing I wanted the whole way through. I liked the characters, the world building was amazing and original, I loved the idea of the current, the plot was decent - it was the writing that largely let this book down for me.
Will I read its sequel? I'm not sure, I don't feel too invested in this book which I borrowed off a work colleague, but to some extent I am intrigued by some of the few seeds left unanswered in Carve the Mark.
To some extent I did really enjoy this book, but also I felt pretty 'meh' too.
There was a lot of potential for this book, especially with Veronica Roth as its writer, which was perhaps part of the problem considering everyone expects something of the calibre of the Divergent series. I wanted the thrilling action, the political background and the overarching yet not plot evolving love story that I liked about her previous books. While there was plenty of politics, a vague love story as well as some great action, thrills and surprises at certain points, the ability to hook from the very beginning until the end as Divergent did just never happened.
The book fell flat in the middle as I felt a lot was explained in the first couple of chapters leaving very little backstory or detail to be discovered later on (particularly in terms of Cyra). It meant that after knowing everything about the world and the characters, there was nothing intriguing to get me through the book until the final conclusion.
I feel a lot of the problems with this book - both with its controversy and my enjoyment of this book - comes from its structure and the sequence of events Roth has chosen. I found out too much at the beginning, a criticism I rarely have with books, and therefore, had nothing to carry me through.
However, at a lot of moments I did enjoy the book, largely at the beginning and particularly the end - which was incredible and the kind of writing I wanted the whole way through. I liked the characters, the world building was amazing and original, I loved the idea of the current, the plot was decent - it was the writing that largely let this book down for me.
Will I read its sequel? I'm not sure, I don't feel too invested in this book which I borrowed off a work colleague, but to some extent I am intrigued by some of the few seeds left unanswered in Carve the Mark.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good until somewhere around 60-70% when the plot changes. It does pick up again towards the end though.
As someone who suffers from chronic pain, I'm not sure how I feel about the depiction of Cyra's condition. Although I can understand the in-book interpretation of her disorder as a "gift", I do hope that Roth does not view it that way in reality. My pain has not made me stronger or a better person. My pain actually prevents me from bettering myself in many cases.
Another thing to consider is the accusations of racism. The supposed good guys are mainly pale skinned and the bad guys are described as having extremely mixed bloodlines. I don't know how I feel about it. Cyra has brown skin and she's a good guy. Ryzek has light skin and he's a bad guy. Both of them are Shotet. I'd like to say that we've moved on enough as a society for race not to matter in fiction, but with racism still being such a prevalent issue in our world, it's impossible to separate it from the media we consume.
I think Akos is a Noavek and Cyra is not. That way he will die in service to himself.
As someone who suffers from chronic pain, I'm not sure how I feel about the depiction of Cyra's condition. Although I can understand the in-book interpretation of her disorder as a "gift", I do hope that Roth does not view it that way in reality. My pain has not made me stronger or a better person. My pain actually prevents me from bettering myself in many cases.
Another thing to consider is the accusations of racism. The supposed good guys are mainly pale skinned and the bad guys are described as having extremely mixed bloodlines. I don't know how I feel about it. Cyra has brown skin and she's a good guy. Ryzek has light skin and he's a bad guy. Both of them are Shotet. I'd like to say that we've moved on enough as a society for race not to matter in fiction, but with racism still being such a prevalent issue in our world, it's impossible to separate it from the media we consume.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated