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melanie_books's review against another edition
4.0
Cyra & Akos have defied their fates time and again in their desire to live. Cyra's brother Ryzek - the cruel ruler of Shotet - is now in their custody after a showdown in the arena. Isae, the chancellor of Thuvesit and enemy of Ryzek, isn't content to let justice prevail and takes matters into her own hands. Cyra & Akos must flee with his mother & brother to Ogra, where they hope to find shelter & assistance amongst the Shotet exiles living there while Isae and Cisi, Akos's sister, travel to the Assembly ship to win support for the Thuvesit cause. But both Shotet & Thuvesit will face a mutual enemy they thought was long dead. Wars are declared, secrets revealed, and fates challenged as Cyra & Akos cling to hope to get them through.
This book is a bit of a wild ride - lots of surprises and plot twists for pretty much every character. Cyra & Akos both deal with their own demons & struggles as things weigh heavy on them; their desire to be together is strong but so are their insecurities. They do deepen their friendships with others, especially Cyra, who becomes closer with Teka. Both of them have complicated relationships with Sifa but I liked how that was left at the end - understandably unresolved. The only thing I didn't enjoy was Cisi: I don't really understand the point of having her POV in the story. She didn't develop as a character at all (she starts out as a manipulator and ends the same way) and doesn't actually make any differences to the overall plot. If she was missing from the story, everything would have ended exactly the same. But that being said, I loved Akos & Cyra's stories so much that this book still gets 4 stars from me!
This book is a bit of a wild ride - lots of surprises and plot twists for pretty much every character. Cyra & Akos both deal with their own demons & struggles as things weigh heavy on them; their desire to be together is strong but so are their insecurities. They do deepen their friendships with others, especially Cyra, who becomes closer with Teka. Both of them have complicated relationships with Sifa but I liked how that was left at the end - understandably unresolved. The only thing I didn't enjoy was Cisi: I don't really understand the point of having her POV in the story. She didn't develop as a character at all (she starts out as a manipulator and ends the same way) and doesn't actually make any differences to the overall plot. If she was missing from the story, everything would have ended exactly the same. But that being said, I loved Akos & Cyra's stories so much that this book still gets 4 stars from me!
enchantedly_booked's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
ominouslilraven's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! I did not expect to get emotional or even enjoy this book a whole lot because the first one was a little iffy for me. I feel like Roth really switched gears on the whole pain issue. Which made the story better. There was so much that happened that was so unexpected and I loved all the surprises.
myrmaidx's review against another edition
5.0
So many thoughts and all I can say is that I loved it. I wish we would have gotten more of this universe and this lore. It is so intensely good and I’m so happy
marycarollll's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
sheenakat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
crochetchrisie's review against another edition
4.0
It was good... lots of stuff happened. I had a bit of a hard time keeping the more minor characters straight in my head.
rachcannoli's review against another edition
4.0
2022
We left off with our main duo struggling to find out where they fit in the wake of CARVE's events. Cyra steps up as leader of the Shotet people, she must face a burgeoning war splitting her alliances and the fact that her father is still alive. Akos grapples with the choice between being with Cyra because of love or his fate forcing him to. When confronted with harsh reality that forces their hand, they must make crucial decisions to save their lives, family, friends, and hopefully their relationship.
This didn't quite go the way I expected, most to good effect and some less so. I had issues with the pacing a lot more in this entry than the former. While I don't mind slow, I felt we weren't always focusing on the important events and some of the decisions or action felt like it came out of nowhere rather than occurring naturally. I was also very frustrated with keeping our characters separate for so long. I understand the purpose of it plotwise, but I hated that so much hinged on miscommunication or fights leaving the ending feeling a bit hollow. I'm also not sure how I feel about the added POVs. While they were obviously crucial for story wise (Cisi's especially), I don't feel connected at all with them in terms of character so I was never excited or interested to be there.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book and series on the whole. I really love the world building and several reveals worked really well for me. I really enjoyed the way trauma and grief was handled especially when it regarded family and their 'fates'. I also just genuinely enjoyed the arcs of both Akos and Cyra, even though they had moments that frustrated, I still think they made sense to where they started and had successful journeys. While the plot was all over the place, I still enjoyed the ride and felt this was a solid sequel.
Definitely a slower paced series, but with a really rich world and interesting concept. I adore the two main characters and I do think they're enough to really keep you engaged when reading. I haven't read a series like this one and it's quite interesting. I definitely recommend for those that like delving into a completely new world and am really pleased how far Roth has come in her writing and certainly in her ways to actually end a series well.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON
So I think my main issue with this book, other than some of the wonky pacing and plot, is motivation of some of these characters. I think Cyra is done very well, I understand why she makes every decision she does (though I was frustrated when she immediately was pissed at Akos for leaving her because I knew immediately that just didn't fit his character. I get the girl has major abandonment issues and he did leave her before, but that was before he literally fell in love with her so c'mon, did we really need this kind of a conflict? It was just put in so they could be separated because otherwise she never would've left his side), but I didn't always feel that way for everyone else. For one I straight up don't understand Isae and Cisi and why they do anything. I never really see why or how Cisi loves Isae for one, we get 2 flashbacks, one of her being a dick and the other of her not being afraid of Cisi's pain. So I guess that kind of mirrors Akos and Cyra with finally letting allowing them to feel true understanding and affection despite their current gift, but after that nothing. And what is Isae's plan ever? She's at war with the Shotets, sure, but first off she immediately slaughters Ryzek with zero remorse or consequence other than them sending her away and then just proceeds to casually murder hundreds of people in the name of war. Like sure, I guess they also did bad things? And she's getting pressure and bad advice, but I genuinely don't understand her as a character or why she does anything other than in theory for her people. And they try to give her more depth by being hurt by accidentally killing a bunch because they weren't supposed to be on the ship, but c'mon. And then she's super unyielding despite Cyra having proven herself in wanting to work with her. I don't know. We're giving Cisi's POV in this book so that we get glimpses into this side of the conflict, but it was by far my least favorite part of the book because it just seemed like a random issue. Also I'm pissed she took Ryzek away so quickly and then she just felt like an annoying bee in the face of the real conflict. Like Cyra kept having to deal with her bullshit rather than the actual conflict that was her father. She gave them a ticking time, so yay for tension, but then she just went to bomb them?!?! And if Cyra all of a sudden didn't have perpetual darkness powers (which I still feel like her powers were yadda yadda'd away for plot convenience, I wish we saw more of that than the random dump at the end) then she would've literally committed genocide of innocents?? And we're supposed to root for this chick? Like I get Lazmet is the worst n needs to die, but everyone else? And then she faces zero consequences from that?? lolol ok? Aside from her ridiculous motivations I just didn't care about her or Cisi. Like I said, I get the POV for plot purposes, but side characters have always been a real downside of this series. I adore Akos and Cyra with my whole being, but I couldn't give less of a shit about anyone else. Teka is the only one I started to really like towards the end, but Cisi is the one given the POV. And sure, her current gift of making people comfortable is really cool. I like that it affects her to the point where it physically stops her from voicing her opinions often simply because it could make someone uncomfortable. That's really interesting, but there's not much done with her as a character, she's more of a prop. We're barely given insight into how she feels about her mother or the loss of the majority of her family, she's mostly just our eyes into the Isae plot which is such a bummer. It'd be really interesting if she were used more to juxtapose Akos and his feelings about his family or if she were more like Cyra since we come to find they're actually siblings. But nah, she's just kind of there. Really cool power, queer representation, and that's about it. Bummer.
As I said above I'm HELLA bummed we lost Ryzek so quickly as he was the main antagonistic force in the last book and now he's just gone. This would've worked a lot better if we actually got to see how this affected Eijeh since they basically became a hive mind that coopted both Ryzek and Eijeh's bodies, but we barely see that. Cyra figures it out because she notices Ryzek quirks in him and eventually confronts him. But it only leads to her using his oracle knowledge to help her cause for a bit and that's it. We get 2 POVs from him, both pretty much useless. That last one is basically just a little button to be like 'don't stress, they're all really happy' in lieu of doing a traditional few years later epilogue type thing, but I don't think it was needed at all. And what's his plan? To just go to that rando religious planet and actually learn his oracle abilities?? OK? But then literally what is the point of anything? And then after EVERYTHING in the first book with Akos risking literally everything to save his brother, as soon as Ryzek's dead he's like 'cool, he's never coming back, guess I'm done with him'. Like...what?! I think we see one moment of him attempting to reach out, but is very quickly like, nah fuck this, and he moves on. Also we see the mom with him a lot because they're both oracles, but their characters are just constantly vague and confusing with nothing else going on. They're used as information dumps when it's needed or just to say vague platitudes. It's really annoying. And especially when it's revealed that Cyra and Akos are switched at birth, like when the heck did he know that? Did Ryzek alwys know or did he find out from Eijeh? All this information would've really informed both of their characters but it's just never fleshed out at all and then he just leaves after warning them about Isae's dumb plan. It's really frustrating after how great of an antagonist Ryzek was last book.
Lazmet takes up the big bad role this book and that would really work for me, and any time he was on the page it did really work, if we got more of him before his revelation. We knew he did terrible things and destroyed Ryzek, but Cyra said herself he barely recognized she existed so she barely knew him. We find out that Ryzek intended to kill him, but failed. That adds some really interesting layers to Ryzek's character which again just goes nowhere. Did Lzamet always know that Cyra wasn't his? It's mentioned he suspected because she's so different, but she's also so hardcore and her power is literally deadly, you'd think that'd be the exact type of thing he was interested in. Yet he doesn't care about her. Was this because her mother protected her or was it Ryzek? We just really could've used more fleshing out with Lazmet because I find him so interesting and terrifying. I liked all his interactions with Akos, they were horribly tense, but that's why they worked really well. Again I just wish all of this was more focused on than the bullshit war dilemma with Isae, it's way more interesting to team up against Lazmet and focus in on him as he's a perfect branch off of Ryzek. I wish we waited longer to kill Ryzek and cut some of the war plots because I think plotwise it would've been a lot cleaner. We could've still had Isae eventually killing Ryzek and that spurring her into legit war, but maybe we could've fleshed her out more as a character and understand what's going on more than just impulsive revenge. But anyway, Lazmet still worked for me and I liked all his interactions with Akos. I don't quite get what happened to him when Cyra sicked her current on him. He starts to scream but then we never see any after effects from that and then she was just conveniently pulled away. I do think it makes a lot more sense for Akos to be the one to take Lazmet down than Cyra (it's not really her fight, hers was more with Ryzek which was taken of her...which we should've gotten with her and Eijeh but w/e) and for Akos it really works with not only him coming to terms with the truth of him actually being a Noavek but for all that had been done to his family.
Akos and Cyra in general were just done really well. Akos annoying with how constantly single-minded he can be. While it makes sense for his character it's definitely irritating that he always feels the need to go at everything alone. I'm also annoyed that Cyra had to be the one to come find him at the end. Like, bro, you said you can't say for sure you would choose her without his fate but when you find out that's not actually your fate you literally abandon her. Then you almost her her get straight up murdered in front of her without flinching. I understand that it's all in service of the ultimate goal of killing Lazmet, but as soon as that was done he most certainly should've been the one to reach out to her. He should've been the one to apologize. Why the fuck is he there wallowing in self pity when you know she needs you? It works out for them in the end, especially because Cyra's always been the stronger and smarter one, but it was kind of annoying that's how they had to end. Again, fueling their separation off of that bullshit miscommunication was really annoying and put a giant roadblock in their development which was annoying. I don't mind their legitimate fight of Akos not being able to just choose her (even tho that's dumb AF you know you love her, fuck the fates) but then for him to immediately ditch her? I feel like there's ways for them to reach the conclusion of them separating to do similar goals, or maybe they didn't need to separate? It was just annoying for them to be apart for so much of this book when they're at their most compelling together.
All in all though, while the plot is kind of all over the place it was still a really interesting series. I was able to wrap my brain around this world much better the second time through and I think the main arcs of our leads is strong enough to make this series really work well. It's the reason I can trust Roth again and it's very exciting to see where she's come since Divergent. I'll definitely be reading more of her books now that I know she can figure out how to end something well again.
2019
Truly pleased by this series. After Divergent I was worried to get into another Roth series, but I am so pleasantly surprised by this. She spends such a good time world building and delving into these beautiful characters you’re enraptured before you can blink. A great YA fantasy that’ll keep you engaged until the end.
We left off with our main duo struggling to find out where they fit in the wake of CARVE's events. Cyra steps up as leader of the Shotet people, she must face a burgeoning war splitting her alliances and the fact that her father is still alive. Akos grapples with the choice between being with Cyra because of love or his fate forcing him to. When confronted with harsh reality that forces their hand, they must make crucial decisions to save their lives, family, friends, and hopefully their relationship.
This didn't quite go the way I expected, most to good effect and some less so. I had issues with the pacing a lot more in this entry than the former. While I don't mind slow, I felt we weren't always focusing on the important events and some of the decisions or action felt like it came out of nowhere rather than occurring naturally. I was also very frustrated with keeping our characters separate for so long. I understand the purpose of it plotwise, but I hated that so much hinged on miscommunication or fights leaving the ending feeling a bit hollow. I'm also not sure how I feel about the added POVs. While they were obviously crucial for story wise (Cisi's especially), I don't feel connected at all with them in terms of character so I was never excited or interested to be there.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book and series on the whole. I really love the world building and several reveals worked really well for me. I really enjoyed the way trauma and grief was handled especially when it regarded family and their 'fates'. I also just genuinely enjoyed the arcs of both Akos and Cyra, even though they had moments that frustrated, I still think they made sense to where they started and had successful journeys. While the plot was all over the place, I still enjoyed the ride and felt this was a solid sequel.
Definitely a slower paced series, but with a really rich world and interesting concept. I adore the two main characters and I do think they're enough to really keep you engaged when reading. I haven't read a series like this one and it's quite interesting. I definitely recommend for those that like delving into a completely new world and am really pleased how far Roth has come in her writing and certainly in her ways to actually end a series well.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON
So I think my main issue with this book, other than some of the wonky pacing and plot, is motivation of some of these characters. I think Cyra is done very well, I understand why she makes every decision she does (though I was frustrated when she immediately was pissed at Akos for leaving her because I knew immediately that just didn't fit his character. I get the girl has major abandonment issues and he did leave her before, but that was before he literally fell in love with her so c'mon, did we really need this kind of a conflict? It was just put in so they could be separated because otherwise she never would've left his side), but I didn't always feel that way for everyone else. For one I straight up don't understand Isae and Cisi and why they do anything. I never really see why or how Cisi loves Isae for one, we get 2 flashbacks, one of her being a dick and the other of her not being afraid of Cisi's pain. So I guess that kind of mirrors Akos and Cyra with finally letting allowing them to feel true understanding and affection despite their current gift, but after that nothing. And what is Isae's plan ever? She's at war with the Shotets, sure, but first off she immediately slaughters Ryzek with zero remorse or consequence other than them sending her away and then just proceeds to casually murder hundreds of people in the name of war. Like sure, I guess they also did bad things? And she's getting pressure and bad advice, but I genuinely don't understand her as a character or why she does anything other than in theory for her people. And they try to give her more depth by being hurt by accidentally killing a bunch because they weren't supposed to be on the ship, but c'mon. And then she's super unyielding despite Cyra having proven herself in wanting to work with her. I don't know. We're giving Cisi's POV in this book so that we get glimpses into this side of the conflict, but it was by far my least favorite part of the book because it just seemed like a random issue. Also I'm pissed she took Ryzek away so quickly and then she just felt like an annoying bee in the face of the real conflict. Like Cyra kept having to deal with her bullshit rather than the actual conflict that was her father. She gave them a ticking time, so yay for tension, but then she just went to bomb them?!?! And if Cyra all of a sudden didn't have perpetual darkness powers (which I still feel like her powers were yadda yadda'd away for plot convenience, I wish we saw more of that than the random dump at the end) then she would've literally committed genocide of innocents?? And we're supposed to root for this chick? Like I get Lazmet is the worst n needs to die, but everyone else? And then she faces zero consequences from that?? lolol ok? Aside from her ridiculous motivations I just didn't care about her or Cisi. Like I said, I get the POV for plot purposes, but side characters have always been a real downside of this series. I adore Akos and Cyra with my whole being, but I couldn't give less of a shit about anyone else. Teka is the only one I started to really like towards the end, but Cisi is the one given the POV. And sure, her current gift of making people comfortable is really cool. I like that it affects her to the point where it physically stops her from voicing her opinions often simply because it could make someone uncomfortable. That's really interesting, but there's not much done with her as a character, she's more of a prop. We're barely given insight into how she feels about her mother or the loss of the majority of her family, she's mostly just our eyes into the Isae plot which is such a bummer. It'd be really interesting if she were used more to juxtapose Akos and his feelings about his family or if she were more like Cyra since we come to find they're actually siblings. But nah, she's just kind of there. Really cool power, queer representation, and that's about it. Bummer.
As I said above I'm HELLA bummed we lost Ryzek so quickly as he was the main antagonistic force in the last book and now he's just gone. This would've worked a lot better if we actually got to see how this affected Eijeh since they basically became a hive mind that coopted both Ryzek and Eijeh's bodies, but we barely see that. Cyra figures it out because she notices Ryzek quirks in him and eventually confronts him. But it only leads to her using his oracle knowledge to help her cause for a bit and that's it. We get 2 POVs from him, both pretty much useless. That last one is basically just a little button to be like 'don't stress, they're all really happy' in lieu of doing a traditional few years later epilogue type thing, but I don't think it was needed at all. And what's his plan? To just go to that rando religious planet and actually learn his oracle abilities?? OK? But then literally what is the point of anything? And then after EVERYTHING in the first book with Akos risking literally everything to save his brother, as soon as Ryzek's dead he's like 'cool, he's never coming back, guess I'm done with him'. Like...what?! I think we see one moment of him attempting to reach out, but is very quickly like, nah fuck this, and he moves on. Also we see the mom with him a lot because they're both oracles, but their characters are just constantly vague and confusing with nothing else going on. They're used as information dumps when it's needed or just to say vague platitudes. It's really annoying. And especially when it's revealed that Cyra and Akos are switched at birth, like when the heck did he know that? Did Ryzek alwys know or did he find out from Eijeh? All this information would've really informed both of their characters but it's just never fleshed out at all and then he just leaves after warning them about Isae's dumb plan. It's really frustrating after how great of an antagonist Ryzek was last book.
Lazmet takes up the big bad role this book and that would really work for me, and any time he was on the page it did really work, if we got more of him before his revelation. We knew he did terrible things and destroyed Ryzek, but Cyra said herself he barely recognized she existed so she barely knew him. We find out that Ryzek intended to kill him, but failed. That adds some really interesting layers to Ryzek's character which again just goes nowhere. Did Lzamet always know that Cyra wasn't his? It's mentioned he suspected because she's so different, but she's also so hardcore and her power is literally deadly, you'd think that'd be the exact type of thing he was interested in. Yet he doesn't care about her. Was this because her mother protected her or was it Ryzek? We just really could've used more fleshing out with Lazmet because I find him so interesting and terrifying. I liked all his interactions with Akos, they were horribly tense, but that's why they worked really well. Again I just wish all of this was more focused on than the bullshit war dilemma with Isae, it's way more interesting to team up against Lazmet and focus in on him as he's a perfect branch off of Ryzek. I wish we waited longer to kill Ryzek and cut some of the war plots because I think plotwise it would've been a lot cleaner. We could've still had Isae eventually killing Ryzek and that spurring her into legit war, but maybe we could've fleshed her out more as a character and understand what's going on more than just impulsive revenge. But anyway, Lazmet still worked for me and I liked all his interactions with Akos. I don't quite get what happened to him when Cyra sicked her current on him. He starts to scream but then we never see any after effects from that and then she was just conveniently pulled away. I do think it makes a lot more sense for Akos to be the one to take Lazmet down than Cyra (it's not really her fight, hers was more with Ryzek which was taken of her...which we should've gotten with her and Eijeh but w/e) and for Akos it really works with not only him coming to terms with the truth of him actually being a Noavek but for all that had been done to his family.
Akos and Cyra in general were just done really well. Akos annoying with how constantly single-minded he can be. While it makes sense for his character it's definitely irritating that he always feels the need to go at everything alone. I'm also annoyed that Cyra had to be the one to come find him at the end. Like, bro, you said you can't say for sure you would choose her without his fate but when you find out that's not actually your fate you literally abandon her. Then you almost her her get straight up murdered in front of her without flinching. I understand that it's all in service of the ultimate goal of killing Lazmet, but as soon as that was done he most certainly should've been the one to reach out to her. He should've been the one to apologize. Why the fuck is he there wallowing in self pity when you know she needs you? It works out for them in the end, especially because Cyra's always been the stronger and smarter one, but it was kind of annoying that's how they had to end. Again, fueling their separation off of that bullshit miscommunication was really annoying and put a giant roadblock in their development which was annoying. I don't mind their legitimate fight of Akos not being able to just choose her (even tho that's dumb AF you know you love her, fuck the fates) but then for him to immediately ditch her? I feel like there's ways for them to reach the conclusion of them separating to do similar goals, or maybe they didn't need to separate? It was just annoying for them to be apart for so much of this book when they're at their most compelling together.
All in all though, while the plot is kind of all over the place it was still a really interesting series. I was able to wrap my brain around this world much better the second time through and I think the main arcs of our leads is strong enough to make this series really work well. It's the reason I can trust Roth again and it's very exciting to see where she's come since Divergent. I'll definitely be reading more of her books now that I know she can figure out how to end something well again.
2019
Truly pleased by this series. After Divergent I was worried to get into another Roth series, but I am so pleasantly surprised by this. She spends such a good time world building and delving into these beautiful characters you’re enraptured before you can blink. A great YA fantasy that’ll keep you engaged until the end.
sarahmsklar8's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.75
Age of reviewer at time of reading: 36
2.75 stars rounded up.
I actually quite liked Carve the Mark. It was a nice little pallette cleanser book for me when I wanted to keep reading fantasy but was sick of the over saturation of fae/dragons/witches etc. The Fates Divide had so much potential, but was ultimately a huge let down.
The primary characters lost their spark and became so one dimensional that you lost any emotional connection while the supporting characters were so superficial and offered nothing to any type of arch at all.
And maybe it's just because I had so little care for the turn of the book, but it felt so damn long. Half the "plot" was unnecessary filler and I couldn't wait to just be done.
2.75 stars rounded up.
I actually quite liked Carve the Mark. It was a nice little pallette cleanser book for me when I wanted to keep reading fantasy but was sick of the over saturation of fae/dragons/witches etc. The Fates Divide had so much potential, but was ultimately a huge let down.
The primary characters lost their spark and became so one dimensional that you lost any emotional connection while the supporting characters were so superficial and offered nothing to any type of arch at all.
And maybe it's just because I had so little care for the turn of the book, but it felt so damn long. Half the "plot" was unnecessary filler and I couldn't wait to just be done.
holleearchibald's review against another edition
4.0
Enemies to lovers
Destinies
Intergalactic war
Found families
Destinies
Intergalactic war
Found families