Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jesunflower 's review for:
Carve the Mark: I predestinati
by Veronica Roth
Review in Italian: https://lalibreriadij.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/carve-the-mark-i-predestinati/
I have read this book mainly because I knew the author from the Divergent trilogy (though with Alligiant we suffered the pains of hell), the cover and the plot attracted me immediately and then (pointing the finger against the big elephant in the room), yes, I wanted to understand if many booktubers', bookbloggers', and readers' statements were true. I wanted to read a book that triggered all those reactions because of the obvious racism in it.
Boys, I will perhaps be a "privileged white" or simply ignorant in the matter to note racist statements, but simply the whole book has not caused much sensation in me. The only thing I've noticed and that might be the one which everyone is referring to in this book is the fact that every population has a different skin color, from the lightest to the darkest, and yes, the only figures of "black as night" skin are dancers (I do not think they were exactly slaves) that perform for the fun of the tyrant sovereign. Now, as much as this can make turn up my nose it is not a question of racism, I see it more like a literary gimmick for the great revelation that is made in the end (and maybe if people that talk about this book as full of prejudices would have read it to the end, perhaps, they would have noticed it: it's easy to put a star on GR reading only the first 30 pages of the book).
Anyway, the book is well written and the characters are interesting, just like the whole plot, but it's definitely of an infinite slowness. I did not remember Roth's style to be so, but it was probably always there, only in his first trilogy the fast pace due to the desire of the characters to survive seemed to be a faster reading (at least to me). I took a week to read it because I could not digest more than a few chapters at a time and believe me, I've tried.
Cyra is a feminine character sui generis, strong and weak at the same time, feared and not respectful enough, and despite being in a position of power, she is a prisoner of society and herself. When she comes in contact with Akos, a boy who had gone through so many things then, she radically changes and finally finds out the inner strength she needs to survive. The whole story is narrated by their two alternate views. I will tell you, I would have preferred them to remain simple friends and accomplices than seeing them fall in love (also because the thing happened from one moment to the next, not exactly instant love but it goes from nothing to too much in a few pages), but it will be interesting to see in the next book what will come out of it.
All the plot of fates is interesting but in my opinion not well developed. If we add that every character (every person in that universe actually) has a more or less useful gift, things get a little too full of "supernatural" to my liking. (It is too simple for the people involved in the revolt to have good gifts to the cause, as well as the fact that people with fate have all useful gift in one way or another). That said, I'm happy that the book has been published in Italy too, and the cover is really cool so, good! ^^
Recommended? Yes, surely if you love sci-fi with that paranormal touch you need this is the book for you. I recommend reading it in Italian because I tried to read it in English and I had to give it up (I fell asleep every now and then)! ^^
Ps. Movie? It would surely be seen!
PPS. If you encountered problems while reading (like "Racism in this book is crazy how did you not see it?") Let me know in the comments, I'm ready to open my eyes!!
I have read this book mainly because I knew the author from the Divergent trilogy (though with Alligiant we suffered the pains of hell), the cover and the plot attracted me immediately and then (pointing the finger against the big elephant in the room), yes, I wanted to understand if many booktubers', bookbloggers', and readers' statements were true. I wanted to read a book that triggered all those reactions because of the obvious racism in it.
Boys, I will perhaps be a "privileged white" or simply ignorant in the matter to note racist statements, but simply the whole book has not caused much sensation in me. The only thing I've noticed and that might be the one which everyone is referring to in this book is the fact that every population has a different skin color, from the lightest to the darkest, and yes, the only figures of "black as night" skin are dancers (I do not think they were exactly slaves) that perform for the fun of the tyrant sovereign. Now, as much as this can make turn up my nose it is not a question of racism, I see it more like a literary gimmick for the great revelation that is made in the end (and maybe if people that talk about this book as full of prejudices would have read it to the end, perhaps, they would have noticed it: it's easy to put a star on GR reading only the first 30 pages of the book).
Anyway, the book is well written and the characters are interesting, just like the whole plot, but it's definitely of an infinite slowness. I did not remember Roth's style to be so, but it was probably always there, only in his first trilogy the fast pace due to the desire of the characters to survive seemed to be a faster reading (at least to me). I took a week to read it because I could not digest more than a few chapters at a time and believe me, I've tried.
Cyra is a feminine character sui generis, strong and weak at the same time, feared and not respectful enough, and despite being in a position of power, she is a prisoner of society and herself. When she comes in contact with Akos, a boy who had gone through so many things then, she radically changes and finally finds out the inner strength she needs to survive. The whole story is narrated by their two alternate views. I will tell you, I would have preferred them to remain simple friends and accomplices than seeing them fall in love (also because the thing happened from one moment to the next, not exactly instant love but it goes from nothing to too much in a few pages), but it will be interesting to see in the next book what will come out of it.
All the plot of fates is interesting but in my opinion not well developed. If we add that every character (every person in that universe actually) has a more or less useful gift, things get a little too full of "supernatural" to my liking. (It is too simple for the people involved in the revolt to have good gifts to the cause, as well as the fact that people with fate have all useful gift in one way or another). That said, I'm happy that the book has been published in Italy too, and the cover is really cool so, good! ^^
Recommended? Yes, surely if you love sci-fi with that paranormal touch you need this is the book for you. I recommend reading it in Italian because I tried to read it in English and I had to give it up (I fell asleep every now and then)! ^^
Ps. Movie? It would surely be seen!
PPS. If you encountered problems while reading (like "Racism in this book is crazy how did you not see it?") Let me know in the comments, I'm ready to open my eyes!!