Carve the Mark Review

 

Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark #1)

by Veronica Roth

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 this brother out alive — no matter what the cost.

The 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.

Published January 17th 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30117284-carve-the-mark

Last night about 10:30, I finished Carve the Mark.  I had very mixed feelings when I finished the last words.  I was excited and disappointed.

I was excited because I finished another book. ( Number 19 for 2017).  I love writing the titles on my 2017 Books Read page in my journal and typing them on my Tiger Oma blog list.  I’m all about lists.  I was also excited because I love how Veronica Roth developed her characters throughout the novel.  The main characters are very well written. I feel like I know them and can empathise with their pain.  Believe me there is a lot of pain in this book. I love how the characters morph during the book; some of the changes really caught me off guard, but I feel they stay true to the character. In every book like this, there are protagonists. Roth takes protagonist Ryzek’s character to a whole new level of evil. It amazes me how much childhood influences and the pursuit of power can make a person heartless.  The book is written from basically two perspectives: Cyra and Akos (?). Cyra’s part is in first person, Cyra.  Akos’s part is written third person narrative, which I found confusing at first since it was not his perspective, but the chapter titles were his name. I was also very intrigued with the title, but it truly is the perfect title for this book.  I’m not going to lie to you; there is a little romance in the book.  It also contain plot twists, espionage, rebels, “magical” powers, and mysteries.  

I was disappointed because I felt the ending of this book was anticlimactic.  I just felt like I was gut punched.  In my opinion, it just ended in a patsy way. I felt like there was a deadline to meet and Roth just ended this first book.  The ending did not at all fit the book. Yes, there were a lot of unanswered questions; there will be sequel.  It comes out in 2018, which is another reason I am disappointed. Waiting a year for a second book seems a bit extreme to me. By the time Book 2 comes out, I will have forgotten the little things from Book 1. I really shouldn’t complain because it seems that most of the book I have been reading lately have been Book 1 in a series.  

I read several reviews before I started this book.  Most of them talked about this book being racist. Personally, I had reservations about reading the book but decided I should form my own opinion.  I really am struggling with the racism the other reviews talked about. Maybe if the reader digs deep enough, she could find some, but I didn’t dig that deep.  Yes, there are two different societies battling, and there are the upper and lower classes in each, but in my opinion that does not make the book racist.    

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes the Divergent series (same author), Rebel Mechanics series, Red Queen series, and The Crown’s Game series.  If you can live with an anticlimactic ending, you will enjoy this book. If you do read it, I would love to hear your thoughts!