Carve the Mark

Great new book by Veronica Roth! The story was more about people than actions, which I really appreciated because Akos and Cyra are terrific––he's sweet and sympathetic yet strong and determined, and she's a feisty warrior learning to let people into her life. So good! The world-building is good and the action is strong, but this is definitely an emotion-heavy story. The interactions with the two main characters are what sell it. While there were certain things I could predict, there were some surprises that I didn't see coming. I especially enjoyed the powers/"gifts" and fates mechanic going on, and really hope it gets expanded. This didn't feel really "sci-fi" to me, but maybe that was because I was expecting a few more aliens. Still, I had a great time reading this book and can't wait to see what the next one brings. One thing is for sure––it will be intense!

No one writes dystopian fiction quite like Veronica Roth. Carve the Mark is, on its surface, a story set in space. It has interplanetary dramas that keep us moving from one place to the other. However, the real drama is built into each character that we meet. Each person we are introduced to has their own gifts, struggles with how to use that gift, a sense of community, and struggles with belonging to that community. These things are all things each of us faces at various phases of our lives. We face them as young people. We face them as adults. Then, just when we think we know who we are, we face them again in our mature age. The characters in Carve the Mark are commanded to face their struggles, and sense of belonging through pain. The people we face in this story may be fictitious, but we see them every day as we look in the mirror. This quality of finding strength in chaos is reminiscent of the Divergent series; however it is still different enough to make you turn each page of Carve the Mark until you can’t believe you’re at the end and needing another page to turn.

Book: Carve the Mark
Author: Veronica Roth
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars

Am I really doing this? Am I really giving one of my favourite authors a one star rating? I really can’t believe it. I love Veronica’s work, but this one just fell really, really short for me. I wish I could write a raving review of Carve the Mark-I really, really want to, but I would be lying if I said I loved it.

Okay, enough of that. Most of my friends have read this one and loved it. I think it’s safe to say that I fall in the minority. I don’t know what went wrong. I guess I was expecting something like the fast paced action and characters who I love from Divergent. Never mind the fact that it was set in space, something that I’m just not a big fan of. Okay....It really didn’t feel like it was set in space. It could have been set in any dystopian society. Alright, though I don’t like stories set in space, I could tell that the world building was seriously lacking. Um, where’s the amazing world we had in Divergent?

All right, so this story is supposed to be taking place on a distant planet and the people have gifts. Most people find these gifts useful, but some misuse them-of course. Our main characters, Akos and Cyra find their gifts to be almost a burden. Crya’s brother uses her gifts for evil...Yeah, not really following what is going on here either. So, in the opening scenes, Akos’s father is murdered and then we have some filler stuff that really don’t add anything to the plotline.

I know, it sounds so interesting, but there was just something not there. The characters were not interesting at all and the plotline did nothing for me. It sounded so promising and it just fell so short. It seemed like there would be a little bit of action here and there, then everything would just stop. Then, we’d pick up and repeat. It was boring and actually kind of hard to read. I normally don’t say that a young adult book is hard to read, but this one was.

I know Veronica can do better than this. The creativity from Divergent is just not present in Carve the Mark. There was just something about Divergent that made it stand out. Carve the Mark almost feels as if the publisher wanted another book and Veronica just slapped something down. The magic is gone.

Great first book in a series. I loved the characters. The only downside I found was it took a lot of thought to get through. It isn't a "light" read; Roth brings up and discusses many societal problems that are not only relevant to the new world she has built, but our own world as well. Since new (made up) words are used without being defined, it is up to the reader, in most cases, to determine what they mean based on their use. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Divergent, but this is an epic story that most readers will want to continue with the second book, when it becomes available. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who thought Divergent was a good read, even though it requires more thought than Divergent.

This book is exceptional! If you can get past the first couple of chapters, with the odd rituals and awkward character, planet, & rite names, it's totally worth it!!! Once I made it to the third chapter or so, I COULD NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN. I love the storyline and the main characters (though I have no idea how to properly pronounce their names!)! I love the drama, the humor, the REAL nature of this complicated love story. As I said, I couldn't put the book down--I was reading it in the bathroom at work and as I was driving down the road (don't judge!). The only thing I HATE about this book is that I'm going to have to WAIT to get the second book in the series! Alas.... HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

First I will like to say that there are reviews that I have read who did not like the book at all. Everyone has their own opinions and tastes when it comes to books. I did not give this book a full five stars because it was slow to start and I'm walking away with more questions than answers, which is probably a good thing because the author definitely guaranteed a sale of the next book. So the reviews that I read were complaining of this book being racist. I do not believe this to be true because if people were to read history books or any other type of fiction book with war in them they will see that it wasn't racist but two groups of people with different beliefs and fighting about it. There was also some complaints about the "gift" of one of the main characters. The gifts are something that people can choose of either them actually being a gift or actually being a curse. This main character believed hers to be a curse. Which means she was not glamorizing chronic pain.
The way the book is written was very good and when I got past the first couple chapters it was hard for me to put down. I do recommend this book but only for people who can look past the fact that there are two groups, you could call them tribes, in battle with each other, not because of racism, but because of different beliefs. If it was racism the author would not have made two main characters so likeable. One of them would have been horrible. Also she made two characters, one from each side, easy to hate.

I wasn't sure what to expect with Carve the Mark. I had enjoyed the author's previous series, but this book sounded very different. First off, it's a mix of science fiction and fantasy. Mostly this combination works, but occasionally it's just jarring. Both Akos and Cyra are strong, distinct personalities who are overcoming their own obstacles, but otherwise, thankfully, they are not just a repeat of characters we've met before. I thought the concept of currentgifts was well done, especially for those characters for which it is more of a punishment than a gift. I do wish the author had developed her world's backstory a bit more, it was sometimes difficult to follow the why of what was happening. Hopefully there will be more explanations in the next book. Overall I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

No pun intended, but this one missed the mark a bit for me.

This story has all the tools to be truly great: political strife, intriguing characters, a complex galaxy and action. But it fails to develop these to its advantage despite the slow plot.

The world building is non-existent; the pacing is off; and the action is too and far between.

Perhaps the sequel can build upon this foundation because the potential is there.

From the get-go, I had the feeling that Carve The Mark was a mix of Star Wars meets The 100 with some kind of drama mixed in to give it an intriguing edge. Cyra and Akos were the POV's of the book and while I thought that the gender reversal of the gentler characteristics given to the male and strength to the female was refreshingly powerful, I had heard from some readers on Instagram that the book could potentially be offensive toward POC readers because of the race of certain tropes in Carve The Mark - so I would advise discretion to readers who might be offended by these elements, but I also stress that Veronica probably didn't mean/want to offend any readers with her story.
Though it is slow-paced, I loved that it was because it gave way for the elements of the story to come to light and build a strong plot to carry it through powerfully. I had Shatter Me and Divergent vibes at certain points (which was a huge YES from me!) and the way that the characters powers projected through the pages was dynamic and brilliant. Cyra was my favourite character and she was a strong-willed and minded character (and I love those). Akos was one of those characters that I could picture on the big screen, though I couldn't relate to him as much as Cyra. The way that they weave into each others lives with their special powers called currentgifts is enrapturing. They could either help each other survive or give in and fight - but the need to survive in their world is strong and they ultimately decide that they're going to need help if they want to live.
The character development for both Cyra and Akos throughout the story was compelling and with the spaceships, planets and stars, Carve The Mark was a gem among the diamond-like solar system. The Sci-Fi elements meets drama made for a story worth jumping into and getting lost in the pages. With enthralling enemies, raw and well-written characters and the hope for more of the believably magnificent story when Carve The Mark returns in this duo-logy, I am in awe at the way Veronica's writing has evolved and grown.
Overall, Carve The Mark is a story worth waiting for. With brave and bold characters, a story set in the stars and a lively plot to keep you hooked, you'll be turning the pages faster than you think. Though it didn't live up to Divergent (because that will forever be the best), I still thought that it was in an epic league of it's own. Amazing!

Really enjoyed it! The first ~100 pages were kinda slow, but really that's just because she had to do so much world building. The first 100 pages were kinda confusing and I had to go back and read a few passages more than once, but I loved the characters. I think Roth did a great job creating characters that have interesting and thought-provoking stories. Definitely looking forward to book 2!

The set up for this book felt sooo slow, but once the characters meet the story picks up and is thoroughly enjoyable. Roth's writing is stronger in this series and it shines through in the depth of the characters. I came to love both of the main characters and am looking forward to seeing where the author takes them. This is a duology, so the ending of the next book will be the clincher for me, as to whether or not I'll be picking up more Roth books after this. I was supremely disappointed with the ending of the Divergent series, but I'm willing to give this great writer one more chance.

Too much violence. No real resolution at the end. If the first book doesn't resolve but just continues on to the next book, then it should all just be one book. I liked the world and thought the story was creative, but I feel like this author just really likes violence. Divergent had a lot of fighting as well. Also, the romance wasn't very believable.

One of my favorite things about this book is how it tackles themes of overcoming prejudice. However, some readers have found aspects of this book to be problematic, so please keep that in mind if you're considering reading it :)

After reading Allegiant, the final book in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, I was incredibly hesitant to pick up Carve the Mark. In fact, this book sat on my shelf for a couple of weeks before I decided to read it, and as soon as I did, I couldn't put it down. If you combine Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi with Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, with a sprinkling of Divergent, then you would get Carve the Mark. I wasn't in love with the dual POVs, and the world building needs more work, but all in all, I really enjoyed this book. Most importantly, there is a swoon-worthy ship coupled with a fast-paced plot, filled with constant twists and turns.

The fact that I loved this book so much makes me kind of concerned though, because this is duology, meaning that Roth still has time to break my heart, just like she did with Allegiant . . . but, it's too late for me.

This book was great, and I think that most Divergent lovers will think so too.

I'm glad I checked this out at the library rather than purchased it. The story as SLOW and there was no resolution in the end. I couldn't figure the fates. The book want terrible just uninteresting. Will I read the next installment. Yes from the library. Will I be waiting on ten edge of my seat. No.

In this new set of created worlds, there are fewer fundamental whoppers one needs to swallow (in the Divergent series, namely, aren't we all really divergent?). She writes well, switching off between Akos' and Cyra's viewpoints, and the book is an engaging page-turner. With room for more, which will be eagerly awaited by readers.

I saw this book yesterday at an airport bookstore (sorry, the store, give us a way to know when knew books by favored authors are on the horizon, please) and read it on the plane, last night at home, and this morning.

Roth is back, and she's good.

For the most part this book was good. It was slow at times. And confusing. Some of the chapters were too long for me (I like short chapters lol) The ending did pick up and I couldn't wait to find out what happened. And do look forward to the next book (of course that is not coming out until next year damn)
I really did connect and like the main characters Akos (from Thushesit) and Cyra (from Shotet). I liked how at first, since they are from enemy lands, they did not like or trust each other. But as the book went on and the more they got to know about the other their feelings changed.

This book just kept getting better and better. Although I had checked it out at the library, this book is a keeper and I'll be ordering it to reread again. I read with hesitation after reading mixed reviews, so I had a more critical eye, but I found it to be an honest, heartfelt approach to characterization. The characters are deep, the plot and pace interesting, and the worldbuilding is great. Roth also has a talent for making the story feel real with different details added in that make each scene memorable. I'm hoping to read more about Cyra and Akos!

I like the story and the characters. I LOVED Austin Butler's voice, very smooth and sexy for Akos. The slow build of love and caring between Cyra and Akos was very good, and the action was dramatic. The dialog and quick wit of the characters were really interesting.

My complaint was that it was slow to start and didn't pick up till close to the middle of the book. The other issue I had was learning the names of the various people and remembering them. The names are so different, and I would get confused at times because some are similar. However, I look forward to the next one.

So, when I first started reading I was very skeptical. It was extremely slow and felt very mich like the Divergent series with the explaining of the different groups.

However, once we got into the story Akos and Cyra are not Four and Tris. And thankfully. Cyra is a character you can get behind, she is the opposite of Tris in everyway.

Going in I didn't realize it would be a duology so I'm excited for the next book to come out, the characters are really interesting and I can't wait to see how the fates play out.

I enjoyed this book. I wasn't as obsessed with it as I was the Divergent series, but I still liked it. It took a few chapters for me to really get into it. I think if I had not been to one of Veronica Roth's interviews on her tour, I would have disliked the names more than I did. She explained during her interview where the names came from, so it made me not dislike them as much as I would have if I would have just started reading. I think the Glossary should have also been a pronunciation guide. lol I do look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
Rating: 2/5 stars
Best For: 14 - 18 year olds, 9th grade and up.
Worth a Check Out: No.
Buy It or Not: No.
Read Aloud: No.
Lesson Ideas: Portrayal of sensitive subjects like race.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Divergent series. It was fast paced, lots of action, likable characters, and enough quirky and unique aspects but not completely out there. It was a fun series. However, everything I liked about Divergent was not in Veronica Roth's new book. Sadness.

Carve the Mark is Roth's latest book, and I will say I am not a fan. I give this book 2 out of 5 stars, and the only reason this book received 2 instead of 1 star is b/c I did finish this book. To be honest, this book is slow-paced, boring, scattered and hard to follow plot, boring characters. and some sensitive topics, like racism, poorly presented.

I would be surprised if Roth purposely wrote this story with a racist undertone; however, the characters and different groups of people with different skin colors (one peaceful and the other savage) was poorly written and editors should've caught it. Shame on everyone involved.

All in all, I was highly disappointed with Veronica's latest book. I truly hope she can publish another great one so she is not known as a one-hit wonder.

If you really want to read this book I suggest you read/listen to the audiobook. That may be the only way you'd be able to get through it. Unfortunately, I'm being completely honest.

As a book lover who reads a book a week I will give this book four stars because Of it's potential. It was hard to follow in the beginning and slow for me to get connected to the characters. In most good books there are a lot of ups and downs and twists but for carve the mark it seemed like it had one Speed for most of the book. The main characters don't have too many wins and the plot never seems to come together so this second book will really determain where it goes. It has the potential to be amazing. Discriptive scenes and a blossoming love story with amazing sci fi features could make this series end well. I would recommend this book and look forward to the next one.

This is my first time reading Veronica Roth's book. I must say that the beginning was very good. The characters were interesting enough for me to continue reading this book. However, as the book progressed, the storyline became dry. This causes me to skip and hop as I go along.
The plot, you can tell, was "supposed to be" interesting, but the development of the characters and the storyline wasn't going as you'd expect from books of the same genre. This book would be fantastic if you are a divergent fan (I've seen the movie). But, if you are looking for a somewhat high climax of the story, I'll sadly say that this story doesn't provide you that.

An overall interesting book to read. Perhaps, her style of writing isn't the type I like to read. Or maybe, it's just that I've been too picky. This round of winter releases has seen some authors with better story plots and character development. I'd recommend this book, but just that it won't be on the top of my to-read list to recommend.

Although I may never forgive her for how she ended the Divergent series, I really enjoy Roth's writing. Carve the Mark was a little longer than I felt it needed to be, but Roth's smooth writing made the length manageable. For a YA book, there's good world-building and character development. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am planning to read the next in the series.

This book is a page turner. It was very creative the way the author developed this whole world of planets and characters similar to humans, but not. The story is told in a two person narrative, which can at times be difficult to remember the speaker. The book was similar to divergent in that it is being told from the perspective of teenage characters. I was disappointed with the ending, because it seemed like it was leading into a sequel. With a book as long as it was you would expect several questions to be answered.

I loved Divergent but after getting accidentally spoiled on the ending of Allegiant I still haven't been able to bring myself to read it so I was a little wary going into Carve the Mark. I like it when authors can make me invested in their characters but I'm not a fan of being emotionally manipulated and it makes me wary of going back for more. I still had high hopes for this new series though, I was expecting a fast paced and fairly action packed story like we got with Divergent and I really wanted to meet new characters I could root for. Unfortunately that's not really what I got and while I liked both Cyra and Akos I found Carve the Mark an incredibly slow read, particularly in the first half. It took me 11 days to finish reading this and I can get through a 1000 page Wheel of Time book in 2-3 days when I give it my full attention! I enjoyed the story just fine when I picked it up (especially in the second half) but it was just one of those books that was very easy to put down and left you with very little urge to go back to it.

I'm not really going to discuss the racism issues this raises or the problems people have had with the way this refers to chronic pain in detail in this review. Those things have already been mentioned by other reviewers who have been able to explain the issues far better than I could but, while I don't think it was intentional on the author's part, I can understand why people have taken issue with the way certain characters were portrayed. The concerns Justina Ireland raised on her blog are hugely important ones and they've definitely made me think about things that I might not have noticed previously, not just in this book but in many others too.

Even if you completely discount those issues I found there were major problems with both the pacing and the world building that stopped this from being an incredible book. I don't think the world building was handled brilliantly, you're thrown in at the deep end and left to struggle your way through and I think too much time was spent on things that weren't important to the story which threw the pacing off. The last third was when things started getting really interesting though and that's the point where I actually found myself excited to see where the story might end up going so because of that I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up the second book to give this series another chance. I'm hoping that now we're more familiar with the world and the pace has picked up the sequel will hold my attention better.

On the positive side I can say I liked both of the main characters and I though the idea of people all having different current gifts was an interesting (if not unique) one. It was nice to see a gender reversal in the way Cyra was the more bloodthirsty of the two while Akos was much more gentle and less eager to fight. Both characters are well developed and have their own motivations for doing things, on the surface they are opposites in everything from upbringing to personality type but they have more in common than you might think. Cyra's gift has kept her isolated from the people around her, she can't touch anyone without both causing and feeling pain and her brother has used her gift to torture his enemies so she thinks of herself as a horrible person. Akos' current gift negates hers though and for the first time Cyra is able to feel relief from her constant pain and spend time with someone else. She already hated her brother for the way he treats people but Akos shows her that not all families are like hers and he gives her an idea of what life could be like if she escaped. Cyra has a tough outer shell and pretends not to care about anything other than herself but that's not completely true and we gradually see her attitude change throughout the story.

Akos may be a pacifist at heart but he will do whatever it takes to save his brother no matter how much it costs him. He's a very selfless character and he has a great sense of right and wrong but he will bend the rules when he needs to. He is automatically prejudiced against Cyra due to the circumstances in which they meet but even when he has good reason to hate her and her family he isn't blind to the good side of her. I liked the way these two got to know each other slowly and that the experiences they shared together changed them both equally. This is a rare case of a slow build romance and I enjoyed it all the more because of that.

Carve the Mark may not have hooked me quite as much as Divergent did but the second half far outdid the first and it left me wanting to know what's next for both Cyra and Akos so I'm hopeful for the sequel.

Source: Received from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review (I had also preordered the hardback though!)

What we have here is the ultimate example of Speculative Fiction. There's plenty of fantasy, of that which feels imagined, and there's science with spaceships and floating vehicles, and there's even some horror with all the killing that goes on in this book. Plus, there's mention of the history of that galaxy, which has multiple interpretations, some of which just feed perfectly into fantasy. As I said, this is Speculative Fiction, this is the gold standard for encompassing the entire genre.

There's also a grab bag of diversity (though it is set in another galaxy, so take that as you will). There are two main characters, one with "brown skin" (Cyra). Cyra's chapters are written in first-person, but the chapters belonging to Akos are written in third-person limited. It sounds jarring, but it isn't. The book is gripping and wonderful. When does the next one come out? The ending has me needing the next book.

Some of my favorite parts:

"The pain I chose, instead of the pain that had chosen me." This is a line that anyone suffering from chronic pain will appreciate.

The book just came out January 17, 2017, but it feels very current and politically relevant (in the USA, in my opinion).

"Ridiculous, really, but sometimes people just believed what they were told. It was easier to survive that way."

A solid follow up to the Divergent series. I could give the few editing errors (repetitive descriptions and details) because the overall story has such rich character development. It took a few chapters to gain my footing because an entire world is being weaved to life, but about half way through, I could no longer put the book down. Cyra is a strong female heroine, and joins the ranks of Leia Organa and Katniss Everdeen as a woman who does not need a man to save her or make her who she is. If you are into the YA sci-fi genre, this book is not to be passed up.

The beginning of this book almost made me put this down for good.

It felt like a pot of hot brewing mess and it was boring!

So many names and, bah, who cares.

I did set it aside and tried again later and, well, I was slightly intrigued by Cyra. I finished.

Well, not really. Turns out there’s book number two.

This book was hard for me to get into. Characters with sci-fi names, while at the same time being similar to a. book like Star Wars. This is definitely not like the divergent series, please don't not read it because of that. Veronica Roth does a. great job with this type of writing as well. The two people narrating the audiobook did a. great job as well, the performers were chosen wisely. If you read this book, you have to be open-minded.

I gave this book a four because the style of swapping 1st persons made me have to back track a few times to figure out who was currently the 1st person...the ending was anti climatic. All in All it had a lot of suspense and action...some gore and fighting scenes. I like Rothschild other books better.

Interesting story line and plot development. However, it is VERY difficult to keep track of the characters. It is also difficult to determine who is speaking while reading. A lot of the characters have similar looking names as well as interlocking dialogue. As I was reading, I feel like at some places in the novel there are giant chunks is of time missing (chapters) throughout. I was reading then the next chapter skipped to something completely different. Just had to keep reading to figure out what was happening.

I cannot tell you how much I love this book. It is a very educated and wonderful world that Roth has built for us. The characters are real with motivations and desires that all people can connect to. It is beautiful. I will say that the first two chapters, I struggled through but as soon as I hit chapter three, I didn't put the book down again until I finished it. I laughed, I cried, it was AMAZING!!

I'll be honest: I was nervous about this book. I loved Divergent, but hated the other two (I won't even bother with their titles here), so I really didn't want to get into this and then be disappointed by the next book. Time will tell. This book definitely pulls you in. I liked that things were explained as the book went on and not dumped on you at the very beginning, because that would be a lot of information to process. And I loved the characters and their growth throughout the book. Akos and Cyra's relationship felt natural at every stage and got better as it went. The thing that impressed me the most is that as soon as I finished, I wanted to read the next one. I couldn't (and still really can't) wait to find out what happens next. My only advice would be not to read it until the second one is being released.

I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. I wanted to like it, but I couldn't help but notice the vaguely racist tone to it. And that turned me off the entire story.

The story revolves around Akos and Cyra, two people from different tribes. They share a planet, but share no peace. Akos is from the Thuvhe nation, the son of one of the three Oracles. This places him in the equivalent of the upper middle class. And he is white. Normally, I could care less about race and rarely find a need to even mention it, but it is important here. Cyra is from the Shotet nation, the sister of the tyrannical leader of their people. And she is black.

Why is race important? Because the Thuvheits are portrayed as peaceful and civilized, while the Shotet are brutal savages. Yes, the race lines are blurred between the two main characters, but the characterization still exists. Even the languages of the two tribes is described in privileged ways. The Thuvhe language is described as beautiful and lyrical, while the Shotet language is called harsh with its stops and hard sounds.

There were moments where the brutality displayed by the Shotet ruler were essentially rape. True, it wasn't sexual, but it involved forcible entry and theft into another's mind. It makes sense within the book, but I don't want to give it away.

It was because of this brutality that Cyra's gift manifested, the trigger being pain. When medical advice is sought, she is told that the pain she feels comes from herself, is her choice, and is her fault. Later, she makes the comment that she deserves it. The pain was caused by what amounts to rape, but her character feels she deserves the pain? That idea is very reminiscent of the rape culture.

And lastly, the religion of the Shotet seemed to be based at least in part on the Muslim faith. There was a lot of negativity in its portrayal and that just seemed to perpetuate stereotypes.

Even aside from all of that, I just couldn't connect to the characters. The story was slow and even when it did pick up, it was too late for me. All in all, I think I will pass on the rest of the series.

I enjoyed this from start to end. I'm not even a sci-fi fan but I got sucked into the story and loved the characters. Lots of action and interaction between characters which I like. I hate books that are all in people's heads. This is not that. So glad I read this despite the mixed reviews. I'll be reading the rest of the books that come out in this series. Can't wait.

I really hate kidnap books in which the victim gets Stockholm syndrome - it wasn’t 100% that was in this book but there was an element of it. I did like the well build world of this book- the cultures are well described and explained.

I don't always like new stories by authors but I loved this one even though it's different from the best sellers you know and love. Every character has a different currentgift aka powers and that keeps the people of different world story thoroughly interesting.

Things weren't as they appeared. When Cyra was educating Akos and by extension the reader about what the marks signified, I understood it better. I'm still really sad about Aoseh dying - it's like losing Ned Stark.

I loved Roth's divergent series, I was sent an advanced copy of her first to review and couldn't put it down and read the others as soon as I could get my hands on them. I very much enjoy Veronica Roth's writing style. "Carve The Mark" has a handful of similarities to her previous trilogy, but is definitely fully different than the divergent books. But yet again I had a hard time putting it down once I got into it.

There is a beginning period of settling into the story, some confusion in how the characters are set, how Cyra and Akos are placed, framed in the story. As is often in science fiction stories, I needed a bit of some backtrack familiarizing in understanding this introduction to the culture and individual abilities in this setting. But once I shook off some initial confusion, I couldn't put the book down. Excellent characters, very good story.

Ms. Roth knows how to create a world I enjoy getting lost in. Carve the Mark is no different. I hate that I devour her books and then have to wait so long for the next one. But that won't be stopping me anytime soon! I can't wait for more Cyra and Akos!

To be fair I'm not really into sci fi of any sorts. This book was suggested by the library. It starts very slow. I had troubles even getting past the first page until I went to YouTube and searched for how these unique words are said. Then it picks up at the middle of the book. I liked that this story is colorful and very descriptive.

The book was a little slow to get into for me but as soon as the two perspectives start to interact I couldn't put this book down. I thought it might be a bit similar to Divergent at first but the more you read the book takes a shape all its own. It might be difficult but get through the first 100 pages or so and then you will have a hard time putting this book down great book and I can't wait to read the conclusion in April.

I enjoyed this better than the first Divergent book. Characters, settings, plot and sub-plot (and even more sub-plots) all really well developed. I'm hoping this is the first in a new series. Definitely can't wait until they make this into a movie (and they will)!

I really enjoyed this book! The author has created a very interesting and very detailed world . The story has very complex characters who live in a very difficult world. I would highly recommend this book and would definitely read any further books if this is a series.

Great story. Starts off a bit slow but quickly picks up. This follows similar writing from Veronica Roth, such as jump scenes. If this bothers you I do not recommend this book. But if you can look past the minor flaws, I believe this can be the next big series.

Over all I liked the book, if you like Sci fi books you love it. Set in galaxy and other plants and also has really good flow between characters. Each of the two main characters have been blessed with to gift, which brings them together. This book leads you to the build up of different planets and races which I hope is featured more in the next book. A smooth writing style and a must read if you enjoy the movie “Divergent”. The book is a little slow to start with, but hang in there it picks up speed.

My favorite part of this book is the richness of the imagery. The way Veronica Roth creates worlds is a true art form in itself. From the different planet’s vegetation to the native people were all exquisitely written and I can’t wait for more.

I loved Divergent but this book seems like a child wrote it. I don't think that was the intention. They say that everybody has one good book inside of them. I think this author had Divergent. Not this one.

I gave this book three stars just for the simple fact that when u first start to read it's very hard to follow. The author throws so many names and planets and different terms at you at once. You would think this was set in a world and time we live in now, the way she just expects to be familiar with it all. As the book gets deeper it does get better but still it really bothered me how it was started!!!

I loved this book. It way fast pace and always kept me engaged. I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely love Cyra and Akos. They were amazing characters, which made the story that much more enjoyable. All the characters were well crafted and the story line was always interesting. I would definitely recommend this book!

Good read, ending was made to make you need to read the next book. It needs better closure. A few more things wrapped up before ending with fewer loose ends. I hope the series ends with better closure and more happiness.

Roth has an ambitious set up here. Its tows the line between the fantasy aspects and science fiction aspects, without really committing to either. There's magic (sort of), technology (a plenty), but the world building feels...rough. Jagged.

Cyra is an interesting character, but she's a bit too special for my tastes. She's powerful, she's intelligent, she's got her own agenda, she's a bit of an ends justify the means sort of character and isn't afraid to bloody people up to make her wants heard.

Then there's Akos who is peaceful, but has aspirations towards going for blood for what the Shotet do to his brother. I say aspirations because this poor guy...next to Cyra he looks like he spends his days knitting. And thus do we get these two star-crossed lovers, both alike in dignity in fair Vero--er sorry I got this mixed up with Romeo and Juliet for a moment. Still Akos needs Cyra because oh hey she can help him, being a rather brutal sort of person who already has an ax to grind against her brother and his soldiers. And Cyra needs Akos because well spoilers.

There's a lot of double-talk in here, as characters hide their true end game and use each other while insisting their feelings are not fabricated. Honestly I wasn't a fan of the Divergent series (I enjoyed the first book well enough, but not anything after) and this sort of YA set-up is not my cup of tea. I like the "plots within plots" trope as much as anyone, but I was so confused by the world building it didn't help here.

And while I won't talk of the racism controversy here, I can understand why people are concerned. There's romanticization of certain "positive" traits vs demonization of certain "negative" traits, that have real world connotations.

The hype surrounding CARVE THE MARK, Veronica Roth's new novel after her smash hit Divergent trilogy, is immense. I was very excited to see what Carve the Mark offered, although Allegiant left a bad taste in my mouth because of the overall structure. I am immensely grateful I was offered the opportunity to review the book early.

CTM certainly is different from the Divergent trilogy, which, in my opinion, is a very good thing. This is a broad-in-scope look at the quest for power, fulfilling destinies. and changing fate. It takes a lot of risks and pushes boundaries. As much as I appreciated what CTM did, there were a few things I had issue with.

The tone of the book feels like a hybrid of science fiction and fantasy, which I liked. There are interstellar travel moments, interplanetary strife, and what feels like magic; if you're looking for a "soft science fiction" book, CTM is it. Everyone in the book has some form of power. Some is beneficial, some is more dangerous. Our main characters, Akos and Cyra, have these powers. When they meet, they're weary of each other because of the circumstances that brought them together: Akos is from a peaceful community. Cyra is from the tough sister of a young man who wants to make a name for himself in the galaxy.

As protagonists, Akos and Cyra were well thought out. Each has their own sets of conflicts. Seeing them develop together was done nicely. I was able to empathize with both of them and understand where they were coming from.

That being said, my critiques started early. The world building is immersive in that it basically throws you into the world without giving much detail. Usually I remark on too much information about a new world, but this is the first time I have ever said I wanted world explanation. It reads like you should already know what is happening. If you were to ask me to explain how this world works, I wouldn't be able to do it. This could have been given in small amounts throughout the plot to avoid reading like a textbook, or use the "show, don't tell approach" as needed. Because of this, it took me a long time to get into CTM.

The secondary characters could have been stronger. There were two I was particularly interested in and thought had great potential but, after a while, were just moved off to the side for another subplot. As other reviewers mentioned and which I acknowledge, all of the characters have jarring names.

Then there is the way Cyra and her brother Ryzek are handled. It's mentioned that they have dark skin and curly hair and are the aggressors to Akos's community, who are peaceful, close knit, and described as pale-skinned. This has been brought up on Goodreads and other social media platforms. I was personally off put by it, and so were others. Regardless of what you think, it's good to hear both sides.

While Carve the Mark is definitely a push for greatness, too many factors kept me from truly enjoying it.

Compelling. Clever. A bit jumpy from perspectives. Since the book changes perspectives, you lose something that happens between the shifts. I like the world she created and I am excited and nervous to see where she goes from here.

I loved this book... I am a fan of the author and the Divergent series and this book did not disappoint. I loved the science fiction and the character building throughout the story. Can't wait for the second book!

This book is beyond bad.

Cons:
- too many people are introduced that are not important
- too many places are introduced that don't help the story and are therefore unnecessary
- too many newly invented "words" and names are used that are hard to spell and read
- constant flip-flopping in timeline - popping back and forth from past to current to future back to past
- flip-flopping between 1st and 3rd person.

Pros:
- N.O.N.E.

The author seems to have "thrown" this on the market just because. The editor / publisher should be fired for having released this book. I am highly disappointed and I will not be reading any other books in this series.

I can't wait for the second book to come out. Carve The Mark kept you interested. It was a little slow at times, but you still want to pick it back up and find out what happens. The story of Akos and Cyra is amazing.

I didn’t appreciate the homosexual content in the book – it was passing, but still there. I felt like it was just put in to make it politically correct.
Lots of action. I did have some plot questions as I read the book. The ending sets the stage for the next book. Not as riveting as I thought it would be, but I will read the next one.

The concept was there, but the book didn't live up to the expectations I formed from the free preview chapter in May. I expected a lot of action and a fast paced story. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it just really didn't. The bulk of the book is used to establish a relationship between the two narrators and on world building. Few other relationships are given time to develop beyond the superficial, much to the detriment of subplots. Ultimately, I was left with too many questions, particularly about the parentage of every single character, and an ending that resolved pretty much nothing. Fans of divergent are in for a very different read. There will still be an audience for readers who love elaborate and thoughtful world building (I thought it was quite well done) OR for readers hungry for a really slow burn romance. Language and situations are appropriate for late middle school +.

I loved this book! It was as well written as divergent, if not better. The plot was surprising and kept me waiting to see what would happen. I could hardly put it down! The characters were fully fledged and so well rounded.

started out , i was a bit confused. a lot of people and similar confusing names. but by the end of the book, although some charictors still fell short i found myself loving akos and cyra. now im itching to know where is book 2?

The book was mostly good. The beginning reminded me more of the Marissa Mayer's Lunar Cronicals and nothing of star wars. It is crazy though how dependent the people are on the herbs and flowes. They all have a drug addiction. The ending is abrupt and leaves so many questions with no promise of a series except how could there not be one. That said I did like the book, just did not like it was a YA book full of drug addiction that is glorified. For that reason I would not let my teen read the book. I did not see it as racist in the sense that it was talking about a specific race or affliction. Many books have racisist people so why people think they are targeting people is just stupid. It is a fictional book about fictional worlds. The racist and I am offended card is getting old.

Ah, the first big disappointment of 2017. Well, in terms of new young adult releases, that is. I was so looking forward to this one but it's one of those instances where all the hype makes you wonder why. As someone who loved the Divergent book series (or at the very least, the first book) it was very surprising to see Carve the Mark be plagued by so many flaws--Veronica Roth isn't an awful writer in the least but the entirety of Carve the Mark feeds on an offensive undertone that makes me cranky. And due to some of the remarks she made in her NPR interview, I've lost a bit of respect for her as an author and, well, a person.

In other words, I'm not entirely sure what to make of her. I--well, if you just Google info on the interview, you'll see where the problem lays and I'll leave it at that. Thanks to everyone who brought this to my attention, as well.

I hadn't seen all of the posts about this novel's flaws until after I'd read part of my pre-order (which wasn't that long ago) and I'm quite happy that I'm not the only one who was just generally put-off by the stereotypes in the story itself and the ways in which Roth is conducting herself. Personally, reading this was like I'd put on an itchy sweater and was stuck with it until the end of the day.

What a strange thing for me to say, I know, but it's the only thing I can think of when it comes to discussing it. Even now, as I'm typing, I'm trying to figure out how to explain why I believe this book to be harmful. Not to mention her remark and blatant ignorance on that matter. Ugh.

And the truth is, it's one of those rare reviews where I can't bring myself to say anything of substance because I hated the book and couldn't finish it. I don't think I'll be purchasing books by Roth any longer and I just don't feel the warm and fuzzies for this book--the honeymoon period is over, I guess. I'm all for saying, in my reviews, that opinions should be formed on their own but that just doesn't feel right to say so in this case. Listen to what people are saying. Don't talk over them. Don't take it lightly.

I haven't read the book. Neither have many of the other five star 'reviewers'. So why did I give it five stars? Because there are some trolls who have also not read it but feel entitled to rate it 1 or 2 stars because they have heard that it may contain elements that some find racially insensitive.
I'm not a fervent fan of Ms. Roth, but I felt compelled to speak out for someone who is being subjected to the current trend of finding a person guilty before the facts are known.
Read the book, and please don't rush to judgement when you're only reacting to what other (potentially uninformed) people are saying.
If you're so motivated to critique her, shouldn't you read it and know whether your concerns are valid?

The writing was outstanding as well as the story and the characters Veronica has created! She's grown so much in her writing since the publication of Allegiant and this book definitely shows! If you're a fan of divergent or science fiction you will definaltey love this book!

Carve the Mark is one of those books will it will definitely work for some, but I think will disappoint most in multiple ways. I swore off Roth after reading a spoiler for Allegiant, but thought what the heck I'll try this new one out. Surely she won't repeat the devastation from her previous books and while I am happy that so far she has not gone in that direction (I'm sure it could happen though) I'm still disappointed with the overall story. This book is filled with just too much stuff. It felt like Roth threw everything she could into this first book instead of building her world the right way. I got lost multiple times throughout and at eventually I just didn't care because it felt like too much work to read. I also see where the whole racism issue is stemming from and I am pretty disappointed in Roth. I won't lie I am normally blind to these issues, but with them being very relevant as of late it was easy to spot and see why people have issues. This did hurt the story for me, but it wasn't just that. The story and characters didn't work and I think Roth tried too hard to hit it out of the park and win her fans back.

Logic holes so big that all credibility is lost. The author may develop female characters, but her male ones don't have the ring of authenticity, a failing of many female authors. (And also male authors that try to develop female characters.) Men's husbands?? I don't like propaganda!

I went into Carve the Mark with fresh eyes. By that I mean I haven't read the Divergent trilogy nor seen any of the films. The only thing I've read of Veronica Roth was a short story that was included in a YA anthology. After reading that short story, I was kind of underwhelmed. After reading Carve the Mark, I'm still underwhelmed.

Carve the Mark starts you off right in the middle of the action. I HATE being thrust into a world without knowing what's going on. It makes me feel like I missed something and have to play catch up in order to understand. It was the main issue I had with that short story, and it was an issue for me here as well.

I also found Carve the Mark's pacing to be all over the place. Some moments of it were intriguing, but other parts of it were extremely boring. And seeing as how this book passes the 450 page mark, that's a problem. It seemed incredibly bloated. Almost as if Roth was getting paid by the word.

However, my biggest issue is how problematic Carve the Mark was. Because, of course, the savage race would be described as dark skinned, with the positive people being described as light-skinned. Shame on you, Veronica Roth.

So, in the end, I didn't like Carve the Mark. It did nothing for me but make me drop Divergent 100 more spaces down Mt. TBR.

As unfortunately I won't be able to forget the ending of Allegiant I won't be able to forgive this author about that (and I didn't think she could do a further epilogue- we can be mended- that was actually even worse that the epilogue of Allegiant itself).
Dear Veronica, I loved Divergent and Insurgent and totally respect your reasonings, but as I think you don't extend the same courtesy to all your readers I am done with your books for good.

I didn't become a fan of Veronica Roth after reading Divergent, and Carve the Mark isn't going to make me one either. Stock characters, recycled plot, lack of thoughtfulness. But, a massive marketing campaign, so here I am, giving the author another chance.

I have not read this book. I am still deciding if I will read it or not. There has been bad press around the books content, that it supports white supremacy. I am half Hispanic and half White myself. If any other minorities like myself would give me advice on if I should read this book or not; it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you