Roth’s cosmic sci-fi romp satisfies

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2017 (3450 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Six years after Veronica Roth broke into the young-adult fiction scene with the Divergent trilogy of books, the bestselling author is back with Carve the Mark, a cosmic fantasy revolving around two star-crossed teens. The first in a sci-fi duology, Carve the Mark is Star Wars meets Romeo & Juliet, paired with a hint of Game of Thrones political intrigue.

Leaving behind the dystopic and distinctly American trappings of Divergent, the New York-born Roth launches into space for her new sci-fi series set in a galaxy more magical than the Milky Way. Akos Kereseth lives on peace-loving Thuvhe, a planet mostly composed of snow and ice. Growing up in Hessa, a frozen tundra city not unlike a space-y Winnipeg, Akos and his siblings are in an often-uncomfortable spotlight as the children of the planet’s oracle, and also as members of one of three of the planet’s “fated” families.

Across the Divide lives Cyra Noavek, sister to the tyrannical ruler of the Shotet rebel nation that inhabits southern Thuvhe. Once a proud nomadic tribe that religiously followed the ways of the “current” — a natural phenomenon that bestows supernatural “currentgifts” on each person in the galaxy — the Shotet are now seen as dangerous, parasitic scavengers. Cursed by a painful and potent currentgift, Cyra is wielded as a weapon by her brother Ryzek, who uses his own currentgift to control those around him.

When the Kereseths’ fates are publicly revealed, Ryzek’s men kidnap Akos and his brother. Literally fated to serve the Noaveks, Akos is trained as a Shotet soldier and becomes Cyra’s personal servant when his currentgift proves to be resistant to Cyra’s, acting as a type of antidote to her pain. Bound by Ryzek’s commands and mutual need, Cyra and Akos are forced into an awkward coexistence. As polar opposites, common ground is hard to find: Akos is fiercely loyal to his brother and to Thuvhe, while Cyra has no love for family or country; while Akos is opposed to violence, Cyra is a skilled warrior.

But when alliances shift, the two begin to understand where their loyalties truly lie. As rebellion in Shotet brews, Cyra and Akos must decide whether fate controls their lives, or if their choices do. Faced with betrayals, secrets and mortal danger, the two have to decide whether to fight each other or fight for survival.

Carve the Mark’s intergalactic world is rich in scope and detail, and Roth proves again to be a masterful world-builder, capable of branching out from the Divergent storyline and forgoing formulaic writing. Known for her strong female leads, Roth has created a worthy heroine in Cyra, who is the epitome of fierce. With a wicked sense of humour and a good heart, she represents the next generation of YA heroines.

And while fans of Divergent’s Tris and Four will get a taste of romance, Carve the Mark is not “Divergent-in-space” — there’s definitely less romance here and more action. A solid teaser for the next instalment, Carve the Mark is a slow burn with a scorching finish.

Katrina Sklepowich is a lover of all things literary, and creator of the Literally, Katrina podcast and blog at LiterallyKatrina.com.