The Divergent author builds out this new world--one reminiscent of Star Wars, with its discussions of 'the current' and 'currentgifts'--while still presenting the stark brutality of the circumstances both protagonists find themselves in."--Entertainment Weekly Unlike the first book in the series, this book screams ACTION in big, bold, capital letters. The story takes a 360 degree turn right from the very beginning, and will surprise the readers at its every turn. The world building is done and dusted in the previous books, so this one only focuses on the characters and the actual story. No fussy romance is present in this book, thank god for that!, as that would have marred the essence of this book. Hence the author has included with only chemistry between the two protagonists, and a subtle hint of romance between them, although there are some major love making scenes which really felt crappy to read about in the story. Nevertheless, the elements of the book are presented in a right manner and every factor has made it an extremely intriguing book in this series. Memmott, Carol (2017-01-16). "Review: Veronica Roth's 'Carve the Mark' dazzles the mind but not quite the heart". Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2017-01-23. Yeah..... that definitely wasn't my favourite 😬😬☹☹ I'm honestly annoyed at how badly it fell into second book syndrome 😤😤 The religion of the Shotet draws heavily from Islamic ideology. Some of the religious leaders are called clerics, and some of the practices reinforce the negative views the West has on Muslim culture. We need to move past these harmful stereotypes.

Globally bestselling Divergent author Veronica Roth delivers a breathtaking fantasy featuring an unusual friendship, an epic love story, and a galaxy-sweeping adventure. Yeah, so I really DID not like it and overall, it was just so unpleasant to read. The plot is dull, the characters are underdeveloped, and the romance is just NOT good. It’s just not great all around. This may sound like a decent storyline, but I was slowly plodding along until Roth dealt me a surprise. It was the perfect kind of twist: one that made sense in retrospect as the clues were there yet one I would’ve never figured out on my own. This catapulted me through the second half of the book, and the final showdown was fairly compelling and emotional.When Akos and Cyra are caught in the middle of a raging rebellion, everything they've been led to believe about their world and themselves must be called into question. But fighting for what's right might mean betraying their countries, their families, and each other. Carve the Mark is a science fiction young adult novel. It is the fifth novel by Veronica Roth, published on January 17, 2017, by HarperCollins. The story follows Akos and Cyra, young people from opposing cultures whose fates are intertwined. Its sequel The Fates Divide was released on April 10, 2018.

Shotet spaceships approach, and Akos, Isae, and Cisi escape from the hospital. Isae cannot decide whether to trust Akos or not. Ori is captured and taken to Shotet.

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The Shotet have several rituals unique to their culture. One is the ritual of carving a mark on their arm with a currentblade, a knife that harnesses the current, to symbolize a life. This can represent a life that they took, which is most often the case, or a loss they grieve, which is represented by through a diagonal hash through the original horizontal mark. Another important part of Shotet culture is the revelatory tongue, their term for the way their language is inherited, instead of learned like other languages. In general, this was a great conclusion that kept the momentum of the first book while building upon the world and the psychological profiles of the characters, and it thankfully erased my reading slump and made me want to read again ♥ I recommend for fans of the older YA fiction, who also dip their toes in sci fi! Then 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? Cyra goes to visit Ryzek who says she isn’t really his sister. He says they don’t share blood, and he also shared that his father is still alive.