Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark #1) - Veronica Roth

Myth: 3.5/5

A rich universe with diverse planets and peoples, driven by the current that offers gifts and prophecy to the favored. The two main nations we see in the first book are the Shotet and the Thuvhesite, though wildly different in ruling bodies and customs they share the understanding of the current and the current gifts it provides. The main characters Cyra, the sister and enforcer of a brutal Shotet ruler and Akos, the son of an oracle of Thuvhe make a unique pair, very Romeo & Juliet. I enjoyed learning about the people groups through the lense of prejudice and assumptions. I think that there will be much more to learn about the oracles and their roles in the history of this world.

Magic: 3/5

The current reminded me of the Force. An energy that unites all those in this world, and bestows gifts upon the favored. This was a good concept, but we seemed to add in a layer of the gift being reflective of the person or can evolve with the person as they evolve their beliefs. This idea worked with some characters and not with others. I’m hoping that it applies to more characters in later books as I think that would bring a bit more depth to the gifts as opposed to just being a power that appears at a certain age.

Overall: 3/5

This is most certainly summed up as Romeo & Juliet meets space opera which works for me, I’ll read the next one and see where the story takes us, and what else we learn about the current and the characters.