Review: Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really didn't enjoy this book. I spent most of the book wondering what the point of the book was. I struggled to find the plot. Everything is driven by fate and the "current gifts" everyone has. Really everyone is just out to get everyone else and driven by vengeance.

Our main character Cyra is from the royal or ruling family on one side of the planet, and our other main character Akos was kidnapped at a young age along with his brother Eijah. They are also from a prominent family on the other side of the planet. Akos and Eijah were taken because Cyra's brother is trying to change his fate because he didn't like the oracle's prediction and is hoping that taking them he can change the future. Akos, Eijah, Cyra, and Ryzek all have fates predicted by the oracles and are all linked in some way.

Everyone in this world has a "power" or a "current gift", Cyra can cause pain but she is also in pain constantly, Ryzek can take people's memories and give them one of his own, Akos can take away someone's gift with his touch, some people are good with machines or can see the future like Eijah. The current, is a thing that they worship like a deity or a religious object. The two main races are at war for the planet, which isn't really explained clearly why. If it was explained, I missed it.

I found none of the characters to be likeable. Akos and Cyra's eventual romance felt fake and forced. The familial relationships between the other characters were cold and robotic.

While I enjoyed Roth's Divergent trilogy, I won't be continuing on with this series. It did not hold my attention and I had to force myself to finish this first installment.  I did count this for my book involving travel for my reading challenge as there is space travel involved as they go on a sojourn in the book.

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