Scan barcode
misterwisp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
It's an interesting, well written sci fi retelling of an old Greek play. The characters are well done and the darkness of the dystopia setting gives a distinct feel to everything. It's alternately sad, melancholy, and grim at different times. The writing is strong and evokes the underlying themes in a compelling way. It's a pretty quick short little book and I liked it enough to want a more from certain parts. Even so it's pretty good overall. It does leave a desire to try more by the author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
literarymary95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexism
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Infertility, Rape, and Sexual content
If you have ever read either of Sophocles Oedipus, the events of that are discussed in this book so the content warnings are what you'd expect from that in this one.microbemom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This book should have been a full length novel. She tried too much and none of it came to fruition. There was potential for this to be very good. It wasn’t.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
gummifrog's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Arch-Conspirator was a tasty little bite of a sci-fi retelling. However, it was clear Veronica Roth was so in love with this little world she had created based on Antigone, that I feel that perhaps too much wound up on the cutting room floor. Although I love a good novella and short story, I feel that it's best if you have to add a lot of padding. In this case, I felt as if there was too much to love, and I find it hard to believe she couldn't have written more. It was a delightful appetizer that has me wanting for more, rather than making me feel full.
I fell in love with Antigone, and I felt the book lingered on her thoughts with a lot of love and care. I also liked the fact that there were different perspectives - it helped to flesh out character motivations and internality. Haemon was a surprise to me, and I didn't expect to like him so much - he's a character I would have liked to learn more about, not to mention Antigone's siblings, whose presences were far too distant.
However, ultimately the story felt too short, and too much character development was dropped at the expense of plot - everything takes course over what feels like only a few days, and the characters are barely allowed to process and grieve the tragedies they are encountering, one after another.
It's a tragedy, so I knew there wouldn't be a happy ending. Maybe that's why she chose to have it be so short - so you don't fall in love too hard with the characters!
Anyway, I loved it and DO recommend it, haha.
I fell in love with Antigone, and I felt the book lingered on her thoughts with a lot of love and care. I also liked the fact that there were different perspectives - it helped to flesh out character motivations and internality. Haemon was a surprise to me, and I didn't expect to like him so much - he's a character I would have liked to learn more about, not to mention Antigone's siblings, whose presences were far too distant.
However, ultimately the story felt too short, and too much character development was dropped at the expense of plot - everything takes course over what feels like only a few days, and the characters are barely allowed to process and grieve the tragedies they are encountering, one after another.
It's a tragedy, so I knew there wouldn't be a happy ending. Maybe that's why she chose to have it be so short - so you don't fall in love too hard with the characters!
Anyway, I loved it and DO recommend it, haha.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Sexual content
millionsofmax's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Incest and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility and Sexual content
axkerti's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
You can spot the Greek tragedy roots that this novella is retelling easily, the beats are all there. (It actually surprised me how much of the source material I remembered when I read this.) But where the play had a kind of flat portrayal of our characters because it was just a script, this book breathed life into Antigone and her siblings, and their extended family. They were all so uniquely their own characters that you could feel the family dynamics in the prose even when they weren't being outright shared with us.
I loved how the play became the frame for commentary on recent events in America with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and so many other legislations that some state governments are putting forward to control the people. And having Antigone resigned to being "just a womb on legs" but also hating it resonated so deeply.
I think the only thing I had a problem with was that I was given hope that there would be a different ending and then there wasn't. I'm not mad that there wasn't, but I'm also a little disappointed because it gives something of a bleak outlook for our future in reality. There was so little hope in how the story ended for the characters. The only one who in theory survived was the uncle and even then chances are he doesn't either given what Eurydice says about inciting a riot if he actually follows through with his plan.
I loved how the play became the frame for commentary on recent events in America with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and so many other legislations that some state governments are putting forward to control the people. And having Antigone resigned to being "just a womb on legs" but also hating it resonated so deeply.
I think the only thing I had a problem with was that I was given hope that there would be a different ending and then there wasn't. I'm not mad that there wasn't, but I'm also a little disappointed because it gives something of a bleak outlook for our future in reality. There was so little hope in how the story ended for the characters. The only one who in theory survived was the uncle and even then chances are he doesn't either given what Eurydice says about inciting a riot if he actually follows through with his plan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Death and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
More...