A review by dreamchronicler8
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

2.0

I don't really know how to explain how I feel about this book. It sat on my self for years; I'd bought it shortly after the release but decided I didn't want to pick it up anymore amid the accusations of racism within the book (which are completely valid) but I did sort of enjoy the story in the long run. Kind of. I listened to the audiobook and it was entertaining to listen to for sure. It had high stakes and enough violence for the world to feel dangerous, except it wasn't a world, it was a galaxy which I forgot on so many occasions. It had a nice twist, and it had a nice build up towards a romance even though it was obviously incredibly predictable. I do like how the main character portrays pain... having to power through it to function. My mother has chronic pain and it seemed to be relatable in the sense that it was unavoidable and incapacitating in every way. How people doubt you because of it felt nice and realistic. I did see and feel bouts of covert racism.. how the dark skinned people are the violent aggressors and the white people are the peaceful hopefuls... but I di notice that the lines are blurry considering families on both sides can look completely opposite from one another. that fact however doesn't change the other fact that the aggressors are primarily described as dark skinned.