Carve the Mark

Last updated
Carve the Mark
Carve the Mark cover.jpg
The cover art of Carve the Mark
Author Veronica Roth
LanguageEnglish
Genre Science fiction, space opera, young adult fiction
Publisher Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date
January 17, 2017
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover), e-book, paperback
Pages480
ISBN 978-0062348630
Followed byThe Fates Divide 

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.

Contents

Setting

The characters of Carve the Mark live among nine planets. Each planet has different rules, governments, people, and language, although each planet lives in accordance with general, interplanetary rules each has agreed to. This general order is kept by the Assembly, composed of a leader and all Assembly associates who live on a large, travelling spaceship; recently, the Assembly's authority has come into question with some suspecting the Assembly of corruption and opposing some beliefs the nations have continued to honor for thousands of years. The names of the planets are: Othyr, Kollande, Ogra, Essander, Zold, Pitha, Trella, Tepes and Thuvhe/Urek.

The Shotet and Thuvhesit live on the same planet, Urek/Thuvhe, and have a long history of violence, blaming certain historical events on each other. The two peoples are separated by a large expanse of feathergrass, a tall grass that causes hallucinations. The Shotet call their planet Urek whereas the Thuvhesit call it Thuvhe, but the planet is universally recognized only as Thuvhe and the Thuvhesit are the only recognized people/nation of the planet, even though the Shotet have been vying for that privilege for many generations.

The people of Shotet live mostly in poverty, while their leader and higher class hoard all imports and dole them out selectively. The people of Shotet are very skilled in combat, in contrast to the Thuvhesit, who only possess a meager army of trained soldiers. At the time the story takes place, the Shotet are governed by the Noavek family, who are known for having a history of killing siblings and other family members, and the Shotet slowly go to ruin under their governing.

In their galaxy, there is a force called the current, which flows through every living being, and can be seen visibly as the "currentstream," manifesting as lights wrapped around the planets. Originally, the current was seen as holy and sacred to the people of the planets; though still revered by many, fewer and fewer carry on their worship of the current. Every person in the galaxy has a currentgift, which is a certain talent unique to them; their currentgift typically develops during puberty or times of dire need/extreme emotion.

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.

Plot

The story centers around two main characters: Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth. Cyra is the second child of the Noavek family, the ruling clan of the Shotet; her currentgift is pain, showing itself visibly in dark, shadowy tendrils that flow under her skin. Anyone who touches her skin experiences extreme pain, while she herself is constantly tortured by pain. As a child, she accidentally killed her mother with her powers during a fit. Afterwards, her father and brother Ryzek push her away, and she's largely raised by a maid. One year, her father does not return from the annual scavenging journey, and Ryzek is forced to rule in the wake of his presumed death. He manages to slightly improve the conditions of the Shotet, but forces Cyra to torture people for him, holding the threat of telling how their mother really died to the public over her head.

Akos Kereseth and his family of five live in a poorer community of Thuvhe. His mother is the current oracle, and this leads to Ryzek seeking out the Kereseth family, as he's searching for an oracle to try and control his future. He sends soldiers after Akos's mother and one of her sons, as one of them was fated to be the next oracle, and one day, after Akos and his siblings are sent home from school, they are ambushed by the soldiers, who kill their father and take the two boys. They discover that Eijeh is the next oracle and Akos possesses the revelatory tongue. During capture, Akos discovers his currentgift, the ability to interrupt, or stop, the current, which he uses to escape his restrain and kill one of the soldiers. However, he and his brother fail to escape and are brought to Ryzek.

Akos is taken to a boot camp for soldiers to train and begins to work his way up. Eventually, he becomes Cyra's personal pain-reliever, as he's able to stop the current under her skin and cease her pain. The two become close friends, and Akos teaches Cyra how to make a pain reliever that actually works and Cyra in return teaches him how to fight. Akos is planning on escaping and returning to Thuvhe, but refuses to leave without his brother.

After their capture and recruitment, Elijeh is tortured into forcing his currentgift to manifest. Upon it manifesting, Ryzek uses his currentgift to switch memories with Elijeh, hoping to gain Elijeh's ability to see into the future in the process; he theorizes that one's currentgift is part of who they are, and that by taking on aspects of Elijeh, he can gain Elijeh's currentgift. Elijeh begins to show similar traits to Ryzek and is always by his side as his ever-present adviser. Akos refuses to lose hope, however, and is determined to keep his promise to his father to bring Elijeh home.

Thanks to Akos, Cyra's perspective begins to change and she gets caught up with a secret group of Shotet rebels who disagree with the ruling Noavek family and plan on assassinating Ryzek. She turns her back on Ryzek and focuses on trying to get Akos safely home, believing Elijeh is a lost cause. However, the plan falls through and she and Akos are forced to torture each other to reveal information Ryzek wants. But Cyra learns how to control her currentgift, and kills herself momentarily in the process, therefore thwarting Ryzek. The rebels manage to get Akos out while he's unconscious and they take him to a hospital in Thuvhe, where he meets his childhood friend Ori and her twin sister, the Chancellor, Isae.

Ryzek releases the true story of how his mother died to the public, causing them to hate Cyra even more. He strips her of her title in a ritual called nemhalzak, where one's social status is lowered to the bottom of society, making it so that anyone can challenge them to a fight to the death. Cyra is challenged by a great number of people, and she defeats all of them, until Vas Kuzar, Ryzek's right hand man who is unable to feel pain, challenges her and almost kills her, but Cyra is rescued just in time.

She, Akos, Isae, and the rebels make a plan to kill Ryzek, and rescue Ori, who'd been captured by Ryzek. Things don't go as planned, and they end up barely escaping the planet with a few prisoners and some dead, leaving Voa in total chaos.

Development of the novel

On March 2, 2015, it was officially announced that Veronica Roth had reached a two-book deal with HarperCollins. On May 5, 2016, the title of the first book and the release date were revealed. [1] Carve the Mark was published on January 17, 2017 by HarperCollins and its sequel “The Fates Divide” was released in 2018. HarperCollins described the books as being "in the vein of Star Wars , the story of a boy who forms an unlikely alliance with an enemy." [2]

Reception

Carve the Mark received mixed reviews. Brian Truitt of USA Today wrote that despite the "overwhelming amount of exposition" which opens the novel, the story "excels when settling into the core relationship between its two embattled leads." [3] Kirkus Reviews said that though "the book is not without its flaws," it is "brimming with plot twists and highly likely to please Roth’s fans." [4] Nivea Serreo of Entertainment Weekly gave the book a B. [5] Carol Memmott of the Chicago Tribune said that though Roth has "built a stunning world," the lead characters' "perpetual grimness might make it hard for some readers to fully invest in cheering them on." [6] Danielle Zimmerman of Hypable said the book was "an engaging sci-fi story." [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>That Hideous Strength</i> 1945 science-fiction novel by C. S. Lewis

That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy-Tale for Grown-Ups is a 1945 novel by C. S. Lewis, the final book in Lewis's theological science fiction Space Trilogy. The events of this novel follow those of Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra and once again feature the philologist Elwin Ransom. Yet unlike the principal events of those two novels, the story takes place on Earth rather than elsewhere in the Solar System. The story involves an ostensibly scientific institute, the National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.), which is a front for sinister supernatural forces.

<i>The Crow</i> Comic book series created by James OBarr

The Crow is a supernatural superhero comic book series created by James O'Barr revolving around the titular character of the same name. The series, which was originally created by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his fiancée at the hands of a drunk driver, was first published by Caliber Comics in 1989. It became an underground success and was later adapted into a film of the same name in 1994. It was followed by three standalone sequels and a television series. A second adaptation was released in 2024. Numerous books and comic books have also been produced, albeit published by various different companies.

"The Life That I Have" is a short poem written by Leo Marks and used as a poem code in the Second World War.

<i>The Virgin of Zesh</i> 1953 novel by Lyon Sprague de Camp

The Virgin of Zesh is a science fiction novella by American writer L. Sprague de Camp, the fourth book of his Viagens Interplanetarias series and the third of its subseries of stories set on the fictional planet Krishna. Chronologically, it is the fifth Krishna novel. It was originally published in the magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories for February 1953. It was first published in book form together with The Wheels of If in the paperback collection The Virgin & the Wheels by Popular Library in 1976. For the later standard edition of Krishna novels it was published together with The Tower of Zanid in the paperback collection The Virgin of Zesh & The Tower of Zanid by Ace Books in 1983. The first English language stand-alone edition was published as an E-book by Gollancz's SF Gateway imprint on September 29, 2011, as part of a general release of de Camp's works in electronic form. The novel has also been translated into German.

Sharpe's Sword is a 1995 British television drama, the eighth of a series screened on the ITV network that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. It is based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Bernard Cornwell, though it is set a year later (1813) than the book.

<i>Bluestars Prophecy</i> 2009 novel by Erin Hunter

Bluestar's Prophecy is a children's fantasy novel in the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. This is the second Warriors Super Edition, the first being Firestar's Quest. The book follows Bluestar from birth until her eventual rise to leadership in ThunderClan. It was published by HarperCollins and released on 28 July 2009. It was released in China on 31 July 2010.

<i>I Am Number Four</i> 2010 novel by James Frey

I Am Number Four is a young adult science fiction novel by Pittacus Lore and the first book in the Lorien Legacies series. The book was published by HarperCollins on August 3, 2010, and spent seven successive weeks at #1 on the children's chapter of the New York Times bestseller list.

<i>Starcrossed</i> (novel) 2011 fantasy paranormal romance novel by American author Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed is a fantasy paranormal romance novel by American author Josephine Angelini. The story follows a girl named Helen Hamilton, who is gradually revealed to be a modern-day Helen of Troy. After discovering her heritage, Helen learns that a union with the boy she loves may trigger a new Trojan War. The novel was followed by the sequels Dreamless and Goddess, and received praise from critics and fantasy authors amidst its release.

This is a list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 2010s, as determined by Publishers Weekly. The list features the most popular novels of each year from 2010 through to 2019.

<i>Divergent</i> (novel) 2011 novel by Veronica Roth

Divergent is the debut novel of American novelist Veronica Roth, published by HarperCollins Children's Books in 2011. The first in the Divergent series, a trilogy of young adult dystopian novels, the novel is set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, where society defines its citizens by their social and personality-related affiliation with one of five factions. This rigid system has removed the threat of anyone exercising independent will and re-threatening the population's safety. In the story, Beatrice Prior joins the ranks of the Dauntless faction and explores her new identity as "Tris". Underlying the action- and dystopian-focused main plot is a romantic subplot between Tris and "Four", one of her instructors in the Dauntless faction.

Lorien Legacies is a series of young adult science fiction books, written by James Frey, Jobie Hughes, and formerly, Greg Boose, under the collective pseudonym Pittacus Lore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veronica Roth</span> American author (born 1988)

Veronica Anne Roth is an American novelist and short story writer, known for her bestselling Divergent trilogy which has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide.

<i>Insurgent</i> (novel) 2012 science fiction young adult novel by Veronica Roth

Insurgent is a 2012 science fiction young adult novel by American novelist Veronica Roth and the second book in the Divergent trilogy. As the sequel to the 2011 bestseller Divergent, it continues the story of Tris Prior and the dystopian post-apocalyptic version of Chicago. Following the events of the previous novel, a war now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. While trying to save the people that she loves, Tris faces questions of grief, forgiveness, identity, loyalty, politics, and love.

Cathryn Jakobson Ramin is an American journalist, investigative reporter, and author. She has written for publications such as The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, O, the Oprah Magazine, Discover, Craftsmanship Quarterly, Aeon, NewYorker.com and More (magazine). To date, she has published two books, Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery, and Carved in Sand: When Attention Fails and Memory Fades in Midlife, which became a ''New York Times'' bestseller.

In the Divergent book trilogy and film series, factions are societal divisions that classify citizens based on their aptitudes and values. The factions are Dauntless, Amity, Erudite, Abnegation, and Candor. On an appointed day every year, 16-year-olds select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives after they take a placement test.

<i>Four: A Divergent Collection</i> Book by Veronica Roth

Four: A Divergent Collection is a collection of five short stories from the Divergent trilogy, told from Tobias Eaton's (Four) perspective, and written by Veronica Roth. The first story of the collection, Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene, was released as an e-book on April 23, 2012. The second story, The Transfer, was released on September 3, 2013. The third story titled The Initiate, the fourth story The Son and the fifth and final story The Traitor were released on July 8, 2014. Simultaneously with the release of last three short stories, a collected edition of the five short stories titled Four: A Divergent Collection was released on July 8, 2014, which also features three exclusive scenes.

<i>Allegiant</i> (novel) 2013 science fiction young adult novel by Veronica Roth

Allegiant is a science fiction novel for young adults, written by the American author Veronica Roth and published by HarperCollins in October 2013. It completes the Divergent trilogy that Roth started with her debut novel Divergent in 2011. The book is written from the perspective of both Beatrice (Tris) and Tobias (Four). Following the revelations of the previous novel, they journey past the city's boundaries to discover what lies beyond.

Kendare Blake is a contemporary author of young adult novels. Her works include Anna Dressed in Blood, Antigoddess (2013) and Three Dark Crowns.

<i>The End and Other Beginnings</i>

The End and Other Beginnings is a collection of science fiction short stories for young adults by Veronica Roth. The short stories include a tale of friendship and revenge, plus two of the stories are new additions to the Carve the Mark universe.

"Lazarus Planet" is a 2023 American comic book crossover storyline written by Mark Waid and Gene Luen Yang, with art by Ricardo Federici and Billy Tan published by DC Comics. The event involves Chinese deities-turned demons Nezha and King Fire Bull, whose conflict causes a volcano on Lazarus Island to erupt, causing global magic storms that both give superpowers and alter existing ones. The event received positive reviews, with critics praising the art, action, and main story while criticizing the tie-ins.

References

  1. Biedenharn, Isabella (May 5, 2016). "Veronica Roth reveals Carve the Mark, first book in sci-fi duology". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  2. "HarperCollins Publishers Announces Two-Book Deal with Veronica Roth". HarperCollins. March 2, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  3. Truitt, Brian (2017-01-17). "A strong heroine carves her mark in Veronica Roth's latest". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. "CARVE THE MARK". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  5. Serreo, Nivea (2017-01-18). "Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth: EW Review". EW. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  6. Memmott, Carol (2017-01-16). "Review: Veronica Roth's 'Carve the Mark' dazzles the mind but not quite the heart". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  7. Zimmerman, Danielle (2017-01-18). "'Carve the Mark' book review: An engaging sci-fi tale in a(nother) galaxy far, far away". Hypable. Retrieved 2017-01-23.