I feel the need to start this post out by saying that I was deeply moved by the Divergent series. I literally fell into a paperback-induced depression for a few weeks after finishing Allegiant. The way in which Roth writes characters who are so relatable truly captivates me, as I’d imagine would happen with most of her readers. Carve the Mark is no different.
There’s no way to avoid the news of what is happening near the border of Mexico right now. (I’ll be honest, I’ve never been into politics. I don’t pay as much attention as I should to everything that’s happening in the world. But this is a little close to home, considering I live in Texas.) It seems more like the plot of a dystopian novel rather than real life. Perhaps writers of this generation recognize that the public wants validation that our government is wrong in situations like this. It’s a stretch, and somewhat cynical, but hear me out.
In Carve the Mark the main characters Cyra and Akos live on the planet Thuvhe, in the nation of Shotet, where it is either illegal or shameful to learn more than one language, unless those learning other languages are nobles. The news feed that is distributed worldwide describes accurate events in all but the nation of Shotet, whose elite alter that information in order for it to benefit them and allow them to manipulate their people. This is a mirror, albeit perhaps an exaggerated one, of what is happening within our own nation. I understand that foreign language is a required subject here in most public schools, but we still fall far behind the rest of the world in respect to percentage of the population fluent in more than one language. And it’s no secret that our media system doesn’t exactly follow the no bias rule. It causes an atmosphere of not knowing who or what to trust.
Another relatable aspect of this novel is the concept of chronic pain. Currentgifts, as described in the Glossary, are a “result of the current flowing through a person, currentgifts are abilities, unique to each person, that develop during puberty. They are not always benevolent”. The current is essentially an invisible power source that runs through this universe. When Cyra develops her currentgift it is revealed to be less than benevolent, causing her constant chronic pain. As someone who deals with chronic pain, although on a mild level, it is extremely refreshing to read the nuances I’ve experienced as someone else’s reality. I feel this can open the eyes of a lot of readers to what dealing with pain actually causes, and ways in which we as a society can help alleviate it. The problem with pharmaceutical companies being run as businesses instead of for the betterment of society is also addressed in this novel, as the leader of the Shotet nation hoards all medicine either for himself, those who are rich enough to pay for it, or whoever can help him politically.
The characters Roth has created in the world of Thuvhe take matters into their own hands, and fight for their beliefs by doing whatever is necessary. Despite the tyrannical nature of their government, and families, Cyra and Akos learn to work together in order to bring about a more prosperous and peaceful future for everyone. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say that I fully expect the continuation of their struggles in Roth’s next book, The Fates Divide, to be equally captivating.
As always, thank you for reading into my thoughts.
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