Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth, the bestselling author of the Divergent series, is a dystopian sci-fi retelling of Antigone, an Athenian tragedy written by Sophocles in 441 BC.
“But the womb that gave my life its ebbs and flows made my body sacred to the state, and therefore particularly subject to its might.”
At only 128 pages long, to say you’re thrown into the action is an understatement. Arch-Conspirator is unbelievably fast-paced and it felt slightly overwhelming if I’m being honest. The world Roth created was so incredibly complex that I would have appreciated more time to fully understand its politics and structure, especially as we’re thrown into a revolution in the very first chapter.
“Outside the last city on Earth, the planet is a wasteland. Without the Archive, where the genes of the dead are stored, humanity will end.
Antigone’s parents – Oedipus and Jocasta – are dead. Passing into the Archive should be cause for celebration, but with her militant uncle Kreon rising to claim her father’s vacant throne, all Antigone feels is rage. When he welcomes her and her siblings into his mansion, Antigone sees it for what it really is: a gilded cage, where she is a captive as well as a guest. But her uncle will soon learn that no cage is unbreakable. And neither is he.”
That being said, it truly is incredible what Roth managed to accomplish in this novella. It makes some really harrowing insights into female autonomy and family loyalty. Arch-Conspirator is unlike anything I read before and I adored how unique and engaging it was. I simply couldn’t put it down. It’s disturbing, powerful, and unforgettable.
Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth will be released on February 21st and is available to purchase HERE.
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