The Pledge
by Kimberly Derting
Goodreads Summary: In the violent country
of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak.
The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in
the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in
immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able
to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life
trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the
drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the
oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a
beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never
heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.
Review: The book is marketed as a dystopian, but I believe that it fits best as a fantasy. The world of this book bears some resemblance to Earth, but not enough for it be a future world (unless the structure of the world drastically changes to having queens with magic as the ruling power of all the countries).
With that being said, I thought the world that Derting constructed was very intriguing. Can you imagine a world with a class system that is based on language? It's an interesting concept and it was well constructed in this fantasy world. The character of Charlie wasn't as dynamic as I would have liked, and I didn't really feel the connection between her and Max. However, this is one book where the plot and story took precedence over the main characters. The class system and social structure were very interesting ideas, and I loved that magic was prevalent in the world. I do wish that Derting took more time to really develop all the characters, but I was pretty satisfied with how the characters shaped up. This could have worked as a standalone book, but it is part of a trilogy. The sequel will be out next year. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels similar to Graceling by Kristin Cashore.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.
Review: The book is marketed as a dystopian, but I believe that it fits best as a fantasy. The world of this book bears some resemblance to Earth, but not enough for it be a future world (unless the structure of the world drastically changes to having queens with magic as the ruling power of all the countries).
With that being said, I thought the world that Derting constructed was very intriguing. Can you imagine a world with a class system that is based on language? It's an interesting concept and it was well constructed in this fantasy world. The character of Charlie wasn't as dynamic as I would have liked, and I didn't really feel the connection between her and Max. However, this is one book where the plot and story took precedence over the main characters. The class system and social structure were very interesting ideas, and I loved that magic was prevalent in the world. I do wish that Derting took more time to really develop all the characters, but I was pretty satisfied with how the characters shaped up. This could have worked as a standalone book, but it is part of a trilogy. The sequel will be out next year. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels similar to Graceling by Kristin Cashore.
Overall Rating: 4/5
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