The Pledge ( Blast from the past review)

 Blast from the past Review 
* Re-Visiting Reviews from my early blogging days !

 ( This Review was previously published in Dec 2011, It is now considered one of my favorite books. I wanted to re-post it because in 2011 Blogging was just for me, I didn't really have followers. But now I have all of you! And I wanted to share it again and get the book some more of the publicity it deserves! )

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.

" Language became a tool, a way to complete that division. It became illegal to speak- or even acknowledge - another class's language. It was a way to keep secrets, a way to exact power and control over those who were... less." 

First off.. I must say how much I love this cover, it's going to be attracting some serious attention. We all know the quote " Don't judge a book by it's cover." But come on. We all know we do it to some extent. And in the case of The Pledge by Kimberly Derting : The greatness of the cover, matches the greatness of the book. 

When I first started reading The Pledge ( having not reading too many reviews to avoid spoilers ) I felt it was going to be historical.

Nope. 

Set in a Future that is disturbingly similar to our past. Ruled by a Queen - older than anyone would think to imagine- the people have been reverted back to classes. Royal, Vendor, Servant, ect... Each class has their own language, and it is against the law to learn a language above your class. We also learn that most children are now named in remembrance of the old cities : Brooklyn, Carlton, Charlotte.. you get the picture. 

So what did I love about this book?

Oh So much 

1. First off, I loved the idea that our future may not be filled with spaceships and technological advances to boggle the mind, that it just might go backwards. Ok. let me correct myself. I don't Love this possibility, I love the interesting concept! :) 

2. The Queen - oh how you will love to hate her. * shivers *  While she is the antagonist, we don't really read too much about her. But it doesn't take much for her presence to be known! - Though I do wish there was a couple more examples of her previous lives. The one in the Prologue was creepy and interesting, I would love to learn more. 

3. No love triangle! Though there are hints - and I started to think " uh oh.. here we go." Charlie is not one to be wishy washy on how she feels :) 

4. The Romance was not "whirlwind" It didn't feel like - Oh hi! I just met you, and now I love and trust you completely. - The love grows, it has it's faults, it felt real. 

5. Charlie is a girl with faults. There are times you will want to shake her and be like, make smarter decisions! But hey, real people make mistakes. 

Sigh. I just loved this book. It was not action packed, it was not filled to the brim with fluttering romance. It simply held me. Intriguing, thought provoking, fast paced and fantastically written. 

For fans of strong dystopians, historical ficion, and fantasy worlds. This has a bit of each. 

 

Rating 5/5 

For a preview of the book, Click HERE and use the Google preview option :)

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