Conform: A Novel (Thousand Voices)
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • THE MUST-READ FIRST NOVEL FROM JENNA BUSH HAGER’S NEW VENTURE, THOUSAND VOICES
In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the “luminous” (People) first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance series.
The stunning hardcover of Conform features a custom-stamped case, beautiful endpapers, and foiled jacket.
“Compulsively readable and vividly written—it kept me awake long past my bedtime!”—Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses
“An irresistible romantic debut with a love triangle that will have you picking sides . . . then changing sides . . . then changing sides again.”—Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent
A lifelong outcast, twenty-seven-year-old Emeline spends her days alone, sorting ancient art for destruction. Centuries after a catastrophic war nearly decimated humanity, society is now ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum, who constantly monitor the population’s health and mandate procreation contracts. But Emeline’s bleak existence is shattered when, for the first time in decades, an Illum named Collin takes a Mate: Emeline.
Baffled as to why she was chosen, Emeline is swept into the dangerous game of the Courting, where one wrong move can mean elimination. Soon, she discovers a rebellion rising in secret, and that her Mate may be keeping secrets of his own. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders.
As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she’ll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.
In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the “luminous” (People) first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance series.
The stunning hardcover of Conform features a custom-stamped case, beautiful endpapers, and foiled jacket.
“Compulsively readable and vividly written—it kept me awake long past my bedtime!”—Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses
“An irresistible romantic debut with a love triangle that will have you picking sides . . . then changing sides . . . then changing sides again.”—Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent
A lifelong outcast, twenty-seven-year-old Emeline spends her days alone, sorting ancient art for destruction. Centuries after a catastrophic war nearly decimated humanity, society is now ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum, who constantly monitor the population’s health and mandate procreation contracts. But Emeline’s bleak existence is shattered when, for the first time in decades, an Illum named Collin takes a Mate: Emeline.
Baffled as to why she was chosen, Emeline is swept into the dangerous game of the Courting, where one wrong move can mean elimination. Soon, she discovers a rebellion rising in secret, and that her Mate may be keeping secrets of his own. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders.
As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she’ll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.
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Community Reviews
I know this is a very popular book, but it just didn't do it for me!
This dystopian love triangle reads very much like YA (aside from a couple spicy open-door scenes). Only there are many YA series that are better written. Do yourself a favor and just reread Hunger Games.
The premise is a bit like The Selection crossed with The Handmaid's Tale. In a post-apocalyptic future the ruling Illum are obsessed with eugenics, dividing society into The Elite, Minor Defects and Major Defects. Minor Defect Emeline is shockingly selected as the Mate to one of the Illum and whisked up to their city in the sky. She of course finds out that the glittering world of the Elite is not all that it seems and is torn between her chosen Mate and a rebel.
This leaned very heavily onto a lot of dystopian romance tropes without adding anything really new or getting into much social commentary. Our heroine veers wildly between extreme naiveté and rash decision-making with no forethought for her safety -- or more damningly, that of others. Too much time is spent covering the pampering process and clothing she wears and not enough on world-building or character development. The push and pull attraction with her mate is initially fun, but the other romance was way too insta-lovey. Like this guy just randomly shows up in your office and you see his "starburst" eyes and it's over? Maybe if you're 15, but there are supposed to be stakes here.
Oh also, Emeline works reviewing ancient works of art (the book opens on the Mona Lisa) in a drab bureaucratic job that is completely unexplained. The art has already been marked for either destruction or "reassignment" so what role does her job play beyond giving her the barest of personality traits: "likes art; occassionally thinks about other people's interiority" Arggh.
I thought about DNFing this book but kept going hoping for some exciting twist or reveal to make me want to keep reading the series. Alas.
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