REVIEW: The Pledge (The Pledge #1) by Kimberly Derting

Author: Kimberly Derting

Series: The Pledge 

Pages: 320

Genre: Young Adult / Dystopian

AMAZON: The Pledge

Release Date: 15th November 2011

I received a copy of The Pledge through the Simon and Schuster galley grab.

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Wow! I couldn’t put this book down, it was absolutely wonderful and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to read it prior to the release date.

In Derting’s Dystopian world, citizens are segregated based on their social class and standing and each speak their own language not understanding others native tongue. Charlaina or Charlie as she is known has a secret only her family knows, she understands all languages; something considered a crime and for which she would be executed.

Ludania is an oppressive society on the brink of war, The Queen of Ludania is merciless, she rules with a heavy hand and everyone pledges their allegiance to her, she is literally on her death bed and without having a female heir to hand over the rein to she seeks a suitable replacement.

Charlie spends time in the underground clubs with her beautiful yet shallow best friend Brooklynn where she meets handsome and mysterious Max, he intrigues her yet scares her at the same time and when he begins to work out her secret she distances herself from him but Max holds a deep secret of his own, I was able to guess this from when we were first introduced to him but his reasoning for protecting Charlie was certainly noble. I adored him as the main male lead.

Ms Derting describes Charlie’s emotions and reactions in a way which was believable; I was certainly sympathetic to what she was going through and I am glad she didn’t instantly trust Max and fall for his charms; it was a relationship that was built slowly and didn’t come easily. Charlie was strong-willed, caring and independent, everything I admire in a heroine, and I loved her devotion to her family, especially her young sister Angelina.

Each of the secondary characters played an important role in The Pledge, I truly felt sorry for Aron, Charlie’s male best friend and what he had to endure. Brooklynn certainly wouldn’t make friend of the year, her actions certainly left me rolling my eyes – her behavior would have driven me crazy. I was glad Sydney was able to redeem herself for the way she initially treated Charlie and Xander I found to be the most intriguing of them all, he was a character I really wanted to learn more about and I am glad we did.

I loved everything about The Pledge, fantastic world building with a solid plot and Ms Dertings writing is superb. The ongoing action, mystery and suspense kept me absolutely riveted; I couldn’t read fast enough, I wanted to know all of the secrets.

The Pledge will be released on November 15^th and is a part of a trilogy. I can’t wait to read more by this wonderful author.

More books by Kimberly Derting:

1. The Body Finder (Body Finder #1)
2. Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2)
3. The Last Echo (Body Finder #3) April 17^th 2012 release
4. Yet to be named ((Body Finder #3) 2013

 
Obtained: Simon and Schuster Galley Grab