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Arch-Conspirator
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.
Passing into the Archive should be cause for celebration, but Antigone’s parents were murdered, leaving her father’s throne vacant. As her militant uncle Kreon rises to claim it, 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.
From dystopian visionary and bestselling phenomenon Veronica Roth comes a razor-sharp reimagining of Antigone. In Arch-Conspirator, Roth reaches back to the root of legend and delivers a world of tomorrow both timeless and unexpected.
Passing into the Archive should be cause for celebration, but Antigone’s parents were murdered, leaving her father’s throne vacant. As her militant uncle Kreon rises to claim it, 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.
From dystopian visionary and bestselling phenomenon Veronica Roth comes a razor-sharp reimagining of Antigone. In Arch-Conspirator, Roth reaches back to the root of legend and delivers a world of tomorrow both timeless and unexpected.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2023
About the author
Veronica Roth
56 books461k followersVeronica Roth is the New York Times best-selling author of Arch-Conspirator, Poster Girl, Chosen Ones, the short story collection The End and Other Beginnings, the Carve the Mark duology, and the Divergent series. She lives in Chicago, Illinois with her husband and dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,206 reviews
May 5, 2024
A dystopian society of forced birth and supposed regeneration of souls on a dying, radiated planet is beginning to fracture towards rebellion becomes the setting for a retelling of Sophocles’s Antigone in Veronica Roth’s Arch-Conspirator. Plucking the characters from the Greek story and launching them into a future fraught with political upheaval, the story very closely follows what you would expect with Antigone facing punishment for giving funeral rights to her deceased brother, Polyneikes, after he dies slaying his other brother in an attempt on the iron-fisted rule of their uncle, Kreon. There is a lot going on here, particularly in world building which is rather expansive and effective given the short length of the novella, and while it may often feel like there is just one element too many to properly balance in the framework of a Greek myth retelling, I applaud Roth for a solid effort and attempt. The story rotates between the perspectives of many of the characters, giving a variety of viewpoints and conflicting opinions that helps construct a really dynamic portrait of the events, though it does feel overly stuffed at times. Though while it was occasionally cumbersome, at least Arch-Conspirator is a bold and daring attempt that hits some fantastic moments of political struggles between characters as Antigone’s actions become a catalyst for a possible revolution in dystopian Thebes.
‘Seven houses crumbling on a Theban street. One’s got no fire, one’s got no heat. One’s got no water; one’s got no meat.’
The primary issue with Arch-Conspirator is that, while having inventive fun with the original tale, it seems like it is trying to do too much at once instead of exploring one theme really well. I love a retelling that really throws you for a loop, but I feel a total resetting of time and place to use the narrative as a modern political commentary was done much more effectively in Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, which dealt with immigration and the Iraq war. I quite liked that we get to see conflicting opinions and perspectives that self-justify actions, though in Home Fire we spend much more time in these perspectives that allow them to be nuanced instead of such broad strokes as we have here.
The world building is excellent but also trying too many things at once. We have a fascinating and terrifying birthing system, with women forced to give birth through State fertility programs that selects the DNA of deceased citizens (there is a library of the dead, basically) and, through gene editing, creates a new life. In this way the people are told souls are reincarnated—Antigone finds this dubious though it is her brothers final wishes to have his soul collected, something Kreon denies him due to his “traitorous” demise—and pregnancies conceived through intercourse without gene editing are considered unnatural and create humans that lack souls. The now deceased Oedipus and Jocasta had their children this way, and so Antigone and her family are not only marked by their parents radical past but considered soulless vessels (Oedipus was a radical who believed ‘Immortality…should be for everyone’ and made the soul collection available to all). There is also the underexplored aspect that the planet is supposedly inhospitable to life now and the radiation is slowly hurting everyone, though a brief mention from Antigone gives the impression this might be partially orchestrated to keep everyone in the city under Kreon’s control.
‘What do you think would happen if I allowed a crack in my wall?’
While not enough, the perspective from Kreon really works. We see a man who, while doing horrible things, sees himself as making hard decisions that are ultimately good. It is a great reminder that most of the worst evils in the world are done by people convinced it is the right thing to do. How can humans survive without tough control, he feels, and see’s Antigone’s actions as a threat against his rule that could incite public opinion against him. Though, as his son Haemon comments, ‘You don’t want to allow a crack in your wall—but the crack is already there, and I fear this will widen it.’ I enjoyed these conversations the best, especially when the characters are arguing as it shows the situation is much more nuanced than it seems.
‘One man, High Commander or no, doesn’t have the right or the power to declare cruelty to be morality just because something has affected him personally. There is a word for the man who tries…tyrant.’
While the revolution brewing is a big driving part of the plot, it feels very under examined and could have easily been expanded for a full length novel. Rare for me to say as I love a short book, but this just needed room for all the elements to breathe more and be explored deeper. It just feels thrown together otherwise with quick mentions on how they interact and inform other decisions instead of truly seeing how each element bleeds into the others. Especially with Antigone’s story having such far reaching consequences.
I love what she is doing, and for the most part I think she is doing it well and doing something really cool with the story, it just never quite came together well enough to fully land. And while I’m certainly of the mind that you can do whatever you want in retellings, I found the ending to be rather lackluster compared to how dramatic and abrupt the story of Antigone usually ends. Once again, I can’t help but compare it to Home Fire which I think really nailed a retelling ending.
“And if the election turns out something worse?”
Parth leaned forward.
“Then at least we would be responsible for our own doom.”
Despite some criticisms, Arch-Conspirator is a cool story and a really fun retelling, I only wish I felt it was all able to be more effectively juggled. Which isn’t really Roth’s fault as it would require an absolute master of literature to pull all this off in such a short space while also feeling polished and powerful. It just feels like biting off more than one can chew, though it still isn’t bad. Antigone is a great story and it was fun to see this done in a sci-fi setting.
2.5/5
‘Seven houses crumbling on a Theban street. One’s got no fire, one’s got no heat. One’s got no water; one’s got no meat.’
The primary issue with Arch-Conspirator is that, while having inventive fun with the original tale, it seems like it is trying to do too much at once instead of exploring one theme really well. I love a retelling that really throws you for a loop, but I feel a total resetting of time and place to use the narrative as a modern political commentary was done much more effectively in Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, which dealt with immigration and the Iraq war. I quite liked that we get to see conflicting opinions and perspectives that self-justify actions, though in Home Fire we spend much more time in these perspectives that allow them to be nuanced instead of such broad strokes as we have here.
The world building is excellent but also trying too many things at once. We have a fascinating and terrifying birthing system, with women forced to give birth through State fertility programs that selects the DNA of deceased citizens (there is a library of the dead, basically) and, through gene editing, creates a new life. In this way the people are told souls are reincarnated—Antigone finds this dubious though it is her brothers final wishes to have his soul collected, something Kreon denies him due to his “traitorous” demise—and pregnancies conceived through intercourse without gene editing are considered unnatural and create humans that lack souls. The now deceased Oedipus and Jocasta had their children this way, and so Antigone and her family are not only marked by their parents radical past but considered soulless vessels (Oedipus was a radical who believed ‘Immortality…should be for everyone’ and made the soul collection available to all). There is also the underexplored aspect that the planet is supposedly inhospitable to life now and the radiation is slowly hurting everyone, though a brief mention from Antigone gives the impression this might be partially orchestrated to keep everyone in the city under Kreon’s control.
‘What do you think would happen if I allowed a crack in my wall?’
While not enough, the perspective from Kreon really works. We see a man who, while doing horrible things, sees himself as making hard decisions that are ultimately good. It is a great reminder that most of the worst evils in the world are done by people convinced it is the right thing to do. How can humans survive without tough control, he feels, and see’s Antigone’s actions as a threat against his rule that could incite public opinion against him. Though, as his son Haemon comments, ‘You don’t want to allow a crack in your wall—but the crack is already there, and I fear this will widen it.’ I enjoyed these conversations the best, especially when the characters are arguing as it shows the situation is much more nuanced than it seems.
‘One man, High Commander or no, doesn’t have the right or the power to declare cruelty to be morality just because something has affected him personally. There is a word for the man who tries…tyrant.’
While the revolution brewing is a big driving part of the plot, it feels very under examined and could have easily been expanded for a full length novel. Rare for me to say as I love a short book, but this just needed room for all the elements to breathe more and be explored deeper. It just feels thrown together otherwise with quick mentions on how they interact and inform other decisions instead of truly seeing how each element bleeds into the others. Especially with Antigone’s story having such far reaching consequences.
‘For some reason, you talk to people about food shortages, power outages, contaminated water, the government disappearing people—you might as well be speaking another language. But if you tell them their High Commander wants to send a pretty young thing into space to waste away? Suddenly they’re listening.’
I love what she is doing, and for the most part I think she is doing it well and doing something really cool with the story, it just never quite came together well enough to fully land. And while I’m certainly of the mind that you can do whatever you want in retellings, I found the ending to be rather lackluster compared to how dramatic and abrupt the story of Antigone usually ends. Once again, I can’t help but compare it to Home Fire which I think really nailed a retelling ending.
“And if the election turns out something worse?”
Parth leaned forward.
“Then at least we would be responsible for our own doom.”
Despite some criticisms, Arch-Conspirator is a cool story and a really fun retelling, I only wish I felt it was all able to be more effectively juggled. Which isn’t really Roth’s fault as it would require an absolute master of literature to pull all this off in such a short space while also feeling polished and powerful. It just feels like biting off more than one can chew, though it still isn’t bad. Antigone is a great story and it was fun to see this done in a sci-fi setting.
2.5/5
December 8, 2024
I'll be honest. I haven't read Antigone. Nor was I aware this was a novella. Sci-fi is hit or miss for me, and this ended up being a miss. Not that I got too sucked into the story, because there wasn't time, but what was that ending? Read Zana's review for more.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
February 1, 2023
Antigone & Retellings Discussion Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVY4O...
This was disappointing. Not terrible, but very lackluster in comparison with what it could have been. Arch-Conspirator is a dystopian sci-fi retelling of Antigone attempting to say something about women's bodily autonomy. I see what it was trying to do, but the execution was just okay. This hews too close to the original, while having plot holes in some of the added material. And while I've read some incredible Antigone retellings, this feels comparatively uninspired and lacks the emotional punch it should have. Which is unfortunate because I think the idea of using Antigone to talk about women's rights and bodily autonomy is a good one. This just didn't give me what I was hoping for. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
This was disappointing. Not terrible, but very lackluster in comparison with what it could have been. Arch-Conspirator is a dystopian sci-fi retelling of Antigone attempting to say something about women's bodily autonomy. I see what it was trying to do, but the execution was just okay. This hews too close to the original, while having plot holes in some of the added material. And while I've read some incredible Antigone retellings, this feels comparatively uninspired and lacks the emotional punch it should have. Which is unfortunate because I think the idea of using Antigone to talk about women's rights and bodily autonomy is a good one. This just didn't give me what I was hoping for. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Read
September 3, 2022An elegant, pressingly relevant Antigone retelling, with a fascinating chorus of viewpoints that both complicates and elucidates the complex themes of the original.
September 8, 2023
Well done Veronica Roth for writing a cool and imaginative take on Antigone, best known through Sophocles' play of the same name, following the children of Oedipus and Jocasta. This takes a very different approach from Kamila Shamsie's Home Fire which paid fine attention to the politics of torn loyalties with a hard-hitting and nuanced plot leading to an emotionally devastating ending.
Roth's performance is intelligent but less emotive: set in a future dystopian world, this makes use of Creon's one-note politics and takes up questions of female bodily autonomy. I especially like the way this re-writes the previous transgression of Oedipus and Jocasta: here they refuse to have 'designer' babies by gene splicing and editing so their crime is not incest but natural conception, tainting their children in a world where the naturally-born are labelled 'soulless'.
I listened to the audiobook which is well read as half performance rather than straight narrative. Given how short this is, it's a little light in places but in a sea of mythical re-writings which fail to pay any sort of homage to the original source(s), this uses the myth to explore its politics in different ways without losing the shape of the original story.
Roth's performance is intelligent but less emotive: set in a future dystopian world, this makes use of Creon's one-note politics and takes up questions of female bodily autonomy. I especially like the way this re-writes the previous transgression of Oedipus and Jocasta: here they refuse to have 'designer' babies by gene splicing and editing so their crime is not incest but natural conception, tainting their children in a world where the naturally-born are labelled 'soulless'.
I listened to the audiobook which is well read as half performance rather than straight narrative. Given how short this is, it's a little light in places but in a sea of mythical re-writings which fail to pay any sort of homage to the original source(s), this uses the myth to explore its politics in different ways without losing the shape of the original story.
April 30, 2023
The womb that gave my life its ebbs and flows made my body sacred to the state, and therefore, particularly subject to its might. My mother called this nonsense. She said that protecting a thing was just an excuse to control it.
I sat down to read this on a Sunday afternoon and blasted through it in one sitting. Engaging from the start and expertly paced for a novella of this length. A retelling of Antigone that hones in hard on ideas of bodily autonomy and self determination in ways that ring unfortunately true of the time and place in which it is being published.
I'm coming at this with absolutely no working knowledge of Antigone besides vaguely recognizing the name via cultural osmosis, which is to say I have no idea what the original story is (but many reviews seem to say it's a very faithful adaptation). The sci-fi elements are interesting and the Dystopian reads as True Roth, but it does veer just a bit into Doing Too Much territory simply due to the length of the novella. There are a couple things I'd have liked to have been more fleshed out (namely, the Trimere), but overall I'm happy with it.
Thoroughly enjoyed the short time I spent with this.
I sat down to read this on a Sunday afternoon and blasted through it in one sitting. Engaging from the start and expertly paced for a novella of this length. A retelling of Antigone that hones in hard on ideas of bodily autonomy and self determination in ways that ring unfortunately true of the time and place in which it is being published.
I'm coming at this with absolutely no working knowledge of Antigone besides vaguely recognizing the name via cultural osmosis, which is to say I have no idea what the original story is (but many reviews seem to say it's a very faithful adaptation). The sci-fi elements are interesting and the Dystopian reads as True Roth, but it does veer just a bit into Doing Too Much territory simply due to the length of the novella. There are a couple things I'd have liked to have been more fleshed out (namely, the Trimere), but overall I'm happy with it.
Thoroughly enjoyed the short time I spent with this.
August 1, 2022
3.5
this book is trying to do too much. I felt like Roth got so excited about our shitty politics and wanted to write about it with a sci if slant but she didn’t know how to incorporate it.
She’s trying to tackle the patriarchy and the oppression/controlling women’s bodies but she’s not saying anything new about it. Yes, men confuse protection with control and that was good but you have three different types of women dealing with this in their own way but they are just in their head about it and what they are saying isn’t anything new. Is there going to be a book two because if not…yikes. All three women were quite unique in their backstories, their current situations, and their view of their own futures which was a great start but that was it, a great start.
In this futuristic world(we don’t know the year but I guess that doesn’t matter) if you give birth naturally, your children won’t have a soul so people extract dead people’s DNA to make children. That’s inherently an interesting topic-designer babies. Once again, Roth isn’t really leaning into why that’s dangerous or beneficial. People just hate the naturally born people
The ending was too abrupt.
Why are they on another planet? What happened to earth? Unless I missed it which is totally possible, it wasn’t explained.
It had moments of goodness. There some great quotes and I liked Kreon thru other’s eyes but for a short story, not much was explained.
You can tell her writing has improved but it also felt contrived at times. Roth always has a solid idea but her execution is always the problem.
this book is trying to do too much. I felt like Roth got so excited about our shitty politics and wanted to write about it with a sci if slant but she didn’t know how to incorporate it.
She’s trying to tackle the patriarchy and the oppression/controlling women’s bodies but she’s not saying anything new about it. Yes, men confuse protection with control and that was good but you have three different types of women dealing with this in their own way but they are just in their head about it and what they are saying isn’t anything new. Is there going to be a book two because if not…yikes. All three women were quite unique in their backstories, their current situations, and their view of their own futures which was a great start but that was it, a great start.
In this futuristic world(we don’t know the year but I guess that doesn’t matter) if you give birth naturally, your children won’t have a soul so people extract dead people’s DNA to make children. That’s inherently an interesting topic-designer babies. Once again, Roth isn’t really leaning into why that’s dangerous or beneficial. People just hate the naturally born people
The ending was too abrupt.
Why are they on another planet? What happened to earth? Unless I missed it which is totally possible, it wasn’t explained.
It had moments of goodness. There some great quotes and I liked Kreon thru other’s eyes but for a short story, not much was explained.
You can tell her writing has improved but it also felt contrived at times. Roth always has a solid idea but her execution is always the problem.
January 20, 2023
Antigone’s parents once sat upon the throne but then they were murdered by her Uncle and now he takes their place. She, along with her siblings, must reside with him inside the palace walls but whilst she allows pleasant smiles to play upon her lips, murderous and traitorous thoughts fill her heart.
I really enjoyed seeing Roth rework renowned mythological figures into a futuristic and alien world, but the overall story somehow felt a little flat, for me. It was certainly very unique and inventive, but the characters were a little surface level and felt less like a true reimagining of these infamous figures and more like they had been brought back to life with only their most basic character traits and sufferings intact.
I did appreciate seeing the ancient world remade into a futuristic one and this was only a novella-length story, so perhaps should not have wished for too much to be included, but I did still hope that a bond with the principal characters and for more fleshed out personalities to be included.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Veronica Roth, and the publisher, Titan Books, for this opportunity.
I really enjoyed seeing Roth rework renowned mythological figures into a futuristic and alien world, but the overall story somehow felt a little flat, for me. It was certainly very unique and inventive, but the characters were a little surface level and felt less like a true reimagining of these infamous figures and more like they had been brought back to life with only their most basic character traits and sufferings intact.
I did appreciate seeing the ancient world remade into a futuristic one and this was only a novella-length story, so perhaps should not have wished for too much to be included, but I did still hope that a bond with the principal characters and for more fleshed out personalities to be included.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Veronica Roth, and the publisher, Titan Books, for this opportunity.
September 2, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/b0mSH9_iMKE
sadly feel this is the kind of re-telling you need to be familiar with the original story to get a benefit out of it! also felt rushed and like it was trying to do too much
sadly feel this is the kind of re-telling you need to be familiar with the original story to get a benefit out of it! also felt rushed and like it was trying to do too much
Shelved as 'wishlist'
December 22, 2022Antigone was so fucked up. I was made to read it when I was just fourteen and it was traumatic. If any character deserves a Renaissance, it's her.
February 19, 2023
*3.5 stars
If you're looking for a fairly accurate retelling of Antigone but set in a sci-fi world, I think you'd really enjoy Arch-Conspirator.
I read the play Antigone right before reading Arch-Conspirator and I'm so glad I did. You definitely don't need to read the play to enjoy this novella, but I think it will help reinforce the themes and you'll get a better understanding of what Roth was trying to do with the characters.
The world-building elements and the way the book ended were great! In fact, I just wish the book was longer and more fleshed out because there was so much more Roth could have done with this world. I get that it's supposed to mirror the play which is pretty short, but it could have been a richer story IMO if this would have been a novel.
Part of the reason is there were too many POV characters. Antigone works well, first, because it is a play, and second because the audience is standing outside the action observing it. In Arch-Conspirator we are put into many first person POVs. We sometimes get POV chapters from a character just one or two times. That made it really hard to connect with any one character.
It also made the book too complex theme-wise for its size. It tried to tackle too many things at the same time. IMO, it would have been better to take a third person perspective on the story, focus a bit more on the sci fi aspects of the world-building and on just one or two key themes.
That being said, I still think this is worth a read, especially if you have enjoyed Antigone.
*Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor Books for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
If you're looking for a fairly accurate retelling of Antigone but set in a sci-fi world, I think you'd really enjoy Arch-Conspirator.
I read the play Antigone right before reading Arch-Conspirator and I'm so glad I did. You definitely don't need to read the play to enjoy this novella, but I think it will help reinforce the themes and you'll get a better understanding of what Roth was trying to do with the characters.
The world-building elements and the way the book ended were great! In fact, I just wish the book was longer and more fleshed out because there was so much more Roth could have done with this world. I get that it's supposed to mirror the play which is pretty short, but it could have been a richer story IMO if this would have been a novel.
Part of the reason is there were too many POV characters. Antigone works well, first, because it is a play, and second because the audience is standing outside the action observing it. In Arch-Conspirator we are put into many first person POVs. We sometimes get POV chapters from a character just one or two times. That made it really hard to connect with any one character.
It also made the book too complex theme-wise for its size. It tried to tackle too many things at the same time. IMO, it would have been better to take a third person perspective on the story, focus a bit more on the sci fi aspects of the world-building and on just one or two key themes.
That being said, I still think this is worth a read, especially if you have enjoyed Antigone.
*Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor Books for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
March 6, 2023
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/02/28/...
Not gonna lie, I probably should’ve been paying more attention in high school when my Lit class did Antigone, but hey, apparently enough got through. There’s a lot to appreciate about Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth, not least of which is how closely this sci-fi retelling hews to the original Athenian tragedy by Sophocles.
The setting is the distant future. We are on Earth, but the planet has become a wasteland. To preserve what’s left of humanity, the genetic material of those who die are extracted and stored away in a repository called the Archive. Every person still living is a gift, every viable womb precious, but women no longer have children naturally. Instead, most choose to procreate by selecting desirable traits for their offspring from the Archive, with those who were conceived the natural way shunned for being soulless.
For this reason, Antigone and her siblings are considered outcasts in their society, despite their parents Oedipus and Jocasta being the leaders of the last city where the remnants of humanity still cling to life. When her parents are murdered, however, Antigone and her sister are taken in by their traitorous uncle Kreon who keeps his nieces alive even after seizing the throne because of the value they represent: vessels to bring forth the future generation.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of challenges to writing a sci-fi reimagining of an ancient classic, which requires bringing together elements that by all accounts should not mix well or readily. Yet Roth manages to pull it off, using the setting to her advantage. Important details of people, events, and places from Antigone are woven into the greater dystopian backdrop which includes exploration of subjects like love, freedom, duty and power, both on personal and societal levels. While it may help if you are familiar with the original play, it is also not a requirement, as I believe the larger themes and ideas can speak for themselves.
As you may have noticed, Arch-Conspirator is also a thin volume coming in at a little over 100 pages, which made for a quick read. That said, the advantage of its brevity is somewhat offset by the sparsity of detail, and I mean, this story is lean. On the one hand, I don’t think an Antigone retelling needs much extra padding; you want to hit that sweet spot where you let knowledge of the source material fill in any gaps, and any overwriting may in fact get in the way and prompt unnecessary questions. But still. Some of the themes could have been made more impactful if we’d had more time to expand and ruminate on them, and I think I would have felt a stronger connection to Antigone if her character had been developed further.
Still, the fact that I looked forward to seeing how the conflict will resolve and that the story still managed to surprise me speaks volumes. I felt invested in the plot, I cared about what happened to Antigone and her sister, and I was never given the chance to be bored. Veronica Roth has come a long way since her Divergent days, this is not your usual retelling or paint-by-numbers dystopian sci-fi where everything is spelled out for you. Arch-Conspirator is a compact but sophisticated novella that takes the general framework of Antigone and brings forth an in-depth exploration into hard questions and tough choices in an unsettling futuristic world.
Not gonna lie, I probably should’ve been paying more attention in high school when my Lit class did Antigone, but hey, apparently enough got through. There’s a lot to appreciate about Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth, not least of which is how closely this sci-fi retelling hews to the original Athenian tragedy by Sophocles.
The setting is the distant future. We are on Earth, but the planet has become a wasteland. To preserve what’s left of humanity, the genetic material of those who die are extracted and stored away in a repository called the Archive. Every person still living is a gift, every viable womb precious, but women no longer have children naturally. Instead, most choose to procreate by selecting desirable traits for their offspring from the Archive, with those who were conceived the natural way shunned for being soulless.
For this reason, Antigone and her siblings are considered outcasts in their society, despite their parents Oedipus and Jocasta being the leaders of the last city where the remnants of humanity still cling to life. When her parents are murdered, however, Antigone and her sister are taken in by their traitorous uncle Kreon who keeps his nieces alive even after seizing the throne because of the value they represent: vessels to bring forth the future generation.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of challenges to writing a sci-fi reimagining of an ancient classic, which requires bringing together elements that by all accounts should not mix well or readily. Yet Roth manages to pull it off, using the setting to her advantage. Important details of people, events, and places from Antigone are woven into the greater dystopian backdrop which includes exploration of subjects like love, freedom, duty and power, both on personal and societal levels. While it may help if you are familiar with the original play, it is also not a requirement, as I believe the larger themes and ideas can speak for themselves.
As you may have noticed, Arch-Conspirator is also a thin volume coming in at a little over 100 pages, which made for a quick read. That said, the advantage of its brevity is somewhat offset by the sparsity of detail, and I mean, this story is lean. On the one hand, I don’t think an Antigone retelling needs much extra padding; you want to hit that sweet spot where you let knowledge of the source material fill in any gaps, and any overwriting may in fact get in the way and prompt unnecessary questions. But still. Some of the themes could have been made more impactful if we’d had more time to expand and ruminate on them, and I think I would have felt a stronger connection to Antigone if her character had been developed further.
Still, the fact that I looked forward to seeing how the conflict will resolve and that the story still managed to surprise me speaks volumes. I felt invested in the plot, I cared about what happened to Antigone and her sister, and I was never given the chance to be bored. Veronica Roth has come a long way since her Divergent days, this is not your usual retelling or paint-by-numbers dystopian sci-fi where everything is spelled out for you. Arch-Conspirator is a compact but sophisticated novella that takes the general framework of Antigone and brings forth an in-depth exploration into hard questions and tough choices in an unsettling futuristic world.
April 17, 2023
5 stars★★★★★
This is not my usual type of book. I have no prior knowledge of Antigone and her siblings. I didn't know this was a retelling of a play. I saw Veronica Roth's name and I said bet, get me a copy.
It was on my local library app and I was like what's 129 pages but an afternoon with a face mask and a hot cup of chai tea.
Why was I tearing up several times? Why was I going through multiple stages of grief? Whatever Ms. Roth was drinking was pure fire. Give me more.
The quotes I loved:
"Every wife fears her husband, even if she doesn't say so."
"I carried many of yesterday's woes. Antigone carried too many of tomorrows. And Polyneikes carried too many of todays."
"Doomed from the start. All of us"
"Somehow I didn't feel like I was making a choice. I felt like he already made all the choices, and I was the response to call, the effect of his cause."
"We were very sharp to the touch, knife-edge women."
"A woman can fall in love more than once, but she cannot replace a child."
Please read it. Let my tears be worth something.
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February 1, 2023
A retelling of Antigone was not what I was expecting to see as the latest book by Veronica Roth, but this science fiction reimagining of the Grecian tragedy is fantastic!
Thank you Titan Books for sending me an early review copy in return for an honest review.
Familiar with the Original?
If you have read Antigone, then I think you have a good chance of enjoying Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth. This is not a retelling with a specific lens (feminist, marxist, post-structuralist, etc) - instead it is what it says on the tin, a sci-fi reimagining.
The dystopian world and the multiple points of view were fascinating and enjoyable additions to the original tale. The characters were well realised considering the low page-count (110 pages), but I think it could have done with being a bit longer for a more in-depth exploration of the chilling futuristic world.
A Quick, Worthwhile Read
I received a copy of Arch-Conspirator from Titan Books in the morning and finished the book by mid-afternoon - so it’s definitely a quick read! But that’s not to say you shouldn’t take more time over it - it’s definitely something I will be rereading in the not too distant future, a little more slowly.
The full narrative was engaging, and I find myself still living in that world in my head - which is disturbing!
Overall, Arch-Conspirator is an emotional, profound story that will haunt me for a long time.
Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Thank you Titan Books for sending me an early review copy in return for an honest review.
Familiar with the Original?
If you have read Antigone, then I think you have a good chance of enjoying Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth. This is not a retelling with a specific lens (feminist, marxist, post-structuralist, etc) - instead it is what it says on the tin, a sci-fi reimagining.
The dystopian world and the multiple points of view were fascinating and enjoyable additions to the original tale. The characters were well realised considering the low page-count (110 pages), but I think it could have done with being a bit longer for a more in-depth exploration of the chilling futuristic world.
A Quick, Worthwhile Read
I received a copy of Arch-Conspirator from Titan Books in the morning and finished the book by mid-afternoon - so it’s definitely a quick read! But that’s not to say you shouldn’t take more time over it - it’s definitely something I will be rereading in the not too distant future, a little more slowly.
The full narrative was engaging, and I find myself still living in that world in my head - which is disturbing!
Overall, Arch-Conspirator is an emotional, profound story that will haunt me for a long time.
Blog | Patreon | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Shelved as 'if-it-fall-it-fall-dnf'
August 20, 2024DNF @20% naw fam. This was NOT for me at all. I was very confused at the onset of this one. Antigone alternate universe, genetic gene manipulation, soul transference, incest and sapphic relations 😮😧😟🫣
ISSSA NO FOR ME
ISSSA NO FOR ME
March 25, 2023
Veronica Roth, of “Divergent” fame, brings to life an imaginary re-telling of the Greek myth, “Antigone” with her new novella, “Arch-Conspirator”.
The Earth as we know it, is in ruins and only one city remains. Within its walls lies a building called the “Archive”, where genes of the dead are stored, to be used again in future reproduction. Antigone’s parents were murdered, their genes lost, and so now she and her siblings are doomed outcasts, unable to pass into the Archive when they die. With their father gone, their uncle Kreon sits in the throne, wielding his power on his family as much as on his countrymen. After the death of her brothers, Antigone is desperate and her final act of revolt leads her uncle to banish her, in lieu of execution. But Antigone is not alone, and Kreon is in for the fight of his life against everyone he thought he trusted.
“Arch-Conspirator” is different from “Divergent” in many ways, mostly because it is based on the Greek myth. But it’s dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where common people are labeled based on their genes, there are some similarities, and fans of “Divergent” won’t be completely lost.
The story itself is small, at one hundred and ten pages, and one that can easily be read in a few hours. Although this does have its advantages, I was left hungry for more. I wanted more lead up, more character development, more post-plot information. I know Roth is not to blame for this, due to the novella being a modern retelling of a story long since told, but I was still left lacking.
The small chapters are narrated by various characters in the story, although Antigone takes centre stage, for obvious reasons. The siblings are easy to relate to and cheer for, and the brushed-over battle scenes focus on the emotional wreckage, instead of the gory details.
“Arch-Conspirator” is clever, witty and imaginative. Whether you are familiar with the story of “Antigone” or not, this novella will capture your attention. Roth has written an entirely different story with “Conspirator”, but it still managed to engage and entertain.
The Earth as we know it, is in ruins and only one city remains. Within its walls lies a building called the “Archive”, where genes of the dead are stored, to be used again in future reproduction. Antigone’s parents were murdered, their genes lost, and so now she and her siblings are doomed outcasts, unable to pass into the Archive when they die. With their father gone, their uncle Kreon sits in the throne, wielding his power on his family as much as on his countrymen. After the death of her brothers, Antigone is desperate and her final act of revolt leads her uncle to banish her, in lieu of execution. But Antigone is not alone, and Kreon is in for the fight of his life against everyone he thought he trusted.
“Arch-Conspirator” is different from “Divergent” in many ways, mostly because it is based on the Greek myth. But it’s dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where common people are labeled based on their genes, there are some similarities, and fans of “Divergent” won’t be completely lost.
The story itself is small, at one hundred and ten pages, and one that can easily be read in a few hours. Although this does have its advantages, I was left hungry for more. I wanted more lead up, more character development, more post-plot information. I know Roth is not to blame for this, due to the novella being a modern retelling of a story long since told, but I was still left lacking.
The small chapters are narrated by various characters in the story, although Antigone takes centre stage, for obvious reasons. The siblings are easy to relate to and cheer for, and the brushed-over battle scenes focus on the emotional wreckage, instead of the gory details.
“Arch-Conspirator” is clever, witty and imaginative. Whether you are familiar with the story of “Antigone” or not, this novella will capture your attention. Roth has written an entirely different story with “Conspirator”, but it still managed to engage and entertain.
Read
February 25, 2023Unfortunately, I’m going to have to DNF this book, which I’m incredibly sad about. 😞
The story is fantastic, the writing superb, and Roth has definitely matured in her writing since Divergent.
The reason why I’m putting this down is because, in the first 30 pages, there were elements that made me uncomfortable, especially as a follower of Christ. Those elements had to do with homosexuality, which I prefer not to read about, since it goes against my beliefs as a child of God. If it’s more than just a brief mention (which it was), then I don’t read it. It’s my preference not to read about that stuff, and thats completely fine. That’s the only reason I’m putting this down for now.
I can still put a content warning for what I’ve read of it, though:
Discussion of violence and deceased parents, talk of the biology of sex, some strong language: one f-bomb, a few s-words (mostly from Antigone).
The story is fantastic, the writing superb, and Roth has definitely matured in her writing since Divergent.
The reason why I’m putting this down is because, in the first 30 pages, there were elements that made me uncomfortable, especially as a follower of Christ. Those elements had to do with homosexuality, which I prefer not to read about, since it goes against my beliefs as a child of God. If it’s more than just a brief mention (which it was), then I don’t read it. It’s my preference not to read about that stuff, and thats completely fine. That’s the only reason I’m putting this down for now.
I can still put a content warning for what I’ve read of it, though:
Discussion of violence and deceased parents, talk of the biology of sex, some strong language: one f-bomb, a few s-words (mostly from Antigone).
February 15, 2023
Thank you to Titan Books for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This will be a month full of Antigone for me! I've had to read an Antigone retelling for my Comparative Literature class, I've now read this retelling, and I'm going to see a theatre production of it next week.
I have been very excited to read this since it's announcement, but unfortunately the result fell a little short for me. I loved the POV's of Antigone, Eurydice and Ismene, they all felt distinct and well-realised which made them easier to connect with emotionally. I thought that Polyneikes' singular chapter was written strangely, especially when coming from Antigone's. And Kreon's left more to be desired in the political machinations as he just told us what happened and moved on quickly.
Despite this, the idea of ichor Extraction, editing genes and the associated effects with souls was an amazing idea, but could've been developed further. I will stand by the fact that this should have been a full novel rather than a novella. The world building was cool, and could've been explored further to enhance the themes of autonomy, life versus death, power etc. I did feel a little confused by the world at times as there was little explanation due to it being a novella. I understood the main dystopian aspects, but would've loved to know more about them and how they came into place. The Archive definitely deserved to be seen more - I mean, look at the cover art! This also links to the lack of description which it could've benefitted from to put further pressure on the characters, rather than spending 90% of the time focused on their thoughts.
The ending was a strong point for this novella, however. I loved the final chapter from Antigone's POV, especially the last line. It felt different enough from the original ending of Antigone that it was somewhat hopeful, even though it is alluded to that it will end differently. It tacked on just enough emotion that the middle part lacked.
Overall, this was a decent novella and one I would recommend. The writing was quite strong and I highlighted a lot of good quotes (the first paragraph is an incredible opening and has a fun parallel later on!). Not the best sci-fi I've ever read, but I look forward to reading more of Roth's adult work.
This will be a month full of Antigone for me! I've had to read an Antigone retelling for my Comparative Literature class, I've now read this retelling, and I'm going to see a theatre production of it next week.
I have been very excited to read this since it's announcement, but unfortunately the result fell a little short for me. I loved the POV's of Antigone, Eurydice and Ismene, they all felt distinct and well-realised which made them easier to connect with emotionally. I thought that Polyneikes' singular chapter was written strangely, especially when coming from Antigone's. And Kreon's left more to be desired in the political machinations as he just told us what happened and moved on quickly.
Despite this, the idea of ichor Extraction, editing genes and the associated effects with souls was an amazing idea, but could've been developed further. I will stand by the fact that this should have been a full novel rather than a novella. The world building was cool, and could've been explored further to enhance the themes of autonomy, life versus death, power etc. I did feel a little confused by the world at times as there was little explanation due to it being a novella. I understood the main dystopian aspects, but would've loved to know more about them and how they came into place. The Archive definitely deserved to be seen more - I mean, look at the cover art! This also links to the lack of description which it could've benefitted from to put further pressure on the characters, rather than spending 90% of the time focused on their thoughts.
The ending was a strong point for this novella, however. I loved the final chapter from Antigone's POV, especially the last line. It felt different enough from the original ending of Antigone that it was somewhat hopeful, even though it is alluded to that it will end differently. It tacked on just enough emotion that the middle part lacked.
Overall, this was a decent novella and one I would recommend. The writing was quite strong and I highlighted a lot of good quotes (the first paragraph is an incredible opening and has a fun parallel later on!). Not the best sci-fi I've ever read, but I look forward to reading more of Roth's adult work.
July 5, 2023
minha última tentativa de ler algo da Veronica Roth (provavelmente)
September 27, 2024
3.5 Stars for Arch-Conspirator (audiobook) by Veronica Roth read by January LaVoy and Dion Graham.
This was an interesting yet disturbing story about a young woman’s place in this dystopian land.
This was an interesting yet disturbing story about a young woman’s place in this dystopian land.
July 11, 2023
Arch-Conspirator was a quick and enjoyable read. Veronica Roth was a new author for me, but I found myself really enjoying her writing style – the storytelling and dialogue felt refreshing and with purpose, not a word was wasted. An Antigone retelling in a sci-fi dystopian world – the pages flew by as I was entranced by the worldbuilding.
If you’ve enjoyed the original tale of Antigone, then I think you’re going to enjoy Roth’s reimagining. There’s the same feminist, control and conquer themes but with a sci-fi twist. The character development is well researched and imagined, it was really outstanding considering the low page count. The dystopian world was a nice touch to the original story.
Sometimes you pick a book, and it ends up being more than reading a book – its an experience. I travelled to far flung lands and a different time and it was glorious.
The earth is a barren landscape, nothing survives, and nothing grows. Funny – I could imagine this coming to be in a few decades/generations, climate change is already in full force, is this what we have to look forward to – ground unfit for purpose and the women used for nothing but vessels? Sounds absolutely bleak if you ask me.
When your time comes and you die, your ichor (soul and gene material) is extracted and stored in the archives. The prospective parents can wander the halls of the Archive and made a choice -be that looking for something like their parents or grandparents. It’s the closest thing to a designer baby that could be imaginable.
The story is doomed from the start – this isn’t the kind of book to pick up if you are looking for a happy ending. It’s a testament of grief and deep-seated longing. There’s heartbreak on every page from enforced pregnancies to unwanted betrothals, its typical of the Greek way of storytelling.
If you’ve enjoyed the original tale of Antigone, then I think you’re going to enjoy Roth’s reimagining. There’s the same feminist, control and conquer themes but with a sci-fi twist. The character development is well researched and imagined, it was really outstanding considering the low page count. The dystopian world was a nice touch to the original story.
Sometimes you pick a book, and it ends up being more than reading a book – its an experience. I travelled to far flung lands and a different time and it was glorious.
The earth is a barren landscape, nothing survives, and nothing grows. Funny – I could imagine this coming to be in a few decades/generations, climate change is already in full force, is this what we have to look forward to – ground unfit for purpose and the women used for nothing but vessels? Sounds absolutely bleak if you ask me.
When your time comes and you die, your ichor (soul and gene material) is extracted and stored in the archives. The prospective parents can wander the halls of the Archive and made a choice -be that looking for something like their parents or grandparents. It’s the closest thing to a designer baby that could be imaginable.
The story is doomed from the start – this isn’t the kind of book to pick up if you are looking for a happy ending. It’s a testament of grief and deep-seated longing. There’s heartbreak on every page from enforced pregnancies to unwanted betrothals, its typical of the Greek way of storytelling.
March 12, 2023
I honestly can't say that I recommend this book to anyone. I'm not a huge fan of novellas only because I get too invested in the story or characters, but then it abruptly ends and I want more but there isn't more to the story.
But this novella? Short story? I really didn't get it. There was so much potential with the sci-fi setting, and the idea and practice of extracting ichor was interesting and new. But of course, with the story being so short, nothing is actually explained. I had to read other reviews to understand what was even happening. I listened to the audiobook arc twice and I still didn't understand what any of the themes were supposed to be about (other than what's already presented in the OG Antigone).
I think the author was trying to make a statement about... Something. Women's roles in a dystopian setting? I don't know.
I just wish this whole idea would've been fully fleshed out with actual characters, their motivations, deeper themes, world building, etc. It's like the author wrote a one-shot AU fanfic that only true fans would love and understand.
I'm only giving this two stars because the narrator's voice was perfect and gave some depth to the story (if that makes any sense).
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.
But this novella? Short story? I really didn't get it. There was so much potential with the sci-fi setting, and the idea and practice of extracting ichor was interesting and new. But of course, with the story being so short, nothing is actually explained. I had to read other reviews to understand what was even happening. I listened to the audiobook arc twice and I still didn't understand what any of the themes were supposed to be about (other than what's already presented in the OG Antigone).
I think the author was trying to make a statement about... Something. Women's roles in a dystopian setting? I don't know.
I just wish this whole idea would've been fully fleshed out with actual characters, their motivations, deeper themes, world building, etc. It's like the author wrote a one-shot AU fanfic that only true fans would love and understand.
I'm only giving this two stars because the narrator's voice was perfect and gave some depth to the story (if that makes any sense).
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.
February 12, 2024
2024 reread: the first half of the book didn't hold as much impact this time around, but by the end I was still completely captured. I guess this is the fear of rereading books. What do I do when they don't mean as much as I thought they would? But Arch-Conspirator is still a favourite.
I am BEGGING Veronica Roth to release more novellas like this. Her writing style completely changed. It was poetic and so full of beauty. I don’t know the origin story this is based on, but I loved every bit of this. It’s uncomfortable and powerful and so gorgeous. The concepts in here were fascinating. This is my favourite thing Roth has ever published.
Tor better be planning on asking her for more. I just want one novella a year.
I am BEGGING Veronica Roth to release more novellas like this. Her writing style completely changed. It was poetic and so full of beauty. I don’t know the origin story this is based on, but I loved every bit of this. It’s uncomfortable and powerful and so gorgeous. The concepts in here were fascinating. This is my favourite thing Roth has ever published.
Tor better be planning on asking her for more. I just want one novella a year.
September 30, 2022
A rich retelling of the tale of Antigone! Arch- Conspirator is a short book by the fabulous author Veronica Roth.
Roth takes us into a new dystopia where women are prized for the ability to reproduce and all of humanity depends on it.
If you are familiar with the tale, I think you will like it quite a bit. If it's not something you read in hs, then you are in for a surprise. Antigone, or Tig is a hero relevant to today. Roth provides multiple viewpoints to the characters which add complexity to the story. If you love a greek myth, a strong and stubborn woman or just a fan of dystopian tales, Arch Conspirator is for you! #Tor
Roth takes us into a new dystopia where women are prized for the ability to reproduce and all of humanity depends on it.
If you are familiar with the tale, I think you will like it quite a bit. If it's not something you read in hs, then you are in for a surprise. Antigone, or Tig is a hero relevant to today. Roth provides multiple viewpoints to the characters which add complexity to the story. If you love a greek myth, a strong and stubborn woman or just a fan of dystopian tales, Arch Conspirator is for you! #Tor
March 24, 2023
There was A LOT packed into this novella! If I ever read the original Antigone, I don’t remember. But I do plan to find it, if just for the comparison.
This short story had so many significant topics - control, family, heritage, rebellion - it could easily have been 500 pages. And I would certainly have read it!
This short story had so many significant topics - control, family, heritage, rebellion - it could easily have been 500 pages. And I would certainly have read it!
August 4, 2024
The concept and first third of this book had me SO EXCITED, and I think it could have been great if just a little longer but sadly felt rushed and ended up falling flat! Didn’t feel it hit the message it was trying to
March 9, 2023
I have no knowledge of the original story but I don't think that hampered my understanding of this. Although, if I had read the play it would have probably given me a deeper understanding. The main flaw with this was the amount of different perspectives there was for such a short text. It limited the ability to really be able to connect with the story. There was some topical ideas presented in this though.
July 15, 2024
Didn’t know that Roth wrote like that
October 13, 2022
Thanks to Tor for the ARC (received at New York Comic Con this year). 4 stars until the very last 20 pages and then it sort of almost made me cry which usually shoots a book up to five stars for me, but I wasn't feeling it for this one, so I gave it 4.5 stars.
As many reviewers have already pointed out, this is a retelling of Antigone in a futuristic sci-fi world. For some reason that isn't expanded on, the world has gone to shit (doesn't it always) and people are living in a sort of dystopian world where they don't have children naturally (even though women are required to have children) and when people die, their "Ichor" (basically reproductive cells) are extracted and stored so that other people can basically ~design their kids from the archive of stored cells.
I'd read Antigone in 9th grade for school, but I had forgotten what happened, so I needed to wiki it first. I really enjoyed this retelling of it, and I definitely related a lot more to this version of her than the original (from what I can remember about her at least). I also really liked the multiple POVs and the way that we were able to get the POV of everyone involved. I loved almost all the characters (and I especially loved getting to read from Eurydice's POV).
I think my main issues with the book were twofold. First, I just wish it had been expanded. Not in the way that the ending was - I love a good bittersweet and uncertain ending (and I can make up a happy ending in my head and no one can tell me otherwise!) I mostly want to know more about this world and understand more about Ichor and the Archives and just figure out how the world got to the way it was portrayed in the book. I want to know more about the system of government and the rebellions they kept mentioning and generally learn about the worldbuilding that the author started and gave us the barest hints of.
The other thing I thought regarding this book (sort of related to the first) was that there were a lot of issues that weren't expanded on. Obviously, the main plot related to Antigone and civil disobedience, but there were mentions of the lack of autonomy for women and their bodies, reproduction generally, birth and death, and a bunch of other stuff. It just seemed like too much crammed into a book that was 120 pages, and I wish the author had gone more into it. I think the stuff about women's autonomy was useful in the context of the plot, but wasn't completely necessary (Ichor could have existed without that bit) and I think more could have been done with it.
Like I said earlier, the last couple chapters almost made me tear up because of the conversations between the sisters and I'm a huge sucker for that kind of thing. I thought it was awesome that the author managed to explore such emotions with such a short book, so that was what bumped it from a 4 to 4.5 star book. It would be great to get a sequel and find out what happens, but given that this is based on Antigone, I doubt that will happen. ;;
As many reviewers have already pointed out, this is a retelling of Antigone in a futuristic sci-fi world. For some reason that isn't expanded on, the world has gone to shit (doesn't it always) and people are living in a sort of dystopian world where they don't have children naturally (even though women are required to have children) and when people die, their "Ichor" (basically reproductive cells) are extracted and stored so that other people can basically ~design their kids from the archive of stored cells.
I'd read Antigone in 9th grade for school, but I had forgotten what happened, so I needed to wiki it first. I really enjoyed this retelling of it, and I definitely related a lot more to this version of her than the original (from what I can remember about her at least). I also really liked the multiple POVs and the way that we were able to get the POV of everyone involved. I loved almost all the characters (and I especially loved getting to read from Eurydice's POV).
I think my main issues with the book were twofold. First, I just wish it had been expanded. Not in the way that the ending was - I love a good bittersweet and uncertain ending (and I can make up a happy ending in my head and no one can tell me otherwise!) I mostly want to know more about this world and understand more about Ichor and the Archives and just figure out how the world got to the way it was portrayed in the book. I want to know more about the system of government and the rebellions they kept mentioning and generally learn about the worldbuilding that the author started and gave us the barest hints of.
The other thing I thought regarding this book (sort of related to the first) was that there were a lot of issues that weren't expanded on. Obviously, the main plot related to Antigone and civil disobedience, but there were mentions of the lack of autonomy for women and their bodies, reproduction generally, birth and death, and a bunch of other stuff. It just seemed like too much crammed into a book that was 120 pages, and I wish the author had gone more into it. I think the stuff about women's autonomy was useful in the context of the plot, but wasn't completely necessary (Ichor could have existed without that bit) and I think more could have been done with it.
Like I said earlier, the last couple chapters almost made me tear up because of the conversations between the sisters and I'm a huge sucker for that kind of thing. I thought it was awesome that the author managed to explore such emotions with such a short book, so that was what bumped it from a 4 to 4.5 star book. It would be great to get a sequel and find out what happens, but given that this is based on Antigone, I doubt that will happen. ;;
February 8, 2023
This slim novella is tautly written and beautiful presented. Word to the wise: It does help to have a passing familiarity with the classic story of Antigone before reading Arch-Conspirator… but I suppose it would work even without reference to the source.
In this dystopian reimagining of the tale, humanity has reached the brink of its own end. The planet is mostly uninhabitable. There’s one city left; outside it is the wilderness. All goods are scarce, buildings are decaying, and blowing dust covers everything. The only hope for humanity’s future is the Archive, where genetic material taken from people after death is stored. A quasi-religious value is attached to these Archives — the stored samples represent immortality for the dead, a way of saving and then resurrecting their souls.
Antigone and her siblings are considered soulless abominations — their parents conceived them naturally, rather than going through genetic manipulation to achieve best results. They’re scorned and shunned, but as the living children of the murdered king and queen, they also represent power and legitimacy. With their uncle Kreon, now the ruler, looking to consolidate power and squash all attempts at rebellion, it’s only a matter of time until Antigone herself is caught at the center of the resulting devastation.
Arch-Conspirator is chilling to read. Being aware of the basics of the classic story, I knew that this would be a story with a tragic ending. Feeling the inevitable looming makes every page an exercise in suspense and sadness. Author Veronica Roth weaves this brief tale together with gorgeous writing and precise plotting. The end took my breath away!
In this dystopian reimagining of the tale, humanity has reached the brink of its own end. The planet is mostly uninhabitable. There’s one city left; outside it is the wilderness. All goods are scarce, buildings are decaying, and blowing dust covers everything. The only hope for humanity’s future is the Archive, where genetic material taken from people after death is stored. A quasi-religious value is attached to these Archives — the stored samples represent immortality for the dead, a way of saving and then resurrecting their souls.
It was hard to imagine a time when it hadn’t been this way — when plants grew untended in the wild, maintained by their own seeds spreading; when the plains beyond the city were overrun with animals that we had not bred ourselves; when genes persisted through the generations, presenting a person with their grandmother’s brow, their great-grandfather’s jaw. Everything required effort now. Everything required editing.
Antigone and her siblings are considered soulless abominations — their parents conceived them naturally, rather than going through genetic manipulation to achieve best results. They’re scorned and shunned, but as the living children of the murdered king and queen, they also represent power and legitimacy. With their uncle Kreon, now the ruler, looking to consolidate power and squash all attempts at rebellion, it’s only a matter of time until Antigone herself is caught at the center of the resulting devastation.
Arch-Conspirator is chilling to read. Being aware of the basics of the classic story, I knew that this would be a story with a tragic ending. Feeling the inevitable looming makes every page an exercise in suspense and sadness. Author Veronica Roth weaves this brief tale together with gorgeous writing and precise plotting. The end took my breath away!
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