Out here, even Ratho might start to feel my attentions. It would definitely end our friendship as well as challenge him to report me in order to protect himself. After my religious outburst, he probably would! Chamber of Verities, what has happened? I vigorously rub my face without regard for the rough sand on my hands. Maybe entertaining attraction dulls my amulet? Maybe giving in and enjoying wrong impulses has impaired it more and more? Or swimming in moonlight. The Madronians insist the moon is female. Oh, what have I done? Have I drained most of its strength?
Genre: Dystopian
Target Audience: Girls 18+
Subjects: Murder, Sex-Role, Occupation of
Enemy, Religion, Friendship, Family Relationships, Survival
Summary: She’s not female! She’s not! The
amulet will protect her… won’t it? Born into a country taken over by
superstitious enemies, all firstborn females are to be killed. Her father,
desperate to save her life declares her a male and the authorities agree. As
long as she never shows any sign of femininity they will let her live. So she
trains for the same assignments as the males and lives her life squelching any
feminine urges or tendencies. Now she is of age. Her rapion has hatched and
bonded with her and she is sent out on patrol with the other young men. But the
more she grows and develops the more she doubts. She may dress and act like a
male, but inside she very much feels like a female… especially when her friend
Rathon is around. If the amulet squashing her femininity ever fails her though,
it will be instant death.
Notes: Patterned after books such as
The Hunger Games, Firstborn puts one female in a position to fight against any
extremely corrupt society. She must “play the game” as her father words it,
pretending to be in perfect obedience to the authorities. But inwardly she
rebels against everything they demand. Her people are portrayed allegorically
as the Christians, worshipping the “Creator Spirit” whereas the enemy has a
religion believing their god conquered other gods, making him the most superior
god and the one to worship. Tiadone’s father illegally hid some of the books
teaching of the Creator Spirit and taught her to worship and follow Him. She’s
one of the few who do though. The catcheism taught to all young people has taken
a strong hold on her people. She has to strengthen her own beliefs, fight
against the servants of the false god and their torment of her people and all
the while pretend to be totally obedient – and male.
This
book did clearly convey some spiritual elements – one scene in particular has
Tiadone finding a hidden cave of worship to the Creator Spirit, solidifying her
confidence in His existence as the one true god. The front cover almost sums it
up the best with a quote that reads “Sometimes fate has a different plan”.
There’s not a all-powerful being who is in control of the world. It’s more of a
deistic view of God – He created, He exists, but He isn’t really all that
involved in day-to-day life.
It’s
very clear though that the book is not meant to be beautiful. In some places it
is very crass. There are a lot of details given as to how Tiadone is clearly a
female despite being declared male. The author doesn’t spare details of things
that are dirty or private but just lays it out for the reader.
I’m assuming
this to be book one of a series because it ends on a note of minimum survival,
not true triumph. It doesn’t leave the reader with a lot of hope or joy, just
acceptance that this is the best it gets.
It
felt as though there was this big idea dreamed up - a female being declared
male - and a story was forced around it, a story that didn't quite work, didn't
quite fit together and definitely did not finish strong.
Spiritual Content
Recommendation Scale: 2/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
1 Timothy 4:4 –
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is
received with thanksgiving,
Psalm 139:13-14 –
For you created my inmost being; you knit
me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a
free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment