Spoiler-Free Arch-Conspirator Book Review
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.
The release date for Arch-Conspirator is February 21st 2023.
Synopsis From the Publisher
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.
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.
