Darkness comes like a cool hand across her eyes
(p. 8)
Trust will get you killed – and trust will keep you alive
In a world where the System governs everything, Ava’s a rebel – one who can control other people’s thoughts with her mind. As part of a resistance movement preparing for war, this is a useful skill.
Levi stopped believing in the struggle for freedom when it snatched his parents from him. Now he’s just trying to live a quiet life and control the voices that threaten his sanity.
One night Levi’s sister is arrested. To free her, he has to break old promises and get involved with people he swore he’d never associate with. Ava’s ordered to help him and, together, they leave on a rescue mission. She says he has to trust the rebels.
But should they?
Article Three is a twist on what a dystopian novel should be. It’s a character-driven story in a world on the edge of a rebellion.
I absolutely loved reading Article Three. I held onto it for as long as I could because I didn’t want it to end. From the characters to the little details about the world they live in, Anna Jakobsson Lund is a natural storyteller that knows what we want to read and what we need to read about.
This novel is not a love story – there are no love triangles or romantic moments shared between that makes your heart sing. This is a story about trust and seeing beyond the surface. This is a story of loss and survival, about bravery and cowardice.
The main characters Ava, Levi, and Leymah are beyond perfect and that is what makes the story raw and appealing. They each have their own personal demons which are slowly unraveled throughout the novel. The POV shifts between Ava and Levi, back and forth which is something I love and support. They each have opposing views which enlightened my reading experience. You could understand both sides to the story.
Another thing I absolutely love was the faculties, abilities that only a few people have. I won’t spoil it, but it was fascinating to read about.
I only have two complaints about this book: the first complaint regards the lack of information about the world-building the author developed. As a Sociology major, I’m fascinated by the worlds and the societies imagined in dystopian and fantasy novels, so I wanted to learn more about it. I would love it if the author wrote something on the side about the world and its history, as I am aware it’s not the main focus for this series.
The second complaint regards Leymah. I absolutely loved this character and it felt as if she had a secondary role in this novel. I hope it changes in the next two books because she is very interesting to read about.
Overall, Article Three introduces you to a new world of deception and survival. One I want to return to.
This trilogy was completed in Swedish and in December 2016 the first book was translated into English. I don’t know Swedish but the translation was very well done and you could read and understand the author’s voice which, sometimes, can get lost in translation. I really hope the next two books are translated soon but if not I will commit myself to learning the language just so I can read what happens to the characters I adore.
Thank you, Anna for sending me a copy!
4.5 🌸
a nowhere girl & her books 