The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Group: YA
Rating: 4/5
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: November 15, 2011

Words are the most dangerous weapon of all.

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.

I was so excited when I found out Kimberly Derting was writing another novel. I loved THE BODY FINDER and  couldn't wait to read Derting taking on a dystopian. Lately, I've been craving dystopians. I can't get enough of them and this one didn't disappoint.

Charlie lives in Ludania and no one can come in and no one can get out. The Queen is strict and anything wrong and get someone killed. Each society is divided. The poor have thier own laguage and so one. No class speaks the same language. But Charlie can speak and understand them all. Anyone who is able to do that will die and there were quite a few times where Charlie almost got herself killed.

I thought the idea of Charlie understanding languages was amazing because that was never used in YA literature. But what really got me was all the twists and turns throughout the novel. Especially the ending. Oh, the ending....

Charlie's qualities were great. She really fought for herself and was her own person. She didn't depend on anyone and I loved the whole love triangle between Charlie, Max, and Xander. My favorite of the two boys was Max. For some reason, there was something about him that made me fall in love with him and add him to me list of literary crushes.

Overall, Kimberly Derting hasn't disappointed with her new novel and I'm always excited to see what she comes up with next. THE PLEDGE is a must read if you loved Kimberly's THE BODY FINDER or just love dystopians.