Antigone parents are gone and her Uncle is rising to claim her father's throne, however, Antigone leans some heard Truths living under him and sets out to make a change....

This is a retelling of the Greek Tragedy Antigone, which I don't have any real knowledge of so can't comment on the faithfulness of the story

What I will say is this felt like a dystopian Greek mythology tale and I really enjoyed the vibes of that and navigating Antigones struggled within the strict male rules in her world

Felt a bit short but it is at only 128 pages but would have liked to have delved into the world more for more depth

All in all, a good wee tale

Greek mythology meets sci-fi in this tense and enthralling retelling of the tragedy of Antigone - from the author of the Divergent series.

Didn’t get a chance to read this as an arc, but bought it afterwards in Waterstones. I loved this short story, and love Roths other works as well. Great world building and setting and loved the characters as well.

Arch-Conspirator is a futuristic, dystopian reimagining of Sophocles' Antigone, and although I haven't read the original, I have heard that it's a fairly similar underlying storyline and theme.

In this novella (it's only around 110 pages), we follow Antigone, the main character (as well as a few others who provide chapter POVs) over the course of a few short, but chaotic days.
Antigone's parents were murdered, and her militant uncle takes over her father's throne. He is "merciful" to his nieces and nephews and lets them live with him and his family.

It's an interesting dystopia presented in this book; most of the planet is uninhabitable, and because of this, continuation of human life is sacred. There are two sides to this: firstly that children are created from the archives - where everyone's genetic code / DNA is stored after they die for the next generation to be created from - genetic manipulation. Parents literally choose the DNA to be used to create their offspring. Because of this Antigone and her siblings, who were conceived naturally, are shunned by society and considered soulless.

Secondly, progress on gender equality has been almost entirely destroyed; women are now seen as responsible for life (and death) and their place is in the home. Their husbands are the ones allowed to pursue careers, study and research etc.

With so few pages there was very little room for someone to be simply doing nothing; no character is included without meaning, and no action without the consequence being pivotal to the story. In some ways it felt like there could've been so much more, so I won't lie I am disappointed at how short it was.

However, the way this story is told is excellent. There are multiple points of view, each of which provide insight to all sides of the struggle, and although there is little background as to why the world is in this state, the reader is able to quickly gain insight into the current world and its politics.

An excellent read for any sci-fi fan looking for a quick, action packed story.

This was fine. I think a lot of people might like it but I just didn't care about any of the characters and I don't think it was emotional as it should have been

This novella was really lovely. I really enjoyed the different POVs. The themes of family and independents are brilliant and warming. I would have really enjoyed this book if it was longer with more world-building also.

quite enjoyed this shirt book. It took me only a couple of hours to read it.

I haven’t read anything by Roth before this, and only heard conflicting opinions of the Divergent series. But for some reason, this novella caught my eye and I thank Veronica Roth, Tor and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The traditional setting of Antigone is transplanted to a post-apocalyptic Earth and they are all members of a dwindling community. This set up an interesting tension among the characters and the society in general. I think it worked well, but what do I know? I haven’t actually ever read Antigone and only know the bare bones of the story.

Roth uses virtually all of the POV characters in 1st person that even appear in the story. It could’ve been confusing, but I thought she did a good job of altering the voice just enough to make them distinct. And in using all these POVs you get an awful lot of anguish and emotion from all angles, which makes this an emotional rollercoaster.

Like most people who studied literature in school but not really had anything to do with it since, I vaguely recalled the tragic tale of Oedipus. So when I heard of a Veronica Roth retelling of Antigone, one of Oedipus’ children, but sci-fi with a library of people rather than books, I was intrigued. And having just finished it, I now recall why I don’t usually read novellas… I need more!

Roth has a very cinematic way of telling a story - she’s one of the few authors who makes me feel like I’m watching a film or episode of a TV show when I’m reading her writing. ARCH-CONSPIRATOR feels much like you’re dropped in right before the climax of your favourite show. The scene has already been set, familiarity with characters is almost assumed, even though it’s only the first page, yet it doesn’t feel like you’re strangers with only a name to go by. You are immediately hit with a sense of tension and anticipation, and know that you’re going to be in for a ride.

Antigone (“Tig” to her siblings) is not a bold heroine. She’s no femme fatale, and doesn’t give “main character vibes” at all. If anything, Antigone is very much an antihero, and it’s clear that all she want’s in her life is freedom. Freedom to make her own choices, to write her own story. And it’s a sad story, one that leaves the reader with more questions than answers, and a bittersweet ending to it all.

I really enjoyed ARCH-CONSPIRATOR, and really wish there was a sequel or more written in this world! I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi/dystopian retellings, or want a quick read reflecting on the fragility of humanity and what it means to make our own choices with the limited options life throws at us.

I find Veronica Roth’s books hit and miss. Some books I enjoy, others I can never get on with. This was a hit, though! I loved the writing style and the plot. The characters were also well developed and even though it was a short book; it was easy to feel for them and care about what happened to them. I’d have actually liked this to have been longer because I loved the world and atmosphere the author built, but, still a book worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

You know, this was, unfortunately, a case of 'not for me'. I've quite enjoyed Roth's writing in the past but it just didn't work for me in this instance.

This book was phenomenal Veronica Roth does not fail to impress me every single time! I highly highly recommend this book!

Arch-Conspirator takes the play Antigone and places it in a futuristic setting, where “souls” are harvested after death, with the chance of resurrection as those genes are used to create new generations. Antigone takes centre-stage after the coup that kills her parents places her uncle in charge, and her brother plans his own revenge.
While it is a retelling of Antigone, I found that in order to really follow or appreciate what Veronica Roth was doing with the book, I had to go away and read a summary of the original play. You need to have some passing knowledge of the original’s themes and characters to get the most out of this novella, rather than being able to enjoy the story on its own.
The way Roth adapted some of the original elements of the play for a more modern audience, such as the importance of burial replaced with the harvesting of souls, was really interesting to explore and I found Antigone’s character lent itself to these explorations.
For a novella, there a number of different PoV’s, looking through the eyes of the other female characters in the book, but also giving a glimpse through the eyes of her brother and uncle. While I found the female perspectives engaging, her brother’s single chapter had a very different style of voice to the rest of the book which was disruptive to the reading experience.
All in all, this was a fun retelling of the play, but I found it wasn’t quite long enough and relied to much on prior knowledge of the play to make any impact. It almost needed a bit more time to flesh out the setting, themes and characters in order to stand fully on its own and present the ideas it is trying to successfully. It had such an interesting concept and the writing leant itself to that concept, just wish it was a bit more fleshed out.

Arch-Conspirator is a captivating and thought-provoking novella that offers a fresh perspective on the ancient Greek tragedy, Antigone. Roth has done an excellent job of weaving together a gripping science-fiction narrative with the timeless themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice familiar to those who have previously encountered the story of Antigone.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity's survival depends on the Archive, a repository of the genetic material of the deceased, the story follows Antigone as she confronts her uncle Kreon, who has risen to claim her father's throne. Her parents were murdered, and she is left with nothing but anger and a fierce determination to seek justice for her family.

The characters in the book are skillfully crafted, each with their unique motivations and backstories. Antigone, the protagonist, is a strong-willed and determined young woman who refuses to be cowed by her uncle's tyranny. She is willing to risk everything, including her life, to do what is right and ensure that justice is served. Kreon, on the other hand, is a complex and nuanced character who is not entirely evil but is driven by his own fears and insecurities.

The world-building is imaginative, with the author creating a vivid and detailed dystopian world that is both disturbing and awe-inspiring. The Archive, in particular, is a fascinating concept that raises questions about the nature of life, death, and what it means to be human.

One of the things that make this novella so compelling is its pacing. The story moves quickly, with each chapter building on the tension and suspense of the previous one. The climax of the book is both heart-wrenching and satisfying, leaving the reader with a sense of closure and catharsis.

Overall, this is a gripping and deeply emotional novella. From my perspective as a Classics teacher, I think this book would be a great introduction to Classical Reception and the story of Antigone and would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys science fiction and Greek tragedy.

It's no secret that this is a retelling of a Greek play. Needless to say, the original is old enough that I'm guessing it wasn't about gene-editing.

Thing you may not know if you're unfamiliar with Antigone, as I was before reading this: Her parents are Oedipus and Jocasta.

I graduated high school in 2004. (Yes, I am ancient.) I can't remember which grade, but we studied the play <u>Oedipus Rex</u>. However, there's a massive spoiler from the play which isn't mentioned at all in <u>Arch-Conspirator</u>: <spoiler>Jocasta is Oedipus's mum. They didn't know that when they first hooked up. But when the truth was revealed, one of them stuck pins into their own eyes. In <u>Arch-Conspirator</u>, there's no mention of either Oedipus or Jocasta having eye damage.</spoiler>

OK, that was two major spoilers. To be fair, they are the only noteworthy things about that Greek play, as I remember nothing else from it.

Tangentially-related spoiler for <u>Arch-Conspirator</u>: <spoiler>There is still a bit of incest, but different characters. And less blood-related. Antigone and her cousin Haemon. Cousincest.</spoiler>

Usually I'm not one to complain about the short length of a novel. This one isn't much over 100 pages. But the ending is far too rushed and glossed over. Which is a shame, because it's pretty darn interesting! So why when you actually have an intriguing thing to write about would you choose to...well, skim over it? Not a rhetorical question; I'd actually like to know. <spoiler>Antigone is punished by being flown away on a rocket to her intended death. Oh yeah, the town had this rocket all along, out in the public. Apparently it had been kept in usable condition. And since it's a death-sentence of sorts, there's no safety gear or space training or anything. People are just fine with wasting this mega-technology (which actually launches!) on two sisters to kill them? There are cheaper ways to do that!</spoiler>

I don't understand why this story was published as is. Veronica Roth is better than this; I've read her short stories. (I own six of her novels; I just haven't read them yet.) She's clearly a talented writer. But the skimmed-over ending was just ridiculous. As if it was an early draft, and the plan was to flesh it out more in future drafts...but it didn't get fleshed out.

Disappointing.

Arch-Conspirator is the latest release by Veronica Roth and a retelling of Antigone, the Greek play by Sophocles.

In this short novella, you follow several female leads, Antigone being the main one, in a dystopian, sci-fi version of the original story. As someone who hadn’t heard of Antigone before, I enjoyed this story and the Greek tragedy aspect.

This is a novella written as a full book, which has its perks and cons, but that would benefit from more 200 pages.

All the characters are compelling to follow, especially Antigone, with her rebellious spirit, and Eurydice, a good-hearted woman who does everything to contain her husband’s urges. There's enough insight into the characters to get a glimpse into everyone's personalities and motivations, but I want more time with them.

The setting is a post-apocalyptic dystopia where gene manipulation is the standard procedure for reproduction. Women are seen as vessels for the next perfect generation instead of their own individual and flawed selves, which is more intriguing than it seems at first glance and deserves more development.

The events that happen would flow better at a slower pace, even if the fast pace is fundamental to keep you reading non-stop. You’ll see the train wreck coming, but it won’t want to put the book down.

Arch-Conspirator is the perfect short sci-fi read that deserves a full book, especially if you’re new to the Antigone tale. It’s a Greek tragedy feeling sci-fi story with an innovative and interesting world and compelling female characters that will make you care.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Yet another book that left me with a vast array of feelings, most of them mixed. I think the book’s first mistake was setting this during Seven Against Thebes rather than the start of Antigone. It’s second was making Kreon their uncle through their father rather than their mother Jocasta. The third one was portraying Eteokles as Kreon’s blind follower and a worse person than Polyneikes, considering how Eteokles willingly sacrifices himself for his city to fight Polyneikes and taking the chorus’, consisting of young girls, songs of what will happen should Polyneikes win into account. I feel like their names are also important here: Eteokles meaning something along the lines of “true glory” or “truly glorious” and Polyneikes being “much strife” (not to be confused with Polynikes “many victories”) Had this story stuck to the source material there, I feel like the story could have tackled the family dynamics, which are vital to the story, a lot better.

The themes, most centrally women’s bodily autonomy, were incredibly well handled. So well, in fact, that I have nothing to say that might have improved it. Normally I like my retellings faithful, but Antigone letting Ismene join her in her punishment in this worked so incredibly well with the themes I can’t even be mad about it.

I think Veronica Roth has done an amazing job in adapting the Antigone story into a modern retelling. I think customers will love this, I certainly did!

I really enjoyed this novella from Veronica Roth! I'm not hugely familiar with the story of Antigone but I don't think that hindered me in any way, I followed the story just fine and really enjoyed the mix in my brain of these names from Greek Mythology mixed together with a sci-fi dystopian setting.
Roth really surprised me with this novella, it took me aback even though it was so short of a story and makes me want to delve into her other novels (I've only read the Divergent books previously). Arch-Conspirator was sophisticated and engaging in it's telling, the characters were so so grey but also endearing and complex giving every action several layers.
As with most sci-fi stories, the questions put forwards are reflective of ethics and gender empowerment, women are held back and utilised for carrying children in Arch-Conspirator but Roth tries to keep this from being too central in the narrative. I'd definitely read more from this 'world' if only to delve more into the politics of this community that is overseen by a questionable dictator and see what happens next after the novella concludes.

I love the retelling of Greek legends and Veronica Roth gives us the tragedy of Antigone set in a dystopian future. Roth builds a fascinating world but it felt as if there was not enough time to hear how the world got this way or really get to know more about the characters. But that said the book is a solid, fast, entertaining read and leaves one with a lot to think about, Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I definitely enjoyed it. Roth proved she can deliver a modern-times-relevant retelling of a classic. Arch-Conspirator delivers a nuanced and complex tale in a lean, novella, package. A pleasure to read.