By Audrey Tudor
Veronica Roth’s Seek the Traitor’s Son is an adult dystopian romantasy that follows Elegy Ahn, who is prophesied to save her nation. But there’s a twist: the prophecy is shared with Rava Vidar, a vicious general from the enemy state of Talusar. Only one of them will succeed. At the centre of Elegy’s victory is a man, one she is prophesied to fall in love with.
The story is set in a dystopian future, where the Earth has split itself into two groups. The Talusar, who infect themselves with the Fever to gain supernatural abilities, and the Cedre. Far fewer in number, the Cedre reject the Fever and isolate themselves.
The book has been well-received by critics and readers alike, and there’s no denying Roth’s masterful grasp on storytelling. Elegy, moves beyond her place and time to engage the young adults of today. We stand at the end of one era and the start of another, watching attitudes change before our very eyes. One can’t help but relate to Elegy as she decides in what she believes and what to fight for. The Cedre embrace futuristic technology and the Talusar embrace religion. It’s a subtle critique of contemporary society that hits close to home.
Seek the Traitor’s Son is a slow-paced book, a departure from the typical action-packed novels that dominate the market. Roth opens with a strong inciting incident before slowing everything down. In theory, the story progresses and romantic tension builds, but in practice, readers crawl towards the finish line. We get plenty of time to digest the story, and there’s a sharp clarity provided with the slower narrative pace, but we’re ultimately left high and dry. Readers never receive answers to some of the plot’s major questions. We never find out if both nations want each other eliminated, and we never see it play out. The nations threaten each other from the safety of their defended cities, but aside from vigilante missions, no one else dares to actually fight.
The relationships we see develop throughout the story are typical for a dystopian fantasy novel. Parents are out of the picture but remembered fondly—there’s even a touch of found family. They risk everything for each other and fight for a better shared future. Romance slowly simmers in every scene, as the pair becomes bolder before eventually committing to each other. There’s off-page abuse to be aware of, though, that underpins the romantic hesitancy.
All in all, although Roth’s pacing is slower than her other books, the plot twists were unpredictable and the conclusion was rewarding. She balances the expectations of the genre with a dynamic protagonist you can root for. Her timely exploration of ways both old and new resonates with young readers.
Seek the Traitor’s Son is another success for Roth and the new adult genre. It’s reminiscent of early-2000s sci-fi media, but with a twist that captures your attention from page one. For readers who don’t mind a slower paced plot, it’s a good book to curl up with during the semester break.
