YES YES YES. Nothing more to say really, I read this in one sitting, it is just that good. The world building is amazing and the story is so interesting.

Nowadays, it is hard for an author to create a dystopian storyline that feels original and doesn’t imitate a well-established classic, but Kopievsky managed to do so. However, I would have liked a faster pace and at least one relatable and/or like able character, because either option would have made it an easier read.
Having said that, this was a quite enjoyable read, which is great for dystopian readers to bridge the gap between YA and adult dystopians.

Character building was amazing, world building had me intrigued, but I felt it was mildly lack luster. Most dystopian novels have a theme of corrupt government, typical political agendas and the thought the end is near and flipping the system to better favor the underdogs. I know this yet I still read the genre hoping this will get shaken up and things will be slightly different. But most often it’s the same page after page repeat of a thousand other novels.

A complex book that could possibly be an insight into our future. Intriguing to see a dystopian version of Paris as well as the brutal conformist society featured.

Resistance is very interesting, it got me hooked on the first chapter. It isn't like any dystopian novels I've ever read. This book was set in post-apocalyptic Paris that the only true crime warranting capital punishment is freedom. Anaiya is aligned with the fire element and is a peacekeeper of her society. But because of some circumstance she must turn into other element and find the heart of resistance. What I like in this book is how Anaiya grew as a person. She gets to see and understand other peacekeepers. Also, Resistance has intrigued characters that keep you going although there are times that Anaiya is a bit annoying and interations are flat. Overall, I still like this book and would recommend to my friends.

The book is set in Paris, but it could be any city surviving an apocalypse. The inhabitants are engineered humans, whose impulses are channeled through very early conditioning in order to respond to some unchanging basic characteristics. They no longer identify themselves as people but as Elementals: Fire, Air, Water and Earth. All this is called Orthodoxy, and heterodoxy, searching for something more, going into the lost humanity, is a sin that leads to capital punishment.
One day however, murals appear, and Anaiya, a fire element employed as a Pacekeeper, is meant to find out who, through murals, sows heterodoxy. She will start a journey in a society she don't know, and she will end up knowing herself in the most dramatic way, losing her identity.
The beginning of the book is a bit tiring, you always have the impression of losing something, and especially the rivalry between Anaiya and her at the time colleague Niamh about who runs faster is a bit maudlin; From the moment Anaiya is destined to her undercover mission, however, the book takes up and becomes difficult to break away.
I thank KYRIJA and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for a honest review.

"Darkness. She embraces it, lets her mind linger in the deep kiss of nothingness and submits entirely to it."

Resistance was a surprise. I would say it resembles Divergent but not really at the same time. There are Elementals: Fire, Water, Air and Earth, and each one has specific characteristics and jobs (Divergent much?) Anaiya must do something radical to stop the Heterodoxy. I didn't know what to expect but it was so good! That ending made me emotional because of all its meaning, because of the complete circle. The writing was absolutely exquisite. I will read the next book if there is one! I loved the characters: Anaiya, Seth, Kaide.

I received a free copy fron Netgalley in exchange of a honest review.

Even though epic fantasy is my favorite genre when it comes to speculative fiction, I find of late I've been veering more into 'easier' sub-genres to read, like urban fantasy or the dystopian settings. Now easier of course is a relative term as I generally tend to blast through the urban/dystopian settings relishing the pace and thrill of a novel set in times and a world, familiar to the ones we are in. And so, when I first requested for Resistance, the debut novel from Mikhaeyla Kopievsky that is the first part in an intended series, Divided Elements - the premise looked familiar and a path, well-trodden before.

The world after an unexplained apocalypse, in a time possibly in the future with the society divided into clear hard hierarchical stratas called Elementals based on their affinity to different forms. Called out as Air, Earth, Water and Fire. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I realized that this one, was different. I was in for a shock with this book. In a good way. Resistance has been compared to the Divergent series, being touted as Divergent for the Adults but I think the similarities end in just that premise about the societal strata being decided based on your inherent affinity to a skill. This book, definitely goes way beyond the normal in defining those 'affinities' ( And in that manner, is miles ahead of a superficial comparison to the Divergent series, never losing track of the bigger question about what happens if you are a 'Heterodox' with natural affinities to more than one Element?) Mikhaeyla then goes on to do a mind-fuck on the reader as you realize that you're stuck inside the protagonist's head whose natural alignments have been tampered with, so to finish a mission but her re-alignment might have cost her more than just her job!

As I got sucked deeper into this well realized beautiful world, I realized the book is an interesting mix of dystopian setting layered on with a science-fictional society; This strict society has rigid rules about conforming to a preordained and pre-programmed manner of thought and deed. There is a steep learning curve here and my initial few chapters were slow as Mikhaeyla doesn't take the easy route and instead, writes in a lucid, intelligent manner that challenges the reader to take pause and note down the world being built around Anaiya, the main protagonist.

Anaiya, is a Fire Elemental - and a Peacekeeper tasked with the maintaining Orthodoxy ("The right way to think and act, as you are pre-programmed") in the society. Fire Elementals are by nature, enhanced with superior physical endurance, abilities to sense the "weight" of a public space that let's them ascertain the levels of risk of riots through such gathering, a sixth sense about dangers and also are able to project into the future about the different possibilities of an event, through "future-searches". Now while Anaiya is a conscientious and hard-working Elemental, striving for promotions and accolades, she is also trying hard to get out of the shadow of her former mentor, Kane - who incidentally is the most high-profile case of "Heterodoxy" - of someone willing to go against the collective societal rules, of not conforming to their own pre-ordained affinities and willing to be a rebel.

So right from when we meet Anaiya, she is a tortured soul, her fragile mindspace warring with these thoughts of shame and insecurity in this regimented society. She is also constantly striving to compete with her current Peacekeeping partner, Niamh - a ruthlessly ambitious Fire elemental who doesn't shy away from breaking the rules, just to get ahead and be promoted to higher ranks. And to make matters worse, the Heterodoxy is now slowly raising its ugly head in the society, where a group of secret rebels are raising their voices against this tyranny. Painted Murals, with the word 'Resistance' written in large appear on buildings and walls. And then it hurts that Niamh, her partner who has risen steadily through the ranks, is actually the one who picks up Ani for an experimental operation; Something that has never before been attempted, a realignment of one's brain-functions mapping to a different Elemental affinity. Ani is sent on a covert mission, to break into a group of Air Elementals, suspected of Heterodoxy.

Things get really complex behind the enemy lines. So Anaiya, now an Air Elemental experimenting with music and sounds, starts to doubt herself, questioning her own loyalty towards the larger cause as she sees the world in a completely light as an Air Elemental. And since complications have a way of nesting down together, Ani's heart goes and and does a complete fillip on her: Falling for the wrong guy, a mysteriously charming stranger, Seth; An air elemental friendly with this group that matches the suspect profile as built up by the Analysts back in the Peacekeeping force.

I loved the ideas in the book, no two ways about it. They are original and ambitious - and despite being a debut, the quality of the writing has the assured aplomb of a seasoned writer. The pacing is quite on your nose and you get swept along, in the rising levels anxiety and tension as Ani struggles with her mind and the newly minted feelings that resist with her sense of loyalty buried deep-down. Mikhaeyla's society is convincing and the setting of this post-apocalyptic Paris where drugs, sex and night life spill out into the streets full of Izzakaya bars is utterly arresting.

The characters that fill up this wondrous speculative world, are also nicely drawn up - complementing the thought-provoking narrative. Seth, as the mysterious Air Elemental whom Ani falls for, is quite a charming personality, strong with rock-hard beliefs and a creative bend of mind. There are others in the group - like Rehd, quite the open rebel-child who is flashy and life-of-the-party effervescent, while Kaide is the strong, silent companion, a less flashy but more intellectual and creative shadow to these two. And of course, there is Niamh, whom we would love to hate. For his deep-rooted ideals and brutally unforgiving ambition that forms his core.

My one grouch with the novel is probably, with the internal struggles and the vacillating nature of the main protagonist that tended to drag things down a bit in the middle. While at heart this one is a book about a revolution, it surprisingly is kept clean when it comes to violence. There are hints of how well Mikhaeyla can layer in some heavy-duty action scenes (Eg. Peacekeeper detaining any riots) if it comes to that but there aren't too many explicit conflicts that require this.

A book that would appeal to fans of dystopia (Think 1984, George Orwell) Resistance is an utterly thought-provoking and subversive book in this genre - Highly entertaining, poignant and brutal by shades, Divided Elements is an original novel, pushing the boundaries of this genre - and Mikhaeyla is surely a writer to watch out for.

Resistance (Divided Elements Book 1) Kindle Edition
by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky
An above average post-apocalyptic/dystopian thriller
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I am a bit of a connoisseur of Dystopia and her sister genre the Post-apocalyptic. I began my journey in this field with Maleval, Z for Zachariah, A Girl Who Owned A City, The Stand, and Swan's Song. Waaay back at the beginning, when the Cold War was still waging.
This newest wave, that sort of began with the Hunger Games, is completely different. Rather than Nuclear War, we are looking at a climate catastrophe, and in Resistance's case, we are in Paris – grand Paris. Where Orthodoxy lives. Much like Divergent, young people are divided up into groups, in this case their elements. Their element reflects their individual personality and gifts, determines where and how they live and what jobs that they may do. If for some reason you behave in some way outside your element, you have commited Unorthodoxy. If for some reason, you reach beyond or lose the understanding of your element, you have committed a far worse crime Heterodoxy.
Anaiya 234 is a Fire element, she runs through the city with other fire elements, punishing these crimes ruthlessly. Until she is lured into a scheme to draw out the Resistance, those who want to break down the enforcement of the Orthodoxy.
I found Anaiya an interesting character but after the first three or four parkour moves, it gets a little redundant, unless you are involved in the practice of free running. Like any sport, the lingo will be lost on a non-fan. Also the cocktails and naming patterns were a little contrived, as if the author were trying to force world building instead of building in an organic manner. So, while there is a layered world, there is a sort of inorganic feel to it, as if it were pieces forced together and we are meant to puzzle it out.
It is the secondary characters that truly save this book, and raise it abouve 3 to 4 stars. I will remember the various Resistance members for a long time, from Rhed to Drew. This is an area I would like to see expanded on in the future books, as the author leaves behind the extreme sports jargon and the drink mixes.
Also, these characters' ages are never quite revealed, but they felt in their early twenties. It would be interesting to have things like the naming/numbering system explained as it doesn't have a reference in our world. Suzanne Collins was so successful with her naming techniques in The Hunger Games trilogy as they had connections that we could touch – such as the Mockingjay itself. Part mocking bird, part blue jay. We could understand it was a hybrid of the two.
The writing is clean if not always clear. The plotting is excellent but the gotcha moment is revealed long after the reader gets is.
Four out of 5 stars
https://www.amazon.com/Resistance-Divided-Elements-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01M6AXXKA/

Please read all of my reviews at http://ultraviolentlit.blogspot.ca

"Post-apocalyptic" and "Paris" are the words that caught my attention in the summary of this book, but it wasn't at all what I expected. Much more sci-fi than I usually read, and I found the world-building confusing for the most part - although I understand there is a new, edited edition of the book that has come out since I received this ARC. It's not a bad book, just not one that I am interested in finishing.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish - 32% in when gave up.

I get that dystopian books are about bad situations or ideas gone wrong. Where society has been divided or set-up in a basically flawed way. And of course the message is always about how we need to be vigilant and careful of decisions we make that restrict people.
I usually love dystopian books. Even though it's a similar story premise every time.
Resistance starts out similar to all dystopian fiction. There are four groups based on the four Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) and at the age of four you are aligned and placed into one of these groups. The group you are in dictates your perspective of the world, the job you do and your core values.

Where things start to go sideways are in the details.
All humans have a 'lifeline' that plugs into things. All I could think of was Pandorians and their silly looking plug-in device. I actually giggled each time it was referenced or used even if it was a serious moment.
Then our main gal, who is Fire, is chosen to go undercover and re-align to Air in order to find those who are rebelling against the current system of categorization.
Here's where my major problems start to overwhelm my ability to enjoy reading Resistance.
If there is a way to realign then doesn't that prove a fundamental flaw in the system?
Groups travel in their own specific train cars with only their own element. This segregation means that the resistance building is likely from one elemental group. I don't buy that as it's obvious many people could be classified incorrectly.
Overall our main gal is annoying. She whines and complains about everything. Instead of being an interesting case that should prove why the Resistance is right I feel like she's blindly dedicated to her original Fire element.

Yes I realize that maybe all these issues start to come out and maybe the end of this book is brilliant. For me however the reality is that it was just too much philosophical whining from our heroine and not enough action. There are spurts of thing happening but just not enough for me to believe that we were going to get to the crux of the issue fast enough. Maybe if she had started to realize shortly after her re-alignment that there might be a flaw in the system I'd have stayed on board. But blindly arguing in her head for the four element set-up just frustrated me and made me feel like the book was trying to tell me to be prejudice. Something I'm morally against.

So in the end at 32% read I decided I didn't care about any of the characters enough to bother finding out how it played out.

While I've been struggling to finish this book, I think others will definitely enjoy its elegant and descriptive writing and very strong world building. It has a very solid concept and the writing is unlike any I've ever read, but it just didn't end up being for me. Fans of the dystopian genre are sure to love this new title and will definitely get drawn into Anaiya's world of Elementals and resistance!

Resistance is the story of Ani, a young female working in the post apocalyptic city of Otpor. The population is split by their personality type into the four elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water), which also denotes the type of job each citizen does, their interests and behaviour, where they live etc. Ani is a high ranking Fire element, doing the job of "Peacekeeper" - basically policing the population in order to maintain the status quo. In her eyes, Ani is helping to uphold the law for the benefit of society although the methods used are brutal and often far outweigh the crime. When it becomes apparent that a group of individuals are trying to orchestrate a revolution, Ani is chosen for a secret undercover mission. Through this, she begins to see the world from a different point of view - but whose side will she choose?

I have to say that I enjoyed reading this YA/post apocalyptic fantasy book. It was an interesting premise as its quite rare that you get to read about a dystopian future from the point of view of the "bad guys" and even rarer to find stories where the lines between good and bad are so blurred.

I thought that the book provided a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of the main character, Ani. It raised lots of questions about how we see the world when we surround ourselves with only likeminded individuals as she seemed to be able to rationalise her actions (and those of other Fire elements) simply because she had never encountered anyone who directly challenged their behaviour. When she was forced to view the situation from a different perspective, we were shown how her feelings were deeply conflicted, despite the fact that when Ani was asked if she felt changed by her experiences she replied no, she was still the same person. As a reader, this gave me an awful lot to think about.

In terms of the story, I really enjoyed reading about Ani and her internal struggle, as well as all the action that was taking place. I wanted to know more about the "love interest" character Seth (this is YA, after all) as I thought the book was a little heavily focused on the main character and it would have been good to get a bit of variety.

Weirdly, it felt like this book was a sequel as the story takes place nine years after the first instance of resistance takes place. Will there be a prequel? I would be excited to see what happens next/previously.

Overall, I did enjoy this book although I found that some parts were a little overwritten and as a result the book was correspondingly overly long. However, I did think that the author has set up an exciting premise for the subsequent novels.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from Resistance. It sounded like the type of book I would love, but I was a little apprehensive going in because I was afraid it would feel too cliche. But let me tell you,my fears were definitely misplaced. This was such an interesting and engrossing book. I’m so glad I decided to give it a try.

In the world of Resitance, humans are divided into four separate Elements: water, fire, air, and earth. Anaiya is a Fire Element, charged with maintaining “Orthodoxy” at all costs (basically meaning everyone should do exactly what they’re told and not go against the grain). Her entire world is turned upside down when she is sent on an undercover mission to route out the city’s resistance group.

I found the whole concept to be really intriguing. Although I wish there would have been a little more time spent on world building. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what the world is like and why it’s that way, but I still found myself needing a bit more description. Especially in the beginning.

Anaiya’s character development was fantastic. While at times I was frustrated with her decisions, every one of them seemed to make sense with what I knew about her during each stage of the book. I would have liked to get to know some of the other characters a little better, but given how this book was written I can see how that might be hard to do.

All in all, Resistance is a great read. If you’re a fan of dystopias and futuristic stories, I would highly recommend checking this book out. I’m excited to see where Kopievsky takes the story next!

Anaiya is a fire elemental and peacekeeper in the city of Otpor. It’s been nearly two generations in Otpor since the execution of Kane 148 and the city being returned to Orthodoxy in which Anaiya helps protect every day proving her loyalty and value to keeping the peace. But when Anaiya comes across a mural upon a city wall that is calling for the resistance she finds herself given a high risk task that just made demand an impossible sacrifice, Anaiya’s own identity.

Resistance is an adult science fiction/dystopian read in which the author has created a world in which there is incredible tension in the land and characters that are fighting in which to keep the peace. As much as I wanted to love this one I never really found myself getting completely engaged in the read for the most part due to the somewhat overwritten style in my opinion. Just a bit too much descriptive text that kept burying the story within and I found it hard to keep myself focused on the world and the plot within.

While I’m rating this one at 2.5 stars I’m sure that some will love what the author did with this story and the world in which it takes place. There’s a mix of dystopian and science fiction with also a touch of romance involved so for the fans of somewhat mixed genres with a slower pace it might be right up their alley I just personally kept wanting a faster pace and more action.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm not sure how this review is going to go, but I absolutely LOVED this book. Set in a future post-apocalyptic dystopian Paris, people in society are divided into the four elements, with each type of Elemental being conditioned to a different type of personality and job. Fire Elementals are the Peacekeepers (police) and Rescuers. Air Elementals are the artists, musicians, and literature experts. Water Elementals are tech-focused, and Earth Elementals are the lowly laborers. Every element has its place. To go against the rules of the Orthodoxy means you are Heterodox, and must die. Into this society, a small wrench is thrown in the form of murals preaching Resistance, a forbidden word. Anaiya, a Fire Peacekeeper, is given the chance to find the leader of the resistance in order to nip it in the bud, but in order to do so, she has to lose her identity.

Okay, I'll be real, I read a TON of dystopian fiction. Most of it is in the Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium, etc. vein. Usually, they're predictable, and have a lot of the same tropes. I felt differently about this one, though. It has a darker underlying tone than most of the other dystopians I've read. It's grittier. Anaiya is also a fascinating character, and we see everything from her perspective. At the beginning, before the big resistance plot starts, following her around is a bit unsettling. Fire Elementals don't really have emotions like we do, and I found myself easing into this world with some trepidation. Once the plot really kicks into gear, though, it becomes even more interesting as things develop and we have words for and understand what Anaiya is feeling, even when she has no vocabulary or comprehension herself. Throughout, she is pretty interesting, even if at times you want to ask her what the hell she's thinking. I really wanted her to make different choices a lot of the time, but I'm also glad she didn't...because what I wanted would've been trope-y and predictable, and I'm so much more satisfied with the messiness I got.

The world building is also very well done. From the get go, we're just thrown in willy nilly to the world. Full force. At first, it's confusing. Then, as you realize what's going on and the way the society is structured, you come to understand it, and then maybe revile it, though the concept is also intriguing. There's a fresh blend of neuroscience and everyday life here, and it also doesn't feel super far-fetched in a very terrifying way. The other thing I liked aobut how the world was built was that I didn't get all of the answers I wanted in this book. There's inklings of how the society is managed, but I want to know who's at the top, pulling the puppet strings, and I'm hoping to get more of that in future installments of the series. There are still things to discover here, and that's always fantastic.

If you've ever read my blog before, you'll also know I'm a huge sucker for characters. Development, interesting side characters, I love it all. While they weren't all super well-developed, the people Anaiya encounters as she builds relationships on her mission are varied. Through her eyes, their group dynamics are a little muddled, but still clear enough to figure out when you read between the lines. I like that I had to work for the information I got, and I had to puzzle it out, just as Anaiya was. It added to the mystery of her mission, and I was super invested in the side characters, wanting them so much to survive and thrive in this crazy society (well, for the most part).

Overall, Resistance is a masterpiece of dystopian fiction, in my mind. It's engaging and hard to put down, and I found myself yelling and cursing at people in the book, as if they could hear me. There's no happily ever after here, there's no easy answers or choices, and there's plenty moral gray areas. As you learn and grow beside Anaiya, you come to see the society as it really is, even if you don't know all of the big players. This is dark, my friends, and the ending will feel awful. However, there's hope, as it is the first in a series. Please do yourself a favor if you like dystopian novels or speculative fiction, and pick this one up when it releases Friday, Jan. 20.

Note: I received this book from Netgalley & Kyrija Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Resistance is a stunning debut. The world building is very unique and goes right down to the language used. The book starts with an execution, so we know what is at stake for Anaiya when we learn that the man whose execution we witnessed was her mentor, and that she was under suspicion of having been influenced by him.

Anaiya is a great character, ready to take risks and generally kick arse. Moving from the Peacekeepers to the Air Element allows her to get a different view of how other sectors experience the Fire Elementals, and you can feel her beginning to doubt the world view she has held up until this point. Anaiya is not entirely sure what she should do about this or if there is anything she can do.

There is a romance element, but Anaiya doesn’t completely lose herself to that relationship and still focuses on her mission, although her feelings – something she isn’t used to – do end up clouding her judgement in a realistic way.

Intense, imaginative and gripping, if you like dystopian fiction, you will want to read this book. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

Resistance is set in a future dystopian Paris, now called Otpor. Citizens must conform to the state's rules, and Orthodoxy – as the conformist attitude is referred to – must be maintained at all costs. Heterodoxy – any nonconformist behaviour – is a crime punishable by death.
Anaiya (Ani) 234 is a Fire Element, and her role as an elite Peacekeeper means that she helps to maintain order using whatever methods she considers appropriate, including the use of violent force where necessary.
It’s been two generations since the last case of Heterodoxy, but fears of a new rebellion have now been raised as murals calling for Resistance begin to spring up around the city’s walls.
Desperate to stamp out any signs of Heterodoxy, Ani is selected for an undercover mission to infiltrate the Resistance and to identify its leaders. But her mission comes at a high price, as she must sacrifice her identity and her beliefs in order to make her cover story feasible.
Resistance is a wonderfully complex debut novel, and sits firmly in the dystopian genre for me. Set in a city that seems to be a police state, Otpor’s people are aligned to an element – Earth, Air, Fire or Water. Their element decides the sort of job they will take on, who they will socialise with as well as many of their attitudes and beliefs. Whilst a caste system is not a new idea, I thought that it worked really well in the novel, and I thought that the various traits displayed by each element were well-matched to each designation. From the promiscuous Fire Elements to the more arty Air Elementals, I thought that this was cleverly done.
As someone who loves dystopian fiction, I couldn't help but liken certain aspects of the novel to other works of this genre. The main two that sprung to mind were Brave New World and Zamyatin's We, although I did also wonder if the bar Soylent was a tribute to the film Soylent Green (which was based upon Harry Harrison’s Make Room! Make Room!). Whilst these, and possibly other works, may have had an influence on Kopievsky’s writing, Resistance is certainly an original piece of fiction, and I think that it will appeal to fans of these kinds of novels.
Whilst I enjoyed the story overall, I did have a couple of minor issues, however. I didn’t fully grasp the nature of the world, which seems like something of a police state, but it wasn’t clear who makes the rules that Otpor’s citizens must conform to. Similarly, there are hints that there are no family units – that parents and the raising of children by traditional methods are no longer utilised. I took this to mean that babies aren’t born but developed in a lab (a la Brave New World), but this was my interpretation of what I’ve read. Kopievsky has created such a fascinating world and I really wanted to understand it in full, but found that I still had a few questions about how it all worked by the end of the novel.
Additionally, Ani’s investigation once she is undercover does (at one point literally) have her stumbling across the right person. It’s just too convenient, and I found this to be a little disappointing. Not quite a deus ex machina perhaps, but I thought that it could have been easily avoided.
That said, Resistance is a very interesting story with some extremely interesting elements (no pun intended) to it, and it’s an intriguing and refreshingly original addition to the genre. The first of the Divided Elements series, I’m extremely curious about what comes next.
Resistance will be published on 20 January. Many thanks to the author, publisher (KYRIJA) and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.

Welcome to Otpor, where there is only one acceptable way to live: Compliance and acceptance of the Orthodoxy. Conformity is the cardinal rule and anything defined as Heterodoxy will have mortal consequences; Resistors will be executed!

Anaiya is a Peacekeeper in this futuristic landscape, making sure citizens act accordingly and most importantly, follow the laws of Orthodoxy. She is also an Elemental, as are all Peacekeepers. With Resistance on the rise, Ani is given a very critical job which comes with some heavy decisions. Tasked with going undercover to infiltrate the resistors, she will be stripped of her conformity, her brain will be reworked to think like they do. An interesting premise for sure, and even more interesting to see that without the Orthodox thoughts, it's a bit of freedom for Anaiya, who's now able to have her own thoughts, her own emotions, and most importantly, she's able to see things from the point of view of the resistors.

Resistance turned out to be quite different than I initially thought it would be. I knew it was dystopian and would probably share many elements that other dystopian novels share, but what made different and unique to me was the entire Orthodox/Heterodox storyline and how readers were able to see and feel how it's like on the both the Orthodox and the Heterodox sides. Anaiya has spent much of her life conforming, accepting Orthodoxy, and I loved how once it was taken away and after she's experienced the Unorthodoxy, she's left questioning whether or not there should only be One Way. It added so much to her character, made her seem much more human than before.

The world-building, while initially confusing, starts to take shape as the novel progresses. The author doesn't make it easy in the beginning by throwing around terminology and gadgetry like it's familiar territory for readers. By the end, many elements, for me, were still a bit foggy, but many were also given more explanation. The characters in the beginning were also a bit robotic and machine-like but again, as the story progressed, they were fleshed out a bit more and given more humanity and emotion.

Bottom line - I enjoyed Resistance for the most part, despite my confusion regarding the world and how it works. A solid 3.5 stars, and I have no doubt that sci-fi and fans of dystopian novels would surely love this book.

*eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Resistance is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel which is set in Paris. This book explores the idea of post-humanity where people are conditioned to act a certain way and believe certain things based on their 'alignment'.

When I first started reading this book I thought it would be a bit like Avatar: The Last Airbender with the human population being split into four different elements: Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. I was completely wrong. Each Elemental alignment influences how each human behaves, their career choices, and even what they drink on a night out but they cannot wield the element they're aligned with. I've also read reviews where the book is compared to the Divergent series but I haven't read that series so I can't comment.

The story explores the realignment of a Fire Elemental called Anaiya (known as Ani) for a mission. Ani is a Peacekeeper, a group of people who act almost like our police force, and she's given a special mission to stop the Resistance. Ani is turned into an Air Elemental and she is able to infiltrate the group that are the driving force behind the Resistance. However, not everything is as it seems and there's a rather large twist in the plot that I didn't see coming. The plot is exciting and different and I enjoyed it.

There's a little bit of a romance between Ani and one of the Air Elementals known as Seth but it adds to the plot because it makes Ani think about who she is. She's torn between her former life and her new life, even if that new life is fake. It also distracts her from her mission a bit but that's also due to her realignment as an Air Elemental which supposedly makes her more emotional. I'd like to see this romance developed in further books but the way the relationship is portrayed is perfect for this first novel.

I like Kopievsky's writing style. It's fast paced and entertaining. The beginning is slightly confusing because you're thrown into a world with no explanation but you learn more about the world you're in throughout the book. I enjoyed the little nods to the setting of post-apocalyptic Paris with bits of the French language being employed to reinforce this idea.

I really enjoyed reading this debut novel by Mikhaelya Kopievsky. I thorough enjoyed the plot and the romance aspects weren't off-putting at all. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction novels.

I'm really looking forward to reading more of Mikhaelya Kopievsky's writing in the future because Resistance is a great opening book.