Article 5: Compliance is Mandatory (Article 5, #1)

by Kristen Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes. There are no more police - instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behaviour - instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back. Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different. Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for non-compliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings...the only boy Ember has ever loved.

• ISBN10: 0765329581
• ISBN13: 9780765329585
• Publish Date: 31 January 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 10 July 2014
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Tor Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[nannah]

Ahh, what would dystopias be without sexism, misogyny, and heteronormativity?

(3.5 stars)

Content warnings:
ableist language
sexism
misogyny
violence against women
slut-shaming
heteronormativity

My opinion of this book keeps going back and forth from positive to negative. I just can't make up my mind . . .
On one hand, I hate that authors think dystopias and oppressing women/traditional gender roles go hand in hand. It's a mindset and a trend I want to kill with fire. On the other hand, Kristen Simmons really tries to turn a few annoying (and sexist) cliches around, which is refreshing.

The beginning of this book is pretty sickening. Ember and several other girls are shoved into a bus by all-male soldiers who laugh at their pain and take enjoyment from teasing and mocking them. I get that this is to milk the atmosphere here, but I wish it didn't have to be done by using male dominance over women. Because why would I want to read a book where all the women are treated so horribly? Ember's mother is subjected to slut-shaming because of her free spirit and was treated badly by many of her boyfriends for that same reason. Like, okay, I get the book's dark. But is it too much to ask for a book that doesn't also create an unsafe place for women?

Speaking of, I'm incredibly FURIOUS about what happened to Rosa's character. How dare she be used as a prop to show off the reform school's (and the soldiers') cruelty? With her being the only explicitly-described woman of color, it's even more awful. Her vibrant character was only written that way so it could be beaten down and defeated.

Despite that I really don't like the whole (very intentional) misogynistic tone of the story, I do appreciate some of the messages presented, such as when Rosa tried to escape at the beginning. The soldier hit her, and Ember was horrified. Another girl said, "She's crazy." And Ember said, "She's crazy? Did you just see that he just--"

I can't begin to explain how much I loved those two little lines, because in real life victim-blaming happens all the time. Having the main character acknowledge and call out this behavior is amazing. It made me want to cheer (also, how sad is it that it's so rare for this to happen that it needs celebration?).

The "Whole Family - 1 man, 1 woman, & children" thing really shouldn't have surprised me, as it's kind of a standard for dystopias, but I wish authors wouldn't just forget about queer people when they write. I guess LGBTQIA+ folk just don't exist in this book/version of the USA. I'm also wondering about people who can't conceive. The Whole Family includes children, after all. Are those people violators?

The book's strongest point, by far, is Ember. I loved her more and more as the story progressed. She is so incredibly brave and strong and proactive, but she also reacts to things in very realistic ways--so much so that there were times I needed to pause and get myself back together (such as when she dropped the baton in the truck after the two men attacked them). I was SO invested in Ember and her mother's story.

It was when Ember made the plan to leave Chase because he seemed dangerous and frightening that I fell in love with her. This woman is amazing. A female YA protagonist sticking up for herself and putting HER SAFETY before her love interest? I wanted to jump up and cheer for her. I know things didn't end up like she planned, but she made that choice herself. Also, my FAVORITE LINES (which may be more Kristen Simmons than Ember): Chase: "But while we're together, you don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. I promise I will never hurt you." And Ember thinks, there were plenty of ways to hurt someone without using your fists. Either way, it's one example of the way Kristen Simmons tries to fix some troublesome cliches that run rampant in so many YA books.

Chase is . . . more complicated (although, a leading MoC! I may have screamed). He's another rough love interest with a heart of gold that comes standard to YA fiction these days, and it wasn't long before I got really tired of the way he was written. Specifically, "his face darkened," "his eyes darkened," etc. I think they made up 80 percent of his facial descriptions. He was surrounded by a lot of vague descriptors in general (i.e., "Chase cradled my name as though it was an injured bird." ?).

I'm also FURIOUS that the whole plot ended up being about him. With such a great MC like Ember, this turn came like a physical blow. I'm trying to keep this from being too spoilery, but Chase keeps important information from Ember to "protect" her. What's revealed basically makes the plot's catalyst all about him and not about Ember or her mother. I'm furious. Screw women's pain being used to motivate men or punish men. Readers should feel for women and their stories without them needing to motivate a man's story. This is saying far too much already, so I'll stop here.

I'm being unfairly cranky, maybe.
I LOVE Ember. And I LOVE her mother.
And my very favorite moments were when Chase and Ember encountered people along their journey to the carrier--the way each person reacted to Ember and Chase, their situations, and the whole dystopian country in general. There was a lot of thought behind the way those different people reacted to the same events, and it was really wonderful to read.

There were just too many YA dystopian cliches (sexism, heteronormativity, child regulation, heavy romance, missing parent, and a resistance group called The Resistance thrown in the last 1/4 to top it all off), and too few original elements to spice these tropes up for me to enjoy it more.

[Rinn]

Also reviewed on my book blog, Rinn Reads.

First it was vampires and werewolves, now it's dystopian fiction. Each trend in YA fiction produces a wide number of new series and standalones, some stand-out, some awful and others somewhere in between. This book is sadly one of the latter.

I had quite high hopes for this book. I just find dystopian fiction really fascinating - forget zombies, werewolves, vampires, aliens - what's scariest to me is the human race. How, in this sort of fiction, we turn on one another, destroy each other, become our own worst nightmares. For our modern day societies so focused on and obsessed with freedom, their dystopian equivalents become the total opposite. So I tend to read a lot of it - or at least plan to!

Although the world is nicely built, the statutes are pretty horrific and it works really well as a dystopian nightmare, there just isn't enough explanation as to how the world got this way. Whilst I understand that this is just the first book in a series and the explanation may appear in later books, I really feel that at least some of the background behind it should have been explained. How did the Moral Militia come about? Why are the sexes so strongly segregated? How long have things been this way? And why oh why do people follow all these rules and not make a noise?

However, this is a dystopian where the main character really suffers at times. Ember is treated quite horrifically - many of these sorts of books tend to skip or glaze over such things, particularly when it comes to the main characters, so you never get a real feeling of how bad the situation actually is. But this time we see her treatment first hand and the reader really realises how backwards this world is - everything that people are fighting for in our modern day world e.g. gay marriage, religious freedom etc, is destroyed and they are very much back to basics.

What would have made the book even more gut-wrenching? A likeable main character. Ember just really frustrated me. She couldn't see that Chase was trying to help her and sacrificed a lot just to get to her; she threw so much back in his face and acted like a total spoiled brat. The romance was very much chock-a-block full of teen angst, and I preferred Chase as a character by far. The flashbacks to their previous relationship added a nice touch, but Ember's reaction to Chase and her behaviour around him after was really odd. I get that she thinks he is a completely different person and not the boy she fell in love with, but I just didn't see any sort of link or chemistry between them whatsoever. It also annoyed me that she seemed to have a total lack of sense, especially considering the sort of world she lives in. If someone comes at you with a weapon, you defend yourself. She can't bring herself to hurt others in self-defence - which some may seem as a redeeming character trait - but I see as pure foolishness, especially when you consider what she's gone through to get where she is. In a dystopian universe I'd expect people to have better survival instincts. But luckily, by the end of the novel she finally realises she can't just mope around and she actually has to do something. Which slightly redeemed her in my eyes, but she's still got a long way to go!

I actually read the entire book on the train to York - a four and a half hour journey. It was an easy read and whilst enjoyable, suffers from a case of 'Annoying-Main-Character-itis' and a total lack of chemistry when it comes to the romance. Although props to Kristen Simmons for really demonstrating with her main character just how awful this dystopian world is - I just wish she'd explained how it got that way.

[Kelly]

http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/article-5-by-kirsten-simmon.html
Article 5 was entertaining, but somewhat predictable. An authoritative and cruel government creating a well behaved society where no one is granted individuality, a common theme with Dystopian novels, but the storyline seemed to lose it's way.

What begun as a false imprisonment, a cruel detention center for girls where they are beaten and tortured if they step out of line, morphs into a road trip once Ember has been freed. The action them settles into a strange lull through the bulk of the second half, only to explode once again with only a chapter or two to go. It was good, not great though.

I did enjoy the characters, even the villains, which were difficult to identify. I've noticed with my focus on Dystopian novels this month, reading them back to back, that the majority either fall into the category of being incredible and blow your socks off, or they're safe, predictable and boring.

Sadly, this didn't blow my socks off, but overall, still somewhat entertaining.

[Ashley]

booknook — Young Adult book reviews

The cover for this book is awesome. AWESOME. Just... yeah. I'm pretty sure I drooled all over my copy.

Article 5 wastes no time getting started. Chapter 1: Ember's mother is getting arrested. BANG! I loved that. We jumped straight into the story! The only thing I didn't like about that, was that I then had no idea where the story was headed. The blurb gave us nothing beyond her mother getting arrested, which happens immediately. So I'll give you a little teaser in case you want to know more about the story (no spoilers though!). Ember gets taken away to some sort of "reform" school for girls, which is all about whipping them into shape (sometimes literally) and training them to be proper women who follow the Statutes. But all Ember can think about is how she has to get out of there to rescue her mother. Eventually, Ember finds herself on the run with Chase ("the only boy Ember has ever loved") and together they try to find a safe haven, away from the soldiers.

Kristen Simmons created a fascinating dystopian world in Article 5. The world is clearly in some sort of post-war crisis and they think that an overbearing government will help keep everything under control. One thing we never learn is exactly why the world is the way it is. We know there was a terrible war, but we don't get many details on it. How did the United States go from being "free" to cracking down on control? The transition between freedom and control is still very unclear to me — how did it happen? I'd really love to know the answers ot these questions and I can only hope they'll be addressed in book 2!

This book had a lot of intense emotions, which I loved. Ember had a great mind and was always reflecting and analyzing situations. The story was told in third person, but I feel like we got a great glimpse into her thoughts. She has to deal with Chase having changed, with the idea that she may never see her friends again, and worry about her mother's safety. However, there were also times when Ember was really annoying. Like when she freaks out because Chase almost kills a man while trying to protect her from getting raped/killed. Ember completely freaked out and tried to run away from him. I mean, really? It's not like Chase was killing a guy in cold blood.. he was trying to save her life! But by the end of the book, Ember develops into a much stronger character.

My favourite part of Article 5 was the way that Kristen Simmons contrasted the present Chase with memories from their past. We'd get a look at Chase how he is now: cold, hard, and distant. Then, Kristen flashed back to a memory from 1+ years earlier, where he was soft, sweet, and loving. It was really heartbreaking to see the difference and it made me constantly wonder what Ember was wondering: what happened in Chase's life as a soldier that completely changed him? The romance and tension between the two characters was intense, devastating, and hopeful — all at the same time.

Unfortunately there were times when Article 5 felt slow. In the middle, the bulk of the story was just Chase and Ember alone together, traveling across the country, and trying to find safety while staying under the radar. It was just traveling, some occasional talking, and a lot of reflecting. There were long stretches where it felt like nothing was really happening. And I also noticed a lot of repetition. While I enjoyed a lot of Ember's "reflections" (as described in the earlier paragraph), it did get pretty repetitive. Sometimes it felt like every single page had something about how Chase had changed so much, or Ember wondering why he was different, or Ember remembering the past, or Ember worrying about her mom, or Ember thinking about how she'd never see her friends again. I really felt like I saw some sentences more than once. One example:

He smelled of the woods and faintly of soap.
—Article 5, Page 244

I literally saw that twice. And there were other ones that repeated about how Ember "suddenly realized she'd never see Beth again."

But Article 5 was still a very strong, emotional, and interesting book. I'm officially stalking the series and can't wait to read Breaking Point! (February 2013 — seriously?? :().

Amazing. The plot, the characters. Everything. This book makes you think. While Ember annoyed me at times, her growth is truly amazing. And I just wanted to hug Chase, the tortured soldier with such a great heart.
Full review to come.

[lizarodz]

Well, Article 5 is a very different dystopian, actually the worst imaginable future. I did enjoy the story though.

Overall I liked Ember’s character. She was resourceful, brave, and loyal, BUT I had a few issue with her. She was impulsive and did things without thinking that nearly got her killed and certainly got her in deep trouble. The inner workings of her mind were strange. I mean, anyone could see from a hundred miles away that Chase was crazy in love with her (but her, of course!) I don’t want to spoil the book for you, thus I will restrain myself of telling you the specifics of the dumb decisions she made. I am glad that she seemed to be more mature by the ending of the book.

On the other hand, I LOVE Chase. Ember and Chase were next door neighbors and have more or less been in love with each other forever. For reasons unknown Ember figures out that he stopped loving her after being drafted; I don’t think she ever thought of what poor Chase had to go through. Chase is loyal, loving, practical, capable and gorgeous, his one and only focus is Ember and how to keep her safe. I love knights in shining armor, and Chase did not disappoint. Other characters are transient and minor, but very well crafted.

The story is disconcerting. From all the dystopian books that I’ve read this is by far the worst imagined post-war ever. I’m not exactly sure about the war itself, but the world after is awful. There is a president that seems to think that reverting back about 100 years ago (in mentality, family structure, and women’s attire) and talking away all the citizen’s liberties was a good idea. This new world is violent, full of injustice, starvation, want, need, and dictatorial. I do hope that the resistance can do something about it and I’m looking forward to that. The plot is really good, and the story is full of action. The writing is very good, well paced, with enough background for us to understand and follow the story.

About the cover: Yep, that’s about right. All major cities are gone; here we see a ravaged city with Ember and Chase looking down. I love the red elements of the title and Chase’s shirt.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Kristen Simmons debut novel Article 5 blew me away. Set in the United States this post apocalyptic dystopia was gripping and the romance bittersweet. I consumed this book in a few hours and it left me wanting more, wrought with emotion and completely convinced I could never be compliant.

The tale focuses on seventeen year old protagonist, Ember Miller. She and her mother live alone in a world where the Bill of Rights has been revoked and they are now governed by the Moral Statues. A list of rules (articles) that if not adhered to, can have you arrested, tried and convicted. The whole country is run by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Their rules are enforced by a group of soldiers nicknamed, the Moral Militia. In this crazy world, (that must be run by some crazy religious zealots) only one religion is accepted, there is no internet, the news is controlled by the government and a candy bar will cost you a hundred dollars. Holding someone’s hand while unwed in public is a punishable offense. At the school Kristen attends, soldiers regularly show up and arrest students for Article violations; eerily they are never seen again. When Kristen returns home after school, the soldiers show up and arrest her mother for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statues. Kristen struggles to stop them from taking her mother and recognizes one of the soldiers. It’s Chase Jennings. Chase use to live next door and he is the only boy she has ever loved. Outraged that he would participate in arresting her mother, she strikes an officer. Kristen is arrested and taken to a reform school/home run by the sisters of Salvation. Kristen learns she will remain here until her eighteenth birthday. Concerned for her mother and unwilling to submit, Kristen makes plans for her escape. The tale that unfolds and the journey Kristen takes left me breathless, outraged, depressed, delighted and craving more of Simmons tale.

While Simmons world-building prepared me for this oppressed, sadistic, controlled new world, it also left me frustrated with questions. We never learn about the war or why the people accepted this new government. I am hoping that book two, which remains yet untitled will shed some light on these questions. Having said that, I was complete caught up in the tale, and Simmons’ characters. While flawed they had such depth and believability. Her depiction of the Moral Militia and the Sisters of Salvation send goose bumps down my spine. A farm family of three who’d sell out their neighbor for a reward reeked of what a post-apocalyptic world would entail. We meet broken and brave souls willing to risk it all. This is a world where one’s humanity is lost to preserve self. To survive you must trust no one. The plot was fast paced with lots of action and was very character driven. The tale Simmons’ weaved had lots of twists and reveals that sent my heart racing and my emotions soaring.

Kristen and Chase are both flawed characters. Kristen has been the parent in her relationship with her mother, she feels abandon by Chase and feels utterly helpless. She struggles with this because her personality demands that she be independent and self-sufficient. The fact that she depends on Chase scares her. Chase has had an equally tough life since the change. His mother has passed and after spending time with his Uncle, he is basically abandoned. He is drafted by the militia and there he is broken. The romance between the two of them, at times broke my heart. It is quite apparent that these two love each other but there is so much baggage, emotions, and things left unsaid, that they constantly hurt each other. Watching the two of them figure things out was a rollercoaster ride, and I ended up loving every frustrating, emotional minute of it. In Kristen and Chase, Simmons’ captures what happens to the human mind when placed in survival mode. How it struggles to abandon its own ethical and moral code to survive.
see the full review and more @ http://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewer.blogspot.com/

[clementine]

I was really excited to read this book, because I devour any and all dystopian YA fiction. The premise seemed really interesting, sort of like a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale (not that it would ever actually compare to that). But... I was really disappointed.

Ember bothered me so much. First of all, I could not get past her name. Ember, really? Her name was the most interesting thing about her - and a character can't be carried by her unique name. When Ember wasn't being whiny and stupid, she was just plain bland. Nothing about her made me care what happened to her. I also didn't care what happened to Chase - Ember keeps talking about how awesome he is, but nothing he ever did showed that. He is a douche, plain and simple. I really hated Ember's relationship with him, because she spent a very large portion of her time whining about how she could never be with him again because he was so different. I also didn't care about Ember's mother or her friends Beth and Ryan, because they were never developed at all. I cared the most about Sean and Rebecca, who were little more than just plot devices!

The plot was very simple, and that bothered me. Really, Ember just had to get from Point A to Point B. The author threw in a few curveballs here and there, but they seemed pretty random, and didn't connect to the overarching plot in any significant way or add new threads that were tied up at the end. There was also very little explanation about how the United States got to be how it was. There were some mentions of "the War", but I really wish that had been expanded upon.

This is a matter of personal preference, but I really hated the writing style as well. All of those weird metaphors just made my skin crawl.

However, I did find the climax of the book pretty exciting and enjoyable, and I liked the reasonably ambiguous ending. I felt like the premise and world within the book was so interesting, and it certainly held my attention. I just really wish the characters had been developed more, and I wish the plot had been more complicated. The dystopian society described in Article 5 is intriguing; the rest of the book is dull.