Ariel Sullivan’s Conform is a dystopian love triangle set in a future where women are bred only as procreators. The world creation is thought provoking but does the love triangle hold water? Read below for my full review of Conform.
What’s Conform About?
Conform is a dystopian novel that takes place in a future where an elite group known as the Illum rules, women have no rights and are bred to be procreators, and a group of outcasts are executing a rebellion. Emeline has been chosen to mate with Collin, a very elite member of the Illum. And she’s first to be selected as a mate for an Illum–but why? While she finds Collin equal parts infuriating and undeniable, she also finds herself attracted to the mysterious Hal, a powerful rebel.
Here’s an official description:
A lifelong outcast, twenty-seven-year-old Emeline spends her days alone, sorting ancient art for destruction. Centuries after a catastrophic war nearly decimated humanity, society is now ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum, who constantly monitor the population’s health and mandate procreation contracts. But Emeline’s bleak existence is shattered when, for the first time in decades, an Illum named Collin takes a Mate: Emeline.
Baffled as to why she was chosen, Emeline is swept into the dangerous game of the Courting, where one wrong move can mean elimination. Soon, she discovers a rebellion rising in secret, and that her Mate may be keeping secrets of his own. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders.
As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she’ll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.
Conform Details
Pages: 424 pages
Genre: Dystopian romance, world creation
Tropes: Love triangle, science fiction romance
Setting: The future
Spice Level: Conform has one open door bedroom scene, but is in general not overly spicy.
My Review of Conform
3 out of 5 stars
I had heard all the hype and was so excited to read Conform. Though I’m not a typical sci fi/dystopian romance reader, I love a big idea and a desperate love triangle. I was really intrigued to check this one out.
The set up of this book is interesting and unique in its upstairs/downstairs world and understanding Emeline’s place in it. Though I’m not sure what led the world down this path, I wasn’t hung up on some of those details. The upstairs world in particular is magical and Ariel Sullivan’s descriptions of it were stunning. I also loved the descriptions of Emeline’s process of being made ready to present to this world. The many different gowns she wears were well detailed. Many of them, though beautiful, felt like a physical burden to Emeline.
I also enjoyed Emeline’s introduction to the world of the Illum, and her first meetings with Collin. Neither are what the other expects, which is an interesting dynamic to explore. Collin, in particular, has an immediate soft spot for Emeline, though his motives are never entirely clear. Their relationship has intrigue and nuance, which is engaging.
It’s the introduction of Hal and the way his story plays out that frustrated me. Although I was able to accept Emeline’s insta attraction to him, I never trusted him. Neither love interest in this book feels like he is revealing all his cards, but Collin’s seemed to at least have the potential to be coming from a good place. With Hal, I just never felt like he was a trustworthy love interest. Part of the mystery that is being set up here is whether he is actually the leader of the rebel group or not. It’s an interesting question, but it continually reflects on Hal that he’s not being entirely honest with Emeline.
While that’s fine, it’s Emeline’s reaction to this that didn’t really work for me. Emeline seems to trust Hal pretty implicitly. Yes, she’s aware she’s not getting the whole story. But her actions underscore that she does trust him, which felt incredibly naive to me. I think for a big world story like this to work, you have to feel like the female main character is really cunning and makes smart choices (am thinking of The Hunger Games). Although she doesn’t have all the information, Emeline doesn’t always seem aware of the information she’s lacking. That made it a struggle for me to engage with her emotional journey.
Conform is meant to be part of a series, so the book is mostly unresolved in the end. This probably contributed to my frustration with the three main characters, as their motives are not really revealed in this book. Maybe by the time you finish the series, some of these issues seem more motivated. But without, the ending left me a bit cold.
Conform is worth a try for romance readers who particularly like YA (Emeline’s naïveté makes this read a bit young) and definitely worth a try for readers who love dystopian romance. Though this one didn’t entirely work for me, I think this could work better for someone who really wanted to commit to this type of ongoing book series. For me, I’ll probably just leave this as a one and done trip to the future.
Romance Recipe Pairing
I’m pairing Conform with my newest recipe for Smoked Gouda and Caramelized Onion Pull Apart Bread! Baked in a bundt pan, the pizza dough, smoky cheese, and sweet onions conform to make something absolutely mouthwatering! So delish by the fireplace with a romance novel.
