I have been hesitant to read The Pledge because I have not read that many great reviews, but when I found it in audio, I just had to give it a try, and i am SO GLAD I did because this book was incredible! The light dystopian element, the historical themes, the revolutionary plots. Every single minute of listening to this audio kept me on the edge! I would stay a couple of minutes in the car after I parked because I just didn't want to leave this world. In the end I ended up getting the ebook and finishing it because of how impatient I was and how addicting and exciting The Pledge was. The story is set in a world that is segregated by class, and where each class has its own language, however the protagonist, Charlie, has the gift of understanding and speaking every language; A lowly class girl understanding the sacred language of the higher classes? a transgression that would result in immediate death if found out. However Charlie is like any girl, working at her family's restaurant, going to school, and hanging out with her friends. However when she and one of her friends go to a club, she meets Max, an alluring and attractive man that speaks a language that is unheard of, of course she understands it. This is when the clues and subplots fall into place. Charlie finds herself implicated deep into the center of the dictatorial and deadly regime.
If you do not enjoy historical fiction, I would still recommend this book to you since the 'politics' in the book never truly make an appearance, yes there is a royal family and a tyrant queen, but the story centers around Charlie and only a chapter or two is dedicated to the queen. Kimberly Derting delivered a unique and amazing book with another amazing female protagonist and a tight plot and writing that would make you fall deep into this dystopian world.