First Impression:A world in which people lives are directed not by the government as we know it, but rather moral statutes. A world where people are arrested for the most minor offenses and they may never come back? Article 5 piqued my interest with this harsh government. I just had to know more.While Reading:Our story opens with Ember, a normal girl trying her best to follow the Moral Statutes, and her mom, a single mother who secretly does her best to maintain life as she knew it before the war, before the Moral Statutes, before everything... But everything changes with the addition of Article 5. An article declaring that it is illegal for children to be born out of wedlock. And all this would be more than enough for a young girl to go handle... but to make matters worse is the addition of the only boy that Ember ever loved. And he is one of the arresting officers. From the safety of her home, Ember is thrust into a rehabilitation center. And Ember must fight. Fight for her freedom. Fight for her mother. Fight for the boy she once loved... no mater what.Article 5 is a stark world. War. Control. A world where disobedience is not tolerated. Where people disappear daily to never be heard from again. Simmons instantly drew me into this world. I wanted to know everything about it. And while Simmons did a wonderful job exploring her world, there were still aspects that were not as explored as I would have liked. The War was the biggest offender. It is hinted at as the cause of the Moral Statutes, but I was never completely sure why this War had happened. As for our characters, loved them! Ember is a brilliant female lead. I loved her from the very beginning. She has the fight and resilience to be a force to be reckoned with. Never give up is definitely her motto. And when she was paired with Chase. Oh boy, the sparks flew. Chase was a nice foil to Ember. Very sensible. Very hard. A boy after my own heart. While I adored the romance between Ember and Chase, the climax between the two characters never felt fully realized. It simmers and simmers, but it never overflows like I felt like it should have.Verdict:Article 5 is a fast-paced, well-written dystopian that never lets go. Two characters on opposing sides that capture your heart. A strict world that lives solely to inforce laws. A rebellion brewing that could change everything. Brilliant, I say!
