In a literary landscape saturated with dystopian narratives, Ariel Sullivan emerges as a distinctive new voice with her debut novel “Conform,” the first installment in what promises to be an ambitious trilogy. This carefully crafted story transcends typical genre boundaries, weaving together elements of romance, rebellion, and profound social commentary into a narrative that feels both intimately personal and universally resonant.
Sullivan’s work immediately distinguishes itself through its sophisticated approach to familiar dystopian themes. Rather than relying on surface-level oppression and straightforward rebellion arcs, “Conform” delves deep into the psychological machinery of control, exploring how authoritarian systems manipulate not just bodies but minds, hearts, and the very conception of self-worth.
World-Building: Architecture of Oppression
The Illum’s Calculated Dystopia
The society Sullivan constructs is a masterclass in subtle world-building. The Illum, as the ruling class, have created a system that feels both alien and uncomfortably familiar. Their classification of humanity into Elite, Minor Defects, and Major Defects creates a hierarchy that extends beyond simple social stratification—it becomes a fundamental redefinition of human value based on genetic “perfection” and compliance.
What makes Sullivan’s dystopia particularly effective is its focus on the destruction of art and culture. Emeline’s job cataloging ancient human artwork for elimination serves as a powerful metaphor for how authoritarian regimes systematically erase memory, beauty, and the human spirit. The art becomes a silent witness to what humanity once was, and its destruction represents the ongoing erasure of human complexity and emotion.
Visual and Atmospheric Excellence
Sullivan demonstrates remarkable skill in creating atmospheric tension through her descriptions of the city’s physical geography. The Elite literally live “in the clouds” while others remain grounded, creating a visual representation of social hierarchy that resonates throughout the narrative. The contrast between the sterile, monitored living spaces of the Minor Defects and the opulent, elevated world of the Elite reinforces themes of inequality while providing rich sensory details that immerse readers completely.
Character Development: Complexity in Shades of Gray
Emeline: A Protagonist Worth Following
Emeline emerges as a compelling protagonist precisely because she embodies the contradictions inherent in living under oppression. Sullivan avoids the trap of creating a perfectly rebellious heroine from the start. Instead, Emeline begins as someone who has internalized the system’s messages about her own worthlessness—believing her heterochromatic eyes mark her as fundamentally flawed—yet still possesses an irrepressible curiosity about art and beauty.
Her character development unfolds organically throughout the narrative. The moments where she questions the system feel earned rather than forced, growing naturally from her experiences and observations. Sullivan particularly excels in showing how Emeline’s relationship with art becomes a gateway to understanding her own humanity and worth.
The Love Triangle: More Than Romance
The romantic triangle between Emeline, Collin, and Hal transcends typical YA romance tropes by serving the larger narrative themes. Collin represents the seductive yet dangerous allure of power and privilege—he offers Emeline everything the system has taught her to want, yet his position within the Illum makes him potentially complicit in oppression. His complexity emerges gradually; he’s neither purely villainous nor entirely heroic, making him a fascinating character to navigate.
Hal, as a Major Defect working with the resistance, embodies rebellion and authenticity. Yet Sullivan avoids making him a perfect revolutionary hero. His knowledge of art history and his refined speech patterns suggest depth beyond his assigned social status, raising questions about the arbitrariness of the classification system.
Supporting Characters: Depth Beyond Function
Sullivan populates her world with supporting characters who feel like real people rather than plot devices. Lo’s unwavering faith in the system provides important contrast to Emeline’s growing doubts, while characters like Nora and Gregory add layers of complexity to the Elite class, showing how even those in positions of privilege can be trapped by the system they seemingly benefit from.
Writing Style: Elegant Restraint and Emotional Depth
Prose That Serves the Story
Sullivan’s writing style demonstrates remarkable maturity for a debut novelist. Her prose strikes an excellent balance between accessibility and literary sophistication. She employs a measured, thoughtful pace that allows for both character introspection and world-building without sacrificing narrative momentum.
The author shows particular strength in her handling of dialogue, which feels natural and character-specific. Each voice is distinct, from Emeline’s cautious questioning to Hal’s confident irreverence to Collin’s controlled formality. The conversations feel genuine while still advancing plot and character development.
Atmospheric and Sensory Writing
Sullivan excels in creating mood through sensory details. Her descriptions of the underground Archives, where Emeline destroys art, create a palpable sense of loss and melancholy. Conversely, her depictions of Elite gatherings in the clouds convey both beauty and underlying menace. The contrast between these settings reinforces the novel’s themes while creating vivid, memorable scenes.
Thematic Depth: Beyond Surface Rebellion
Art as Resistance and Memory
One of the novel’s most powerful themes involves the role of art in preserving humanity and memory. The systematic destruction of pre-war artwork serves as both plot device and metaphor. Sullivan uses Emeline’s work to explore how authoritarian regimes seek to control not just present behavior but historical memory and cultural identity.
The moments where Emeline contemplates the destroyed paintings—wondering about the artists, the subjects, the stories behind each work—become some of the novel’s most moving passages. These scenes effectively communicate how art serves as a bridge between past and present, individual and universal experience.
Identity and Self-Worth in Oppressive Systems
Sullivan demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how oppressive systems shape individual psychology. Emeline’s journey involves not just external rebellion but internal revolution—learning to question the messages about her own worth that have been drilled into her since childhood. The novel effectively explores how marginalized individuals internalize systemic oppression and the difficult process of unlearning these harmful beliefs.
The Complexity of Choice Under Constraint
Rather than presenting simple choices between good and evil, Sullivan explores the nuanced reality of making decisions within constrained circumstances. Emeline’s choices throughout the novel reflect the complicated reality of survival under oppression, where even small acts of resistance carry enormous risk.
Critique: Areas for Growth
Pacing Considerations
While Sullivan’s measured pacing generally serves the story well, there are moments, particularly in the middle section, where the narrative momentum slows significantly. Some of the introspective passages, while beautifully written, occasionally halt forward movement in ways that may challenge reader engagement.
Romance Balance
Although the romantic elements are generally well-integrated with the larger plot, there are instances where the love triangle threatens to overshadow the broader themes of resistance and social justice. The novel is strongest when the romantic tension serves the larger narrative about power, choice, and identity.
World-Building Gaps
While the overall world-building is impressive, some aspects of the society’s structure could benefit from additional explanation. The logistics of how the Illum maintain control, the specific nature of the “Last War,” and the broader geography beyond the city remain somewhat vague.
Comparison to Genre Contemporaries
Standing Among Dystopian Literature
“Conform” joins the ranks of sophisticated dystopian fiction that includes classics like Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and contemporary works like Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games.” However, Sullivan’s focus on art, beauty, and cultural memory gives her work a distinctive place in the genre.
The novel shares thematic DNA with works like Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” in its concern with the destruction of cultural artifacts, but Sullivan’s focus on visual art rather than books creates unique opportunities for exploring themes of beauty and aesthetic experience.
Contemporary YA Dystopian Romance
Within the specifically YA dystopian romance subgenre, “Conform” by Ariel Sullivan demonstrates more sophistication than many comparable works. It avoids some common pitfalls—the instantly perfect heroine, the obviously evil antagonist, the purely aesthetic world-building—while delivering the emotional satisfaction readers expect from the genre.
Looking Forward: Series Potential
As the opening volume of a planned trilogy, “Conform” by Ariel Sullivan succeeds in establishing a complex world and compelling characters while leaving significant room for development. The novel concludes at a natural stopping point that satisfies immediate narrative questions while clearly setting up larger conflicts for future installments.
Sullivan has created a foundation strong enough to support extended exploration of her themes and characters. The questions raised about resistance, identity, and the nature of freedom provide rich material for future volumes.
Final Assessment: A Promising Beginning
“Conform” by Ariel Sullivan represents an impressive debut that successfully balances entertainment with substance. Sullivan has created a dystopian world that feels both fantastical and uncomfortably relevant, populated by characters complex enough to sustain reader investment across multiple volumes.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its sophisticated approach to familiar themes. Rather than simply telling a story about rebellion against oppression, Sullivan explores the psychological and emotional dimensions of living under authoritarian control. Her focus on art and beauty as forms of resistance adds unique depth to the narrative.
While there are areas where the novel could be strengthened—particularly in pacing and some aspects of world-building—these are relatively minor concerns in what is overall a compelling and thoughtful work.
For readers seeking dystopian fiction that offers both emotional engagement and intellectual substance, “Conform” delivers admirably. Sullivan has established herself as a writer to watch, and this trilogy opener suggests great things to come.
Recommended for Readers Who Enjoyed
The Selection Series by Kiera Cass (similar themes of social hierarchy and romantic choice)
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (power dynamics and personal agency)
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (reproductive control and resistance)
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (dystopian romance with complex love interests)
An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard (systems of magical oppression)
The Power by Naomi Alderman (examinations of power structures and social change)
“Conform” by Ariel Sullivan stands as a notable addition to dystopian literature, offering readers a thoughtful exploration of resistance, identity, and the enduring power of human creativity in the face of oppression. Sullivan’s debut suggests a promising career ahead and leaves readers eager for the next installment in Emeline’s journey.