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Saturday, October 14, 2017

BOOK REVIEW: The Young Elites (#1) by Marie Lu

Synopsis from Goodreads

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.
 
Source: Bought
Series: Book One of The Young Elites Trilogy
 
MY REVIEW
4 Stars
 
The Young Elites is one of those book which everyone was raving about a few years ago, at the time I didn't get involved but was still interested as I had read the Legend series and enjoyed it. So this week I decided it was time to finally start blasting through some of the book which I bought last year but hadn't read yet, so I picked Young Elites up without reading the back (and it has been quite a few years since I read any Marie Lu books) so I went in completely blind.

From my vague recollections I thought this book was gonna be more dystopian/ post apocalyptic setting. So was surprised with the dramatic opening chapters introducing us to this fantasy world, in which we meet Adelina who is in the equivalent of death row, awaiting her death for murdering her father.Although we get thrown into the middle of this situation we are quickly given a bit of a back story - something I was really glad about, the books i have read recently have withheld backstories to 'add to the mystery', so this made a nice change.

Adelina appears to quickly make a few friends within the society, I personally particularly like Raffaele as a character he is very perceptive and isn't scared to say it as it is. He is also world wise but he still has such a calm and caring personality. I felt as though the romance was a bit predictable but Adelina, oh Adelina ... she does manage to dig herself a hole by keeping such big secrets and you could tell it was all going to blow up in some way. I just didn't see it all going down quite like that! That ending was a complete shock and I really don't know how Marie Lu is going to take this series forward, but it will be interesting to see how these experiences impact our characters in the next book.

The Young Elites, was everything I was expecting, a few much loved tropes, some shocks and surprises, and some interesting grey characters which will leave you wondering who acted in the wrong.