The Young Elites

Author : Marie Lu

Genre Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia, Fiction

Publisher: Putham’s Sons Books

Year: 2014

Ranking : 3,7/ 5

 

Synopsis

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.

The Author

Marie Lu (born Xiwei Lu) is an American young adult author. She is best known for the Legend series, novels set in a dystopian and militarized future. Lu was born in 1984 in Beijing, China. By the age of 5, she and her family moved to the United States in Georgia in 1989. She attended the University of Southern California and interned at Disney Interactive Studios. Before writing her first book, Lu worked as an art designer for the video game industry.

Personal Experience with This Book

I thought about reading this book since a long time ago. And, after finishing "Legend" it was completely normal that I wanted to read more from Marie Lu. With "Legend" This author won me as a reader. Anything that she writes I will read.

The plot of the book is good. The whole idea of ​​malfettos and the dystopian society where there are people being discriminated against by certain factions and/or features is super interesting. The way Marie Lu develops the story is also good, and the book itself has a good pace. It gives information - which is the goal of a first book - but also has us concerned because there are many things that are happening.

My main problem with the book, and why I did not give it even a 4 was that I failed to connect with the characters. Although Adelina is our protagonist and the reader should make a deeper connection with her, because you are inside her mind, I did not feel anything with her. I felt she had suffered a lot but that was all. I hope to see a change in her. Other characters I must say that I felt flat. As if they were there filling in, even with Enzo I did not connect. With Teren I got to have a little more connection but it was not much.

Marie Lu’s writing is very light. I think that helps a lot because you do not get bored reading a book by Marie Lu. I think if it were not for that, I would have taken longer to read this book. So; I highlight the story, the dark environment, the fact that we do not have the typical fair and charismatic character that everyone loves and has thousands of qualities, we have a historical setting combining it with a dystopian world and we have a very light writing style, I highlight all that. However, having a little convincing, flat characters that do not convey things. As a reader makes the enjoyment of the same story less agreeable.

I emphasized the way in which this book was completed. I got surprised because I did not see coming what happened. This aroused my curiosity about the next book. I will see what will happen in the future and how the author will develop the characters. I have a lot of intrigue especially for the epilogue and hopefully I get my hands on "The Rose Society" soon.

I recommend it for people who like little dark stories. People who like the somewhat unusual stories and do not have much trouble having too many characters and such, they are not as well constructed. I think this will be one of those trilogies that improves with every book, now we will have to see if it's true or not.