(clicking on the cover will take you to Goodreads!) | Title: The Young Elites Author: Marie Lu Published on: October 7th 2014 Genre: Dystopian Fantasy (YA) Author's blog Part of a series?: The Young Elites #1 Get a copy: Amazon I Barnes & Noble |
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.
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.
Is there going to be a sequel? There had better freaking be one, or I'm going to raise he-
OH THERE IS ?!?!
One day I will meet Marie Lu, and I will let her know the grief, the joy, the overwhelming darkness, and the overall exhilaration of reading The Young Elites and how it is both okay and not okay. I will let her know that the Legend trilogy was already a story that wowed me but The Young Elites was so much better that it totally knocked the books off a spot of their inital ranking on my imaginary Top 10 Best Reads of 2014 list . And topped it. Like a boss.
Be prepared, guys, for The Young Elites is a book like no other. 50 pages into the story and I realized that all along, this story was what I had been waiting for. The ohmygoshguys-thisbookreallychangedmylife story, like Hazel (from TFiOS) saving her ten. Before The Young Elites, I don't think I have ever truly labeled that for a book. It didn't exactly change my life but it sparked so much passion and wildness in me that I cannot begin to describe other than "I REALLY love this book." Trust me guys, this book was so much more intense than every other story I read this year. (I could say it was on par with The Winner's Curse but The Young Elites...I love it even more.)
Marie Lu has always ignited in me a level of enthusiasm and eagerness for her stories. The Legend trilogy proved to be different and enticing from my usual reads, but Marie has well and truly done it this time. First I have to praise the people behind this amazing cover, for heightening my excitement for The Young Elites. Now this is a book cover that doesn't downplay the awesomeness of the story. Moving on to the actual topic at hand, now what, you may ask, is it about The Young Elites that made it so much more different and wonderful?
From the characters to the setting, everything felt right and helped maintain a sense of unease that was growing inside of me right from the first page. It wasn't conspicuous right away from the start, but I could tell it was there. And that made my reading experience way more better. Similar to the Legend trilogy, The Young Elite follows the story of an evil protagonist, Adelina Amouteru, who has received nothing but pain and resentment growing up because she is a malfetto. The anger and darkness inside of her builds up until one day, an event that provoked Adelina causes her to unleash her rage and fury in the form of powers. They are a side effect of the blood fever - if one does not died from it, they will receive markings, which will make them a malfetto. Malfettos are regarded as dangerous and shameful by most of the society, for the reason that they are uncontrollable. Some of them will be able to possess gifts, like Adelina. The Young Elites reach Adelina just in time to save her from the people who want her dead. They want to make her one of them, a Young Elite, but not before proving that she is worthy. After being treated by people who hate her all her life, Adelina believes that she finally belongs somewhere...or is she?
While fast-paced, The Young Elites has so much to offer and does not disappoint. It was to my delight that there was more to discover about the Young Elites and the powers they have after that stimulating introduction to the story. Not for one moment -not one, I tell you- did my attention stray elsewhere while I was reading the story, and I mean it. The shifting mood of the story - from betrayal and hate to acceptance, contentment, conflict, and back to resentment once more, latched on to me. I wanted to savour the story bit by bit but at the same time, felt like chomping it all down.
Me voting for Best YA Fantasy & Science Fiction of 2014:
*cue the angels singing sound effect*
my rating for The Young Elites:
Marie Lu executed the plot twist (or should I say twists?) perfectly. She gives small hints and details that will have you thinking that something is in the air, quite like a time bomb, before dropping the bombshell. It warns you that something big is happening soon - it will hurt, so brace yourselves. The way she carries them out is cleverly planned and smooth, prepared to shock and confound without being too outrageous.
Oh don't mind me, I'm just casting my vote. Wait...
In theory, villians are not supposed to be liked, but we love them anyway - in some books, that is. Marie turns the tables in The Young Elites by making the protagonist herself a villian, and I applaud at how original and fleshed out Adelina is. Her faults enhance her self-discovery and I found myself rooting and cheering for her as much as I doubted her, which just shows how good Marie is at manipulating her characters, the storyline, and the emotions of her readers.