Young Elites by Marie Lu

Pages: 355

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Notes for Parents: There are scenes of violence and mature themes

The Back Cover

A decade ago, a deadly blood fever swept through the nation. Most of the infected perished, but some survivors were left with strange markings, rumored to signify powerful gifts for those who possess them. And though their identities remain secret, this group of survivors has come to be called The Young Elites.

The Inquisition Axis seeks to destroy them. The Dagger Society aims to find them before the Inquisition Axis. And Adelina Amouteru just wants to be left alone. But two truths will soon surface.

Adelina’s powers are far from ordinary…and she is not to be crossed.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series.

What’s good?

This is a lyrical and emotive adventure story full of secrets, betrayal, and danger. Characterization is strong, and will likely get even better as the series progresses. Adelina is a main character in chaos. She’s on the edge of good and evil and it will be interesting to see how her character develops later on. The plot is simple, but there was plenty of action, tension, and romance. There were also a few interesting twists and turns. The ending was unexpected.

Best Part: Adelina is a wonderfully flawed and troubled character; and Raffaele is my favorite.

What isn’t good?

The plot is fairly predictable, though there were a few things I didn’t see coming. The pace was inconsistent, but the slow parts were only moderately slow and the fast bits were action-packed. The world-building was minimal and the setting was confusing – a fantasy world on another planet (three moons) that takes a lot from Renaissance Italy. It felt kind of…lazy.

Worst part: The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were pointless.

Recommendation ☻☻☻☺☺ (3/5)

I gave it three checkmarks, but it’s more like three and half. This was a good introduction to what could be a great series. While the premise was a little thin, the characters drove the story and were well-drawn. I admire how the author played on the balance of power and blurred the lines between good and evil. There is a lot of potential here.

Lu, Marie. The Young Elites. New York: Speak, 2014.