Book Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

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Title: The Young Elites
Author: Marie Lu
Series: A Young Elites Novel Series , #1
ISBN-13: 9780399167836
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 10/7/2014
Pages: 368
Age range: 12 – 17 Years

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.

I borrowed this book from my local library.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I cracked open this novel. I enjoyed Marie Lu’s Legend Series, so I assumed I would also like this, but it is Fantasy, and I don’t read a lot of Fantasy. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting in the main character of Adelina Amouteru. Besides the fact I couldn’t pronounce her last name, she was dark. Very dark, and Marie calls this the villain’s story at the back of the book. While I didn’t necessarily see her as the villain, she was an intense character with a lot of baggage. You see her make choices that you know will lead to her downfall (kind of like Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith) but you still want her to win or that her choice won’t lead to the eventualities you’re expecting.

And don’t expect a rosy happy ending. Having read Marie Lu’s work before, I wasn’t expecting sunshine and rainbows, but I also wasn’t prepared for what actually happens. As usual, Lu is great at endings, even if they don’t leave you warm and snuggly afterwards.

So basically I loved this book, if I haven’t said that already. It was superbly written, which I needed after some sub-par YA’s I’ve read recently. The characters were intensely deep and I loved the stories of Adelina’s youth, and her reactions to what happened. They seem sinister and potentially evil, but I could see myself in her interactions with her little sister. Sisterhood is a rare bond bordered on both sides by hate and love. I can’t wait to read more of this series, though I’m sure it will be heart rending from start to finish. I expect “good” to prevail in the end, but I actually like when characters don’t walk away from stories like this with their happily-ever-after. HEA’s are unrealistic after people suffer so much. I prefer as-happy-as-you-can-be endings.

My Review: 4 stars