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Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Pandemic/Epidemic
TW grooming and sexual abuse
For example, one of the main settings is a brothel where the main character is disguised as one of the children being trained to work there. We find out that the first sexual experience of the young people when they come of age is auctioned off, but it felt like this was only part of the story to prove that the main love interest was a good guy for paying to only talk to one of the other main characters rather than abuse him.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Genocide
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: War
Read The Young Elites if… you like Vi and Jinx from the show Arcane.
Don’t read The Young Elites if… you do not enjoy anti-hero/morally gray protagonists, violence, and depictions of child abuse.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood
Minor: Confinement
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
This is the third series from Marie Lu that I've read. The Legend and Warcross series, specifically. I went into The Young Elites expecting a similar format in pacing and narration. I was sad to see that this book did not grab my interest as quickly, nor made me want to keep listening chapter after chapter.
I will say that this book/series has a very different theme from Lu's other works. You are rarely rooting for Adelina to win in this book, which is the point of the text! Unfortunately, it didn't resonate with me as much of her other novels.
If you are looking for a young adult book that has a villain arc for the main character, and a solid amount of worldbuilding, I'd say this is the book for you! This just wasn't my cup of tea.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment
Minor: Genocide, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Murder
Minor: Sexual content
I liked the magic aspect of it and the tiny bit of romance that we got. I also LOVE that it's basically a villain's origin story, it's so tragic - it's so good. It makes me excited to see what happens in the next book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 will be continuing the series
Minor: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail