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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Sooo... this did not turn out how I expected it to. The storyline and plot were great, and I would've given it five stars except for the ending. There was nothing wrong with it, it just wasn't what I wanted for this book. Some people might find that it's a nice change from your average fantasy story with heros and villains, but my thing is that I LIKE those average fantasy stories, and I just didn't like the difference that much. Also, I wish that there was more focus on the characters. I feel like even the most involved side characters we didn't know anything about, even at the end. There was no personalization for anyone except Adelina, and honesty Teren. Enzo, Gemma, and the rest of the Elites are very unremarkable by way of their personality/character. I can't even remember half their names, and I just finished the book 5 minutes ago. Even while reading parts in a whole sitting I completely forgot that whats-his-face the artist guy existed until he happened to show up in a random scene. Even Violetta, who had more character than the rest was sort of blah. I feel like some books you feel so connected to the characters, adore even the most obscure side characters, and desperately wish they were here in real life, and I just think a lot more could have been done to put more oomph into these characters. Honestly I probably won't be continuing with the series, it just wasn't something that I'm even like "oh I have to know what happens" because it was do bland that I just don't care. The idea of this book is very interesting, thiugb, and it would have been really good if written better.
For once, I’m not reading about a troubled girl turn into a hero and it’s refreshing. Adelina is a character who has been shown no kindness in the world she lives in. After living in cruelty from her father and eventually killing him, she was taken in by a group where she believed she could belong. But even then, she couldn’t receive kindness without any strings attached. And she has to turn her back on them to start a journey of her own.
Although I wasn’t convinced of Adelina and Enzo’s love, I thought it was an interesting plot point. Their romance served as a way for Adelina to not become a better person but to increase her passion and the darkness within it. He served his purpose for Adelina’s development.
I wished we got to learn more about Daphne. One struggle about this book was that we were introduced to so many characters that none of them, besides Adelina, had any real development or backstory.
I did like that her father tormenting her was a consistent happening throughout the book. Many authors forget this. After how much trauma he inflicted in her, you wouldn’t expect him to no longer torment her even after his death. Essentially, he has helped shaped her to who she is and during high intense moments, I liked how she is reminded of him. That she begins to realize that he was right about her all along.
Although I wasn’t convinced of Adelina and Enzo’s love, I thought it was an interesting plot point. Their romance served as a way for Adelina to not become a better person but to increase her passion and the darkness within it. He served his purpose for Adelina’s development.
I wished we got to learn more about Daphne. One struggle about this book was that we were introduced to so many characters that none of them, besides Adelina, had any real development or backstory.
I did like that her father tormenting her was a consistent happening throughout the book. Many authors forget this. After how much trauma he inflicted in her, you wouldn’t expect him to no longer torment her even after his death. Essentially, he has helped shaped her to who she is and during high intense moments, I liked how she is reminded of him. That she begins to realize that he was right about her all along.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was an amazing story. I loved the whole thing!
Every time I turn around, young adult literature gets darker. The Young Elites may be some of the darkest I've read, only because it takes you by surprise with it. This is not your run-of-the-mill YA dystopian lit with a big, bad government to defeat, a plucky young heroine who bucks the system, and a love triangle. Actually, this is none of those things, despite its cartoonish cover and the same author who brought you the Legend series. Oh no. This is so much darker. It's a gothic historic fiction book, with a splash of X-Men and the Black Plague to boot. In the first 50 pages, we encounter physical and mental child abuse, a child being sold into sex slavery by her father, a brothel who sells seventeen-year-olds for their virginity, patricide, and self-flagellation. And this is marketed to our 15-year-olds.
In this world, the Black Fever has wiped out a large percentage of the population. The survivors are left marked in various ways - a streak of blue in their hair, a purple mark on their cheek, two different colored eyes - and are known as malfettos. A small number of these malfettos were also left with unique powers - to control the wind, to communicate with animals, to bring people back from the dead. These are the Young Elites.
Our heroine - or, anti-heroine, to be more exact - is Adelina. She escapes being sold into sexual slavery by her father and is taken in by The Young Elites when they discover her hidden power - to create powerful illusions. But Adelina is different - because she has been abused and stifled by her family for so many years, she is fueled by anger, fear and passion. The more furious she becomes - the stronger her power grows. Not sounding like your typical dystopian girl, huh? When she is blackmailed by The Inquisition, a Gestapo of sorts whose sole purpose is to eliminate the kingdom of malfettos and destroy the Young Elites - she has to choose sides.
I REALLY liked Adelina. She is flawed, and angry, and she ends up making her own path instead of choosing one that has been laid out for her. Just my kinda girl. I also really enjoyed the ending -
Spoiler
killing the love interest, the prince, who was supposed to be the savior of the land? Brilliant.Four stars.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very good, I liked the storyline a lot, however the tone for the book felt a long younger than Adelina is so that was a bit odd
Un très bon petit YA pour commencer l'année ça fait toujours plaisir !
Ce livre est dans ma PAL depuis si longtemps, et à chaque fois je me disais que j'allais le lire et je ne le faisait jamais. Eh bien aujourd'hui je l'ai fait.
J'ai beaucoup aimé les prémices de l'histoire – la maladie, les marques, les pouvoirs : ça laisse entendre une bonne intrigue.
Mais ce que j'ai aimé le plus, c'est le personnage d'Adelina. On est loiiiin de l'héroïne qui veut faire le bien et c'est un plaisir d'être dans sa tête. Elle est sombre, torturée, nourrit par ses passions intenses et a du mal à contrôler ses penchants pour la violence : c'est parfait !
Le groupe des Daggers est très intéressant et j'ai particulièrement aimé Enzo et Raffaele – Enzo pour son côté charismatique et Raffaele pour la dualité entre son apparence bienveillante et sa personnalité prête à faire le nécessaire pour le bien du groupe.
Teren est un antagoniste qui me plaît, j'aime avoir ces quelques pages de son point de vue – je pense que sans cela je l'aurais vu bien différemment et ça aurait été dommage. J'ai hâte de voir ce que tout cela va donner.
Alors on est quand même loin d'un coup de coeur, le scénario était un peu trop simple pour ça et certains personnages restaient un peu trop clichés, mais j'ai passé un très bon moment et les deux tomes suivant promettent une belle lecture !
Est ce que le roman mérite vraiment 4 étoiles ? Je n'en sais strictement rien mais ce que je sais c'est que j'ai passé un bon moment et que j'ai accroché à l'histoire donc ça me suffit.
Ce livre est dans ma PAL depuis si longtemps, et à chaque fois je me disais que j'allais le lire et je ne le faisait jamais. Eh bien aujourd'hui je l'ai fait.
J'ai beaucoup aimé les prémices de l'histoire – la maladie, les marques, les pouvoirs : ça laisse entendre une bonne intrigue.
Mais ce que j'ai aimé le plus, c'est le personnage d'Adelina. On est loiiiin de l'héroïne qui veut faire le bien et c'est un plaisir d'être dans sa tête. Elle est sombre, torturée, nourrit par ses passions intenses et a du mal à contrôler ses penchants pour la violence : c'est parfait !
Le groupe des Daggers est très intéressant et j'ai particulièrement aimé Enzo et Raffaele – Enzo pour son côté charismatique et Raffaele pour la dualité entre son apparence bienveillante et sa personnalité prête à faire le nécessaire pour le bien du groupe.
Teren est un antagoniste qui me plaît, j'aime avoir ces quelques pages de son point de vue – je pense que sans cela je l'aurais vu bien différemment et ça aurait été dommage. J'ai hâte de voir ce que tout cela va donner.
Alors on est quand même loin d'un coup de coeur, le scénario était un peu trop simple pour ça et certains personnages restaient un peu trop clichés, mais j'ai passé un très bon moment et les deux tomes suivant promettent une belle lecture !
Est ce que le roman mérite vraiment 4 étoiles ? Je n'en sais strictement rien mais ce que je sais c'est que j'ai passé un bon moment et que j'ai accroché à l'histoire donc ça me suffit.