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nannahnannah's review against another edition
1.0
DNF @ like 6%
yeah, that's a little awful. But so was my reading experience. I feel like this book has so much extreme ableism and violence against disabled people disguised as representation.
I initially picked up this book because of the many good reviews and recommendations -- and because the MC has a missing eye. Representation! Yay! But it wasn't long before things started to become really icky.
A severe fever wiped out much of the people of Adelina's country. Survivors often don't come through unscathed (such as Adelina, whose eye had to be removed). These survivors with disabilities are called malfettos, and treated as second class citizens, shaming their families, blamed for their failing country, usually unable to get suitors, abused constantly, and are even burned at the stake.
ok. Read that again. As a disabled person, do you know how awful it is to read a book where there's this much violence against disabled people? People like me are already treated as second class citizens. I don't need to read about a world where we're villainized even more (you can't get disability, what about our family reputation? our taxes are wasted on the disabled! you can choose either medicaire or marriage, but not both [which really happens]. And don't even get me started on the violence against disabled people that happens in real life).
Not to mention that the title, The Young Elites, refer to those malfettos who somehow got superpowers from the fever that almost killed them. And they only rescue the disabled people who also have superpowers - as in, who can also do something for them. At least that's how I read it. It feels like how in real life disabled people are only "worth something" when they have something to "give society," like an autistic person who's an amazing artist or something.
In any case, this is all I'm gonna say about this book now. I can't read any more.
yeah, that's a little awful. But so was my reading experience. I feel like this book has so much extreme ableism and violence against disabled people disguised as representation.
I initially picked up this book because of the many good reviews and recommendations -- and because the MC has a missing eye. Representation! Yay! But it wasn't long before things started to become really icky.
A severe fever wiped out much of the people of Adelina's country. Survivors often don't come through unscathed (such as Adelina, whose eye had to be removed). These survivors with disabilities are called malfettos, and treated as second class citizens, shaming their families, blamed for their failing country, usually unable to get suitors, abused constantly, and are even burned at the stake.
ok. Read that again. As a disabled person, do you know how awful it is to read a book where there's this much violence against disabled people? People like me are already treated as second class citizens. I don't need to read about a world where we're villainized even more (you can't get disability, what about our family reputation? our taxes are wasted on the disabled! you can choose either medicaire or marriage, but not both [which really happens]. And don't even get me started on the violence against disabled people that happens in real life).
Not to mention that the title, The Young Elites, refer to those malfettos who somehow got superpowers from the fever that almost killed them. And they only rescue the disabled people who also have superpowers - as in, who can also do something for them. At least that's how I read it. It feels like how in real life disabled people are only "worth something" when they have something to "give society," like an autistic person who's an amazing artist or something.
In any case, this is all I'm gonna say about this book now. I can't read any more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse
vaniavela's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Adelina Amouterou is a malfetto, marked in more ways than one.
I loved the concept of The Young Elites and the different powers and abilities each Elite has. I can't believe Marie Lu always writes such amazing stories. I am so in love with her mind.
One of my favorite aspects is that the "special" characters, the ones with powers, are not treated like heroes or royalty. They are cursed and cruelly killed. Even if you're just marked, with no sign of powers, you can end up dead in the worst possible way.
These characters yearn for more. Whether it's love, power or revenge, they all need something. I love complex characters, they constantly make me hesitate between loving them or hating their existence. This time, Marie Lue has achieved both.
The diversity is this book has been well written, finding not only different skin colors, but sexualities and disabilities.
The Young Elites has exceeded my expectations, giving the perfect start to a trilogy.
TW: ableism, abuse (during a sexual encounter, off page), blood, body horror, child abuse, confinement, death, death of a parent, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, (minor) gore, self harm, suicidal thoughts, torture, violence, disease, bigotry, imprisonment, physical abuse, ableism, eye removal due to illness, ableist slurs, child selling, mention of stoning, mention of fire, mention of putting people the stake, child abandonment, bigotry, mass death, mention of death of parent, stabbing, soldiers brutality, mobs, murder, cheating, manipulation, vomiting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Murder
itshardizzy's review
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was a refreshing take on the usual book that goes for the hero journey trope. Our MC Adelina is not a hero, she fits more as villain actually. she is rage driven and the one thing that she wants is revenge. her powers do not come from the stuff people consider good, she actually have powers that comes from fear and anger two dark feelings.
The book isn't focus on romance which I personally like. We are focus on Adelina facing her own fears and her own self, and as she experience things we start to understand more what she feels. Adelina has deep trust issues and a deeper problem with her self esteem – she personally doesn't think that she is loveable and she doesn't think someone will ever love her.
We also have the point of view of three other characters throughout the book: Enzo (the usual hot, powerful leader), Raffaelle (my personal favorite, a very attractive men) and Teren (our villan and antagonistic mal who is the floor where the queen steps on). Their POV are not 3rd person while Adelina's 1st person, which do clarify who is the true protagonist.
We have a plot twist in the end that kinda of shocked me, and honestly it felt very good for the plot and for our character. The hook in the end made me a little confused and interested to see what that was all about, and what the author has reserved for the continuation.
The book didn't really made me that interested but I want to read the other 2, only to know what will happen to Adelina and Raffaelle (please I need more of him).
The book isn't focus on romance which I personally like. We are focus on Adelina facing her own fears and her own self, and as she experience things we start to understand more what she feels. Adelina has deep trust issues and a deeper problem with her self esteem – she personally doesn't think that she is loveable and she doesn't think someone will ever love her.
We also have the point of view of three other characters throughout the book: Enzo (the usual hot, powerful leader), Raffaelle (my personal favorite, a very attractive men) and Teren (our villan and antagonistic mal who is the floor where the queen steps on). Their POV are not 3rd person while Adelina's 1st person, which do clarify who is the true protagonist.
We have a plot twist in the end that kinda of shocked me, and honestly it felt very good for the plot and for our character. The hook in the end made me a little confused and interested to see what that was all about, and what the author has reserved for the continuation.
The book didn't really made me that interested but I want to read the other 2, only to know what will happen to Adelina and Raffaelle (please I need more of him).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
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