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helen901 's review for:
The Young Elites
by Marie Lu
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
The book that made come back to Goodreads after so many years!
It's been a while since the last time I gave 5 stars to a book, specially when it came to YA, high fantasy ones.
The general idea of the book was that a Blood Fever that covered the world for over a decade that caused children to become powerful, malfettos. The could manage fire, air, and other things, but they become isolated from the society, some people hated them, others fear them, or worship them. More than a reader I'm also a writer, and since I was ten years old l, I've written stories about good characters that slowly turn to the evil side, either because they been forced by the situations or because their true nature's finally showed up. A writer friend recommended me this book because I told her I need some inspo about high fantasy worldbuildings, she told me: “Oh, the general idea of this book seems a lot like yours, the fever, children with powers and stuff” so I gave it a try.
When I first read the title of this book this first thing that came to my mind was that this has to be a kind of dystopian, futuristic sci-fi book, like the Legend Series, I read Legend when o was 15 years old I think, that was seven years ago but I really like it, so I always thought of giving this book a try because I enjoyed Marie Lu's very first book series. Back then I had an internet friend that loved this books and always recommend them to me, even though she always said the main character was a little bit annoying but she like her anyways. I always kept this book in my 'want to read' list but I never give it a try, and over the years I've been reading all kinds of books I haven't reviewed in here, I've been reading more non fiction books and I think my taste has changed a lot now that I am an adult. The last time I actually read a High Fantasy YA book was Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Mass back in 2017 I think, and it was so disappointing that I gave up with that gender.
Now, the plot: I think is really good, similar to mine, the fever that caused marks to the children that suffered, giving them unlikely powers, the whole kingdom if very well settled and I love the quotes Marie uses at the beginning of every chapter.
Now, my favourite part: let's talk about the characters:
The general ideology of the characters is well written, either of them is 100% good, which I like a lot, because in every one of my stories I have that one morally gray character. I think it's realistic to show a characters ambitions and goals, and even though we don't get to bond with all the Daggers, their intentions are very clear. There's only three points of view in this book and that was fine to me, the fact that Adelina's pows are in first person and the others in third makes the reader bond even more with her thoughts and emotions. When it comes to YA books, the characters often are so perfect that they become unlikable, unrealistic, female characters become Mary Sue's and Manic Pixie Dream Girls and I don't like that. But this time it's totally different.
Adelina Amouteru: the main character of the story is a carefully written character, far from being perfect, she's a flawed character. Her character's been forced by the abuse she had to suffer from her father her whole childhood. She's wrecked, she's broken, she feels like she has something dark lurking inside of her and I think that makes her a realistic character, cause anyone that has suffered that kind of abuse would turn out damaged. If I had read this book back when it came out and I was still a teenage, I would probably had judged her wrong, I'm glad now I didn't do it because she is pure, her rage makes of her a passionate character with antagonist inclinations.
Rafaele Laurent Bessette: when I first read this character, though he would be the main male protagonist because of his pow, something Enzo is lacking off. I don't have anything negative of positive to add to this character, I would said he is described as mischievous, filtratious, elegantly presented and functional kind of character. Fun fact: he would be the main character of the story but Marie Lu thought he was way to bland and she didn't wanted to tell the story of a hero. I'm glad she took the advise of her friend and didn't make Adelina a side character. I think we often overlooked this kind of characters because they are way to good and soft, but as I came to the end of the book, I've realized that all this time Rafaele was the real leader behind the Dagger Society. He was really pulling at Enzo's strings, even though Enzo is a strong minded character. I would really like if Marie Lu turn this character to the dark side and shows he real ambitions.
Teren Santoro: the main villain of the story. I think the fact that he is a malfetto and want to eradicate the world of his kind makes him a really interesting characters. He doesn't feel special about the way he is, on the contrary, he thinks of him as a monster. He chases the Daggers, he chases Elites, he wants to destroyed them all. I wish I could read more of him, get to know him better and see if after he engaged to his commitment of killing all the Elites reminning, he would kill himself as well, since he is an abomination.
Enzo Valenciano: the main male character, the crown Prince and rightful king. I'm still crying over him. I think, to be a 18/19 years of character, he is very mature, focused character, he believes in what he wants and knows how to take it. He has greatest ambitions and that placed him on the leadership of the Dagger Society. The intensity of his character drives me crazy. He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do, he always has the last word and he truly believes in his righteousness. He's not recklessly impulsive, he's passive aggressive, he's cold hearted but warm in some kind of way. He's far from being a hero, because he kills and desposed and doesn't care about Elites that cannot be used by him or his society in order to get him to the throne. He deserved so much better and Marie Lu played him so dirty I'm still crying.
Anyway, great story, great characters, I'm starting the next book right away.
The book that made come back to Goodreads after so many years!
It's been a while since the last time I gave 5 stars to a book, specially when it came to YA, high fantasy ones.
The general idea of the book was that a Blood Fever that covered the world for over a decade that caused children to become powerful, malfettos. The could manage fire, air, and other things, but they become isolated from the society, some people hated them, others fear them, or worship them. More than a reader I'm also a writer, and since I was ten years old l, I've written stories about good characters that slowly turn to the evil side, either because they been forced by the situations or because their true nature's finally showed up. A writer friend recommended me this book because I told her I need some inspo about high fantasy worldbuildings, she told me: “Oh, the general idea of this book seems a lot like yours, the fever, children with powers and stuff” so I gave it a try.
When I first read the title of this book this first thing that came to my mind was that this has to be a kind of dystopian, futuristic sci-fi book, like the Legend Series, I read Legend when o was 15 years old I think, that was seven years ago but I really like it, so I always thought of giving this book a try because I enjoyed Marie Lu's very first book series. Back then I had an internet friend that loved this books and always recommend them to me, even though she always said the main character was a little bit annoying but she like her anyways. I always kept this book in my 'want to read' list but I never give it a try, and over the years I've been reading all kinds of books I haven't reviewed in here, I've been reading more non fiction books and I think my taste has changed a lot now that I am an adult. The last time I actually read a High Fantasy YA book was Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Mass back in 2017 I think, and it was so disappointing that I gave up with that gender.
Now, the plot: I think is really good, similar to mine, the fever that caused marks to the children that suffered, giving them unlikely powers, the whole kingdom if very well settled and I love the quotes Marie uses at the beginning of every chapter.
Now, my favourite part: let's talk about the characters:
The general ideology of the characters is well written, either of them is 100% good, which I like a lot, because in every one of my stories I have that one morally gray character. I think it's realistic to show a characters ambitions and goals, and even though we don't get to bond with all the Daggers, their intentions are very clear. There's only three points of view in this book and that was fine to me, the fact that Adelina's pows are in first person and the others in third makes the reader bond even more with her thoughts and emotions. When it comes to YA books, the characters often are so perfect that they become unlikable, unrealistic, female characters become Mary Sue's and Manic Pixie Dream Girls and I don't like that. But this time it's totally different.
Adelina Amouteru: the main character of the story is a carefully written character, far from being perfect, she's a flawed character. Her character's been forced by the abuse she had to suffer from her father her whole childhood. She's wrecked, she's broken, she feels like she has something dark lurking inside of her and I think that makes her a realistic character, cause anyone that has suffered that kind of abuse would turn out damaged. If I had read this book back when it came out and I was still a teenage, I would probably had judged her wrong, I'm glad now I didn't do it because she is pure, her rage makes of her a passionate character with antagonist inclinations.
Rafaele Laurent Bessette: when I first read this character, though he would be the main male protagonist because of his pow, something Enzo is lacking off. I don't have anything negative of positive to add to this character, I would said he is described as mischievous, filtratious, elegantly presented and functional kind of character. Fun fact: he would be the main character of the story but Marie Lu thought he was way to bland and she didn't wanted to tell the story of a hero. I'm glad she took the advise of her friend and didn't make Adelina a side character. I think we often overlooked this kind of characters because they are way to good and soft, but as I came to the end of the book, I've realized that all this time Rafaele was the real leader behind the Dagger Society. He was really pulling at Enzo's strings, even though Enzo is a strong minded character. I would really like if Marie Lu turn this character to the dark side and shows he real ambitions.
Teren Santoro: the main villain of the story. I think the fact that he is a malfetto and want to eradicate the world of his kind makes him a really interesting characters. He doesn't feel special about the way he is, on the contrary, he thinks of him as a monster. He chases the Daggers, he chases Elites, he wants to destroyed them all. I wish I could read more of him, get to know him better and see if after he engaged to his commitment of killing all the Elites reminning, he would kill himself as well, since he is an abomination.
Enzo Valenciano: the main male character, the crown Prince and rightful king. I'm still crying over him. I think, to be a 18/19 years of character, he is very mature, focused character, he believes in what he wants and knows how to take it. He has greatest ambitions and that placed him on the leadership of the Dagger Society. The intensity of his character drives me crazy. He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do, he always has the last word and he truly believes in his righteousness. He's not recklessly impulsive, he's passive aggressive, he's cold hearted but warm in some kind of way. He's far from being a hero, because he kills and desposed and doesn't care about Elites that cannot be used by him or his society in order to get him to the throne. He deserved so much better and Marie Lu played him so dirty I'm still crying.
Anyway, great story, great characters, I'm starting the next book right away.