Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by julia_stark
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The slowest slow burn that'll get hearts racing.
In the kingdom of Ilya, the people are separated not by class but by their special powers, granted to them after a plague swept through the nation. The Elites rule supreme while the Mundanes and Fatals live in the slums; as long as you have powers you're accepted in Ilya. But Ordinaries, those without powers, are a threat to the people of Ilya - those remaining in the kingdom are hunted down and put to death.
Paedyn Gray has survived the slums with pluck, her wits, thieving, and her childhood training from the father she lost five years ago, and with the help of her orphaned friend Adena. On the surface, she appears as a Mundane Psychic, seemingly able to read a person's mind. In truth, Paedyn is an Ordinary - if the secret of being powerless gets out it could spell death for her.
On what should have been a routine thievery, Paedyn finds herself face to face with a captivating stranger; when he's attacked, she unthinkingly steps in to save his life, unaware that she's defended Kai Azer, a prince of Ilya and the future Enforcer to the king, whose sole purpose is to hunt down Ordinaries and other criminals operating against the ruthless king.
This one moment of justice starts a chain reaction for Paedyn - from spending her life in the shadows to protect her Ordinary life, she's thrust into the limelight as part of the Purging Trials, a series of brutal trials designed to test the powers of its contestants for the chance of glory. Not only is she now under scrutiny from the kingdom, she's under the hypnotic gaze of Kai, his equally infatuated brother, Kitt, and the cruel King and his Elite guard. Can she keep up the facade of her Psychic powers and survive the trials, or will her bitter fight for justice and growing feelings for Kai jeopardise her entire existence?
For fans of The Hunger Games, Fourth Wing, and Divergent, Powerless was entertaining and adventurous from the first page, immersing you in a world of power and magic whilst also conveying the claustrophobic isolation of the kingdom and its slums from the rest of the land Powerless is set in. The dialogue is easy and quick-witted between all the characters, showing everyone's level of confidence and snark - Paedyn and Kai in particular are quick with everyone they come across due to their circumstances, both learning from young ages to wear masks over their emotions in order to survive.
It may be full of romantasy tropes, but Roberts writes them in a way that feels entertaining and not one big cliche. The characters are each unique in their characters, back stories, and motivations for how they live - there are characters to like with minimal page time and other characters to dislike because they're a***holes for the sake of it (personally, I love a character that's evil for funsies).
I'm more inclined to slow burn romances than spicy flings, and Powerless did not disappoint. Stolen glances, sparring and dancing, daggers held to throats while they gaze into each others eyes, and still not a single kiss throughout - and yes, I was yelling "for the love of god, when?!" I've never been so invested in an enemies-to-lovers slow burn in the midst of a gameshow battle and toppling of a regime. Powerless really had power over me and could not make me put it down!
In the kingdom of Ilya, the people are separated not by class but by their special powers, granted to them after a plague swept through the nation. The Elites rule supreme while the Mundanes and Fatals live in the slums; as long as you have powers you're accepted in Ilya. But Ordinaries, those without powers, are a threat to the people of Ilya - those remaining in the kingdom are hunted down and put to death.
Paedyn Gray has survived the slums with pluck, her wits, thieving, and her childhood training from the father she lost five years ago, and with the help of her orphaned friend Adena. On the surface, she appears as a Mundane Psychic, seemingly able to read a person's mind. In truth, Paedyn is an Ordinary - if the secret of being powerless gets out it could spell death for her.
On what should have been a routine thievery, Paedyn finds herself face to face with a captivating stranger; when he's attacked, she unthinkingly steps in to save his life, unaware that she's defended Kai Azer, a prince of Ilya and the future Enforcer to the king, whose sole purpose is to hunt down Ordinaries and other criminals operating against the ruthless king.
This one moment of justice starts a chain reaction for Paedyn - from spending her life in the shadows to protect her Ordinary life, she's thrust into the limelight as part of the Purging Trials, a series of brutal trials designed to test the powers of its contestants for the chance of glory. Not only is she now under scrutiny from the kingdom, she's under the hypnotic gaze of Kai, his equally infatuated brother, Kitt, and the cruel King and his Elite guard. Can she keep up the facade of her Psychic powers and survive the trials, or will her bitter fight for justice and growing feelings for Kai jeopardise her entire existence?
For fans of The Hunger Games, Fourth Wing, and Divergent, Powerless was entertaining and adventurous from the first page, immersing you in a world of power and magic whilst also conveying the claustrophobic isolation of the kingdom and its slums from the rest of the land Powerless is set in. The dialogue is easy and quick-witted between all the characters, showing everyone's level of confidence and snark - Paedyn and Kai in particular are quick with everyone they come across due to their circumstances, both learning from young ages to wear masks over their emotions in order to survive.
It may be full of romantasy tropes, but Roberts writes them in a way that feels entertaining and not one big cliche. The characters are each unique in their characters, back stories, and motivations for how they live - there are characters to like with minimal page time and other characters to dislike because they're a***holes for the sake of it (personally, I love a character that's evil for funsies).
I'm more inclined to slow burn romances than spicy flings, and Powerless did not disappoint. Stolen glances, sparring and dancing, daggers held to throats while they gaze into each others eyes, and still not a single kiss throughout - and yes, I was yelling "for the love of god, when?!" I've never been so invested in an enemies-to-lovers slow burn in the midst of a gameshow battle and toppling of a regime. Powerless really had power over me and could not make me put it down!