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A review by mythxcally
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Major spoilers in this review will be spoiled so if you don't want to see them, you don't have to! Minor spoilers that do not effect/spoil the main plot line will not be spoilt. This review also contains minor Red Queen spoilers.
First of all, I want to start with the main positives for me.
The ending was INCREDIBLE, predictable but very well written. I espically lovedthe reference back to the blood/honey at the start of the book . It made my mouth drop and I got shivers!
I also really liked the Enemies to lovers plot line that was going on between the two main characters.
However, there were far too many negatives to give this more than 3 stars.
For one, Powerless is extememely similar to Red Queen, almost a carbon copy at certain points. For example, in Red Queen you see the main male character (Cal) teach the main female character (Mare) how to dance because she's involved with Cal's brother and he doesn't want her to mess up when dancing with him. In Powerless, Kai (main male character) teaches Pae (main female character) to dance because she's going to the ball with his brother and he doesn't want her to mess up. Very similar.
Another extreme similarity is that in Red Queen they have silencer stone. Silencer stone prevents powers from being used, aka suppresses them. In Powerless they have silencers which prevent and suppress powers.
I feel that a lot of the scenes were inspired from Red Queen (and a bit of hunger games too) and this has resulted in the book being very similar and it can get boring reading those scenes. I've already read it before in Red Queen, I don't need to read it again in Powerless.
Unfortunately, I find Pae to be a bit whiny at times. I rarely find main characters to be annoying so this was a surprise for me. From the very start of the book, all the way through to the end, she was incredibly whiny, constantly thinking or talking about her dead dead. I get that it was part of the storyline and helping us develop her character a bit, it just got very insufferable at tines. I ended up enjoying Kai's POV a lot more.
Let's talk about the nicknames. I get what the author was trying to do, but it felt VERY forced at times. Although that could be my dislike for the nickname "darling", so I may be a bit biased here.
Also,I've noticed people saying that Kai/Kitt/Pae is supposed to be a love triangle? Because it certainly isn't. Pae flirts with Kitt but leads him on. Kitt falls for her but it's very clear from the start that she loves Kai and is going to end up with him. Not sure if a love triangle was attempted there by the author, but it didn't work regardless .
Overall, I think Powerless had an opportunity to be great. It did get better the more I read and I really enjoyed the last 150ish pages the most out of all the book.
First of all, I want to start with the main positives for me.
The ending was INCREDIBLE, predictable but very well written. I espically loved
I also really liked the Enemies to lovers plot line that was going on between the two main characters.
However, there were far too many negatives to give this more than 3 stars.
For one, Powerless is extememely similar to Red Queen, almost a carbon copy at certain points. For example, in Red Queen you see the main male character (Cal) teach the main female character (Mare) how to dance because she's involved with Cal's brother and he doesn't want her to mess up when dancing with him. In Powerless, Kai (main male character) teaches Pae (main female character) to dance because she's going to the ball with his brother and he doesn't want her to mess up. Very similar.
Another extreme similarity is that in Red Queen they have silencer stone. Silencer stone prevents powers from being used, aka suppresses them. In Powerless they have silencers which prevent and suppress powers.
I feel that a lot of the scenes were inspired from Red Queen (and a bit of hunger games too) and this has resulted in the book being very similar and it can get boring reading those scenes. I've already read it before in Red Queen, I don't need to read it again in Powerless.
Unfortunately, I find Pae to be a bit whiny at times. I rarely find main characters to be annoying so this was a surprise for me. From the very start of the book, all the way through to the end, she was incredibly whiny, constantly thinking or talking about her dead dead. I get that it was part of the storyline and helping us develop her character a bit, it just got very insufferable at tines. I ended up enjoying Kai's POV a lot more.
Let's talk about the nicknames. I get what the author was trying to do, but it felt VERY forced at times. Although that could be my dislike for the nickname "darling", so I may be a bit biased here.
Also,
Overall, I think Powerless had an opportunity to be great. It did get better the more I read and I really enjoyed the last 150ish pages the most out of all the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture