Book Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Young Elites

The Young Elites #1

Marie Lu

Genre: YA Fantasy

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

I did not go into reading this liking the feeling of reading. Such a travesty! I could hear everyone exclaiming. But there comes a time when I get this feeling that goes beyond a reading slump. I want to read. I love reading. I love delving into worlds and having adventures. I look at my TBR pile and see the amount of books that I was eagerly anticipating to read. But this feeling I had, I just wanted to do something else than reading; at least for a while while I get my bearings back. But I looked at the amount of time that passed since my last book (Don’t despair with me entirely. I have been reading fanfiction), felt horrified with myself, resolved to read a book this day and selected the books I would read for the week. 

Perhaps that was why I didn’t relish the first fifty or so pages of the book, thinking I was just wasting my time for not only was I in a mood but also not enjoying the way the story was heading. I did perk at the word Inquisition but this Inquisition was reminiscent of a darker cause and not the Inquisition that my avatar self has been leading in my quest to save Thedas. 

This is not a happy book. I wanted everything to be okay with the heroine, to let her find some light in the darkness that tends to consume her. But Marie Lu was giving it to me raw, sparing not my feelings, coddling not my already dark mood. I still clung to hope of a bit of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world. 

Then again, the stark reality of what was happening to Adelina also brought a sense of fascination and slow admiration for how the story was written. It brought to mind the days when I was reading the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop, of how I also raged at all these suffering. I wanted to stop. I reminded myself that I made a commitment to read this book or risk no chocolate later that night. Goodness knows how many books I have finished that weren’t even at par with the sheer brilliance of the writing in this book. 

So I did soldier on and finished the book. The last few pages cinched the rating and although I was still not that happy compounded with what happened in the end, I was in awe.