This October marks the release of the third and final installment of my favorite book series by far, Marie Lu's The Young Elites. Entitled The Midnight Star, the conclusion to the trilogy promises excitement, plot twists, and maybe, just maybe, redemption. The first two books were amazing, some of the best YA I'd picked up in a while, and I realized some time ago that very few people have actually read them--thus, this book review was born.
The Young Elites revolves around Adelina Amouteru, a survivor of the deadly blood fever that has swept her nation. The problem is that she is marked, her body changed in unnatural ways by the fever-- her dark hair has gone silver, and the eye that had been infected is now only a scar-- and in the eyes of society-- including her father-- an abomination. Abused and broken, Adelina tries to run away, with disastrous results--the emergence of dark powers she didn't know she had--and she finds herself sentenced to execution by the Inquisition Axis. She is rescued by a group of other malfettos,as they are called, these too with powers, known also as Young Elites. These Elites call themselves the Dagger Society, and under their tutelage, Adelina's powers grow-- but is this really a good thing?
The book had powerful writing. Its narrator had a strong, sure voice and the conflicting thoughts of a real person, not just the one-directional narration so many characters provide. I found Adelina's internal struggle to be good so compelling, so real-- I identified with it in a way I haven’t yet with any fictional character. She strives to be noble, to be kind, but there is a darkness in her, a sadism that is difficult to deny, a tendency to try and save herself before duty. It's very human, although certainly not admirable.
Another thing I enjoyed was the plot. It was easy to follow, with not too many twists, and unique. So often, YA books take the dystopian route, using the same templates over and over again. I was relieved to find a new world for once, with its own countries and traditions. I just loved opening its pages to find a book not about rebelling against tradition or the government, but a broken girl living in a nation torn apart by disease. She was not helpless, but rather strong, almost too strong; her weakness lay in her heart and mind, and for me, that was new. It was new to see a girl who wasn't all kind and sweet. Who didn't have it all. Who didn't immediately swear revenge against those who wronged her.
If I'm being honest, I didn't really appreciate the author's attempt at romance. It's true, teenagers are drawn to romance and infatuation, but it felt a little forced, and too strong for something that had barely begun, even by the latter portion of the book. I also wish the novel had been a little longer, with maybe a little more visible development for the other characters. Though most of the novel is told by Adelina, a few chapters were in third person, and narrated by two other characters. I appreciated the glimpses of what they were really like beyond Adelina's perception, but I think a little more change and development would have made the book better.
All in all though, I loved the book, and the sequel is just as great. However, it is a little bit graphic, so only read it if you're sure you can handle the violence.One more thing--it is a little bit dark, so keep something sweet and happy nearby to perk you up in between spurts of reading.