I usually don’t read fantasy books, but The Young Elites by Marie Lu is my exception. I first got into Marie Lu’s books when I read her series, Legend. I looked around at my local library to see if she had written anymore books, and to my delight, she had. I took a look at the book on the shelf, which just happened to be The Young Elites, and thought to myself, “Why not?” I finished The Young Elites in two days. I couldn’t put it down.
The Young Elites is a story about a girl, Adelina Amouteru, who caught the devastating Blood Fever as a young child. The Blood Fever does things to a person’s body, leaving them with strange markings. The people of the world who didn’t catch the fever call them malfettos, or marked people.
Some malfettos, however, have strange and unusual powers given to them by the gods. These children are called The Young Elites. After a terrible accident with her father, Adelina discovers these Young Elites, including a handsome, mysterious prince whom she is attracted to. She begins to train to join in their ranks. I first read the book back in November and I really enjoyed it. Marie Lu is honestly one of my favorite authors and I’ve read every single one of her books multiple times.
I have only one complaint about the book, and it’s the fact that something major happens to one of the characters. It really moves the plot forward, however, and was a plot twist that no one ever saw coming. The Young Elites is the first book in a trilogy. The other two books are The Rose Society and The Midnight Star. If someone were to ask me back in October what my favorite book was, I couldn’t give them a straight answer, because I have so many, but if you were to ask me now, I would recommend The Young Elites right off the bat. It is a thrilling book with classic villain vs hero drama, some added elements, some magic woven in, and some kick-butt action scenes. Not only is there romance, but there’s friendship and sibling love as well. This book is great for teenagers who enjoy fantasy, romance, and action, and as a reader, I couldn’t love it more.
