The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Reviewed by Arthi J.
Grade 11

So. Tell me, little wolf. Do you want to punish those who have wronged you?

The Young Elites is a dark, young adult dystopian fantasy novel by Marie Lu that follows the points of view of three characters: Adelina, Enzo, and Teren. Many years ago a deadly illness spread like wildfire throughout this dark, Renaissance-like world, leaving many dead in its wake. The children who were lucky enough to survive this “blood fever” weren’t, in fact, lucky at all. The color of their hair and eyes changed and strange markings suddenly ran down their arms and legs. They were marked, or malfetto, and separated from society out of fear and misunderstanding because some of the marked survivors, known as the Young Elites, were rumored to possess deadly, magical capabilities along with the scars.

The story begins with Adelina Amouteru, a malfetto and survivor of the blood fever. While her mother died, Adelina survived, but her black hair was turned silver and now she only has a scar where her left eye used to be. Her merciless father wants to believe she has these rumored powers because if not, then she is but a worthless stain on his family’s name and reputation. And while Adelina loves her younger sister Violetta, she can’t help but feel resentment towards the other daughter who is still beautiful, unmarked, and wanted by her father. 

Elsewhere, Enzo Valenciano is the leader of the Dagger Society, a group of Young Elites who seek out other malfettos like themselves before they are hunted and killed. Teren Santoro works for the kingdom and, despite his dark secret, believes that it is his sole duty to destroy the Young Elites before they destroy the already unstable world they live in. 

These three individuals have no reason to run into each other...until they do. As Adelina’s newfound powers emerge, she doesn’t know what to believe, only that she wants to trust Enzo, the boy who saved her from death, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the world is not always so black and white. Each character fights their own battles, both internal and external. Yet in all this uncertainty, it is clear that Adelina’s powers should not belong in this world and that there is a deep-rooted darkness festering in her heart, threatening to consume both her and those who dare cross her.

 I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside. It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Unique. I truly wouldn’t use any other word to describe this series because it was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Lu does a fantastic job in creating an interesting world, along with extremely complex characters. I especially commend her choice of the main character, Adelina. While the novel is told from three different characters points of view, Adelina’s chapters are the only ones that are written in the first person, which gives the reader a clear look into her thoughts while also creating a sense of unpredictability in the events that will come to pass. I really like how Adelina is not the standard, predictable, and morally good character you see in a lot of books today. 

I would absolutely recommend this trilogy (The RoseSociety and The Midnight Star follow this novel) to anyone who’s looking for a dark and mysterious read. The sequel picks up after the shocking cliffhanger that leaves readers with their mouths hanging open and the series’ explosive finale truly leaves you shattered. This trilogy is definitely one of my favorites and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.