The Young Elites
 | |
| Author | Marie Lu |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy, young adult |
| Published | 7 October 2014 |
| Pages | 344 |
| Followed by | The Rose Society |
The Young Elites is a fantasy novel by novelist Marie Lu released on 7 October 2014.[1] It is the first novel in the planned trilogy. The second book is called The Rose Society and was released on October 13, 2015.
Plot
It follows the story of Adelina Amouteru, a survivor of the blood fever. The blood fever is fatal to adults and leaves the survivors with markings.These survivors are called malfettos. Adelina’s black hair has turned silver and her left eye is gone. Some survivors are rumored to have more than just markings. Rumor has it that some survivors have mysterious gifts. They are called The Young Elites. The Dagger Society seeks her out and saves her from execution after she murders her father while trying to escape him. He was a cruel and abusive father who wished to exploit her gifts if she had any. The Dagger Society is a group of Young Elites that seek out other Young Elites and teaches them to control and use their gifts.
Though it seemed that the Dagger Society saved her out of kindness at first, the reader learns of the motives of Enzo, the leader of the society and the former heir of the throne, After his parents’ deaths, his sister removed his title and banished him from the palace because of him being a malfetto. She then married a duke, who became king, and started denouncing malfettos so Enzo could not regain the throne. Enzo seeks to overthrow the current king and gain control of the kingdom with the help of his society.
Characters
- Adelina Amouteru She grew up with her abusive father, leaving a vengeful darkness in her heart. Adelina has survived the blood fever, her hair and lashes have turned silver and she has lost her left eye. After accidentally murdering her father she meets the Young Elites and is to join their ranks. She is attracted to the leader of the group, Enzo Valenciano.
- Teren Santoro 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 Enzo is the leader of the Young Elites. He has the ability to burn those around him. After being through the Blood Fever, Enzo's hair turned red. He is the son of the late king; the rightful heir to the throne.
- Violetta Amouteru She is Adelina's sister, and is also an elite. She has the ability to temporarily remove other elites' powers.
- Raffaele Laurent Bessette Raffaele is the one who found Adelina and brought her to the dagger society. One of his powers is to be alluring, which is why he serves as a consort in the royal court. He also has the ability to sense other malfettos.
- Lucent Also known as Windwalker, Lucent has the ability to manipulate wind, and do whatever wind can do (scream, howl, etc.). She is a close friend of Queen Maeve of Beldain. It is implied that she used to have a secret relationship with Maeve (who is introduced in The Rose Society).
- Michel He has the ability to "unravel" non-living objects and make them appear in another place, like teleportation. Michel is a skilled artist, and taught Adelina to create more realistic illusions. His nickname is the Architect.
- Gemma Gemma is known as the Star Thief in the dagger society, and can conjure large flocks of birds or bats. She has a way with animals, and often has an animal of some sort by her side. Adelina secretly harbors jealousy towards Gemma, whose father supports and loves her, unlike Adelina's own father.
Reception
The Guardian gave it 3.5 stars.[2] The book reached number 4 on the New York Times bestseller list.[3]
Sequels
The second novel in the series is called The Rose Society and was released on October 13, 2015. The third book titled The Midnight Star is expected for a release in 2016.
Film adaptation
On April 14, 2015, it was announced that the studio and producers behind The Maze Runner franchise, Fox and Temple Hill Entertainment, have bought the film rights.[4]
References
- ↑ "The Young Elites". Marie Lu Books. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Young Elites". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ↑ "The Young Elites". New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ↑ Ford, Rebecca (April 14, 2015). "Fox, Temple Hill Brewing YA Franchise With 'The Young Elites' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 April 2015.