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Book: Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: YA Fantasy 

Status: Young Adult (PG-13)

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Synopsis

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya . . . The exceptional. The Elites. The Elites have possessed powers for decades, gifted to them by the Plague, while those born Ordinary are just that, banished from the kingdom and shunned from society.

No one knows this better than Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as an Elite. When she unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s princes, Kai Azer, she’s thrown into the Purging Trials, a brutal competition to showcase her ‘Elite’ powers.

If the Trials and the opponents don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for will if he discovers what Paedyn really is . . . completely Ordinary.

Review

Writing

The flaw to note in Powerless was in fact, the writing. It’s a debut novel which consists of too many repetitive descriptions of smiling expressions from the characters. It didn’t give them true emphasis or genuine emotion, it made the characters’ reactions and/or greetings fall flat. It felt like each character held a contest of who can grin the most. After many smirks and otherwise bland facial expressions, the repetition didn’t end there. In certain aspects of the book they continued to mirror sentences over and over again which made the writing fall off the proverbial bullseye. Some sentences were so identical it came across as something copy and pasted. 

However, with this stated and exposed, it still gravitates towards 5 stars due to the outstanding work this novel has brought to the table in other categories of the story. As this author’s first publication and the beginning of this series I can forgive the less than stellar writing.

Plot

This series seems to have taken inspiration from the hit fantasy series The Hunger Games. With the Elites, powerful, strong and desired, divided against the Ordinary people who hold no powers to speak of and who are banished entirely, it reads similarly to the popular books. 

This fact did not cause a step down in my analysis for this rating considering many stories of today are inspired by works done in the past. 

The series does spark a sense of urgency and struggle while still having a fainter tone to it than The Hunger Games did while still maintaining a great read. Any fan of The Hunger Games books will be sure to enjoy this story. 

Character Development 

My favorite section to analyze in this book has to be the way the characters developed within the story. They were perfect. They were psychologically complex and correct. The intentions and beliefs of the characters that inevitably caused the cycle of destruction to follow was brilliant. The way that the accepted and tolerant abuse bred abuse and what transformed the devastation of Paedyn, Kai, and Kitt were befitting to what would actually befall them in grief, anger, and despair. Each emotion that fueled and currented them like a wave to each action led by the subconscious. The pulled and unexplainable attraction in the romance twined by doubt that swirled within them was beautifully crafted into realism and truth. This was one of the best books I have ever read that truly captivates humans as a complicated paradox. 

World Building

The world we are locked into by this book holds power, prejudice, and strife of the fittest. The political views, and beliefs cause a conflict that makes the breath escape our lungs when reading it. The cruelty over the unfortunate and the way it’s shadowed behind the black and white facade they all play. Tragedy melds with violence to create a world you’ll never forget, morals get questioned and ultimately the characters are left to decide who they’re gonna be, and the consequences that come with their choices. 

Final Thoughts

Altogether this was an excellent novel in my opinion. It doesn’t come without flaws, but even so it’s complete with accuracy that I can’t help but applaud the author for. It’s an excellent YA Fantasy Novel, and well worth the read.

Amber