Series: The Young Elites #2
Author: Marie Lu
Audio Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Length: 11 hours and 7 minutes
Source: I got this through my local library!
Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.
Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.
But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?
There is something about this series that intrigues me and unsettles me at the same time. Adelina is such a dark protagonist to read from. Though I do like her story, there is something just holding me back from really loving this.
I think in part it has to do with the fact that I can't connect to any of the characters. I don't really see myself in any of them. They are so interesting to read about and from, but I can't say I care for them. There are a couple relationships that I'm invested in, but I don't care for Raffaele, Enzo, Maeve, or Sergio. The characters have a great depth to them, but the "it" factor is missing.
The ending to The Rose Society crushed my heart. The reader can
tell that Adelina has become more powerful and twisted than before throughout the book, but the end was the nail in the coffin. My heart was breaking for Adelina and Violetta. Adelina is being manipulated by her power, and it was hard to listen to at times. However, the end did hint at Violetta becoming less innocent. I would love if that is expanded upon more. In my opinion Violetta is the most powerful one of them all, and I would really like if she plays a bigger role in the next book.
The narrators of The Rose Society, Carla Corvo and Lannon Killea, were spectacular. Unfortunately, I was easily distracted. It wasn't the narration that took me out of the story; I just wasn't fully invested and interested in the plot. I felt as if I knew the big things that were going to happen and I was just sitting there waiting for them. I still liked seeing Adelina unravel though. The narrator did a great job of showing when Adelina was slowly losing her mind. She actually made me intimidated and wary!
Overall, this book has a great plot and cast of characters. Unfortunately, there is just something missing that makes me not love this book. I've felt this way with the other two books I read by Marie Lu, so I think it might just be my personal reading taste at fault. Nevertheless, I will be finishing this series with The Midnight Star this year. I'm excited to see to what depths Adelina will go to and Violetta's role. The narration was excellent, and I will most likely continue via audio book.
The narrators of The Rose Society, Carla Corvo and Lannon Killea, were spectacular. Unfortunately, I was easily distracted. It wasn't the narration that took me out of the story; I just wasn't fully invested and interested in the plot. I felt as if I knew the big things that were going to happen and I was just sitting there waiting for them. I still liked seeing Adelina unravel though. The narrator did a great job of showing when Adelina was slowly losing her mind. She actually made me intimidated and wary!
Overall, this book has a great plot and cast of characters. Unfortunately, there is just something missing that makes me not love this book. I've felt this way with the other two books I read by Marie Lu, so I think it might just be my personal reading taste at fault. Nevertheless, I will be finishing this series with The Midnight Star this year. I'm excited to see to what depths Adelina will go to and Violetta's role. The narration was excellent, and I will most likely continue via audio book.
With that, I give this book
3.5 out of 5 stars!
Have you read The Young Elites or The Rose Society? What did you think of them?
Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!
I listened to the first of this series on audiobook and I loved the production. When I read this one I couldn't help but hear the narrators. :) I'm still on the waitlist for the finale. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great testament to how spectacular the narrators were! Thanks Lauren. :)
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