The Young Elites

Written by Marie Lu

Narrated by Lannon Killea and Carla Corvo

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina's black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family's good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever's survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars-they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

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, and it's Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they've never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn't belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
• Release date: Oct 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9780698154988

Marie Lu

Marie Lu is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Legend series, The Young Elites trilogy, the Warcross series, the Skyhunter series, Batman: Nightwalker, and The Kingdom of Back. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, where she worked as an artist. A full-time writer, she spends her spare hours reading, drawing, playing games, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in the traffic-jam capital, Los Angeles, with her illustrator/author husband, Primo Gallanosa, and their son.

Reviews for The Young Elites

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book gave me a bit of a Tigana vibe. A marginalized group; a secret, lost ruler; a disparate group brought together to fight for a noble cause. But, it's different in that this book is told from the point of view of a villain. Not the oppressors, but one of the oppressed, one who wants power and freedom, and one who might betray her companions to get it.

To be honest, I didn't find the protagonist to be a villain (even though the author said she was writing one). I found her to be damaged. Badly hurt. She'd gone through years of abuse because her father hoped it might trigger a latent ability he could profit from, and now all she wants is to be strong and powerful enough to never be hurt again. She's fascinating to read, a truly nuanced character.

[empressreece · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow I wish I had some of the Young Elites' powers! They've got Gemma the Windwalker who can summon the wind which is really cool. Star Thief can control and talk to animals. Enzo can control fire. Dante aka Spider can see where others can not or something like that but he's an ass anyways so who cares...
Now Raffaele though, aka the Messenger is a different story. He's the shit! He has the power to manipulate a person's energy so he can basically make them feel however he wants them to, which is how he has everyone doing his bidding and falling at his feet in love with him! : ) Now that's what I'm talking about! : ) I'd take that power any day. LoL

As for the story, when I first started reading it I didn't know if I was going to like it or not but once I got past the beginning introduction about Adelina, one of the main characters and more into the story about all of the Elites it reeled me right it. I really enjoyed the characters and the magic elements that were in play. I did however feel like there were several plot points that were forced just to make the story go the direction the author wanted it. They just didn't seem to come naturally with the storyline but overall it was a quick, fun story. The author threw a huge curve at the end though that I didn't really expect to play out that way. I'm still shocked by it and wish I had the next book on hand already to see what happens from here. If you're thinking about reading this series, I would definitely go ahead and get at least the first two books together for sure.

Link to Full Review:
Hooked on Books Blog - The Young Elites

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was keen to read this book as I enjoyed the author's Legend series, and it was a great read. It was dark and gritty with a damaged heroine who is a villain in the making. Adelina was filled with anger, hatred and vengeance, and it was difficult to sympathise with her at times but I loved watching how her power to create illusions grew.

"The Young Elite" started with a bang dragging the reader in from page one, and the action continued throughout. The book was filled with complex characters who were capable of good and evil, and I especially liked the members of the Dagger society. There were surprises that shocked me and the epilogue has me waiting eagerly for the sequel in October.

[jakohnen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars as this novel was packed with creativity and held some great writing; however it fell really short compared to the page-turning Legend Series. The author had me drawn into the story right away, and I never expected any disappointment...yet somehow it did disappoint and I found myself struggling to finish it. I suppose that was due to so much violence and negativity, certainly not what I would term a good "teen" read. I really tried to like Adelina - a supposedly dark character with redeeming qualities - but I could never care enough, or relate enough to her.

[jdifelice-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Marie Lu does it again! This book captivated me from the get-go, I could hardly put it down. Very excited for the next instalment.

[ncruse37 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really pleasantly surprised by this book! Wasn't impressed by reading the "flap", but loved it-loved some of the twists, ached for the characters, and I'm starting the sequel! :)

[verkruissen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LOVED it!

[caitief-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SUCH a good book. I actually woke up early so I could finish it before work and it was worth it! Can't wait for the next one.

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marie Lu has a real talent for worldbuilding. She has indeed quickly become one of my favorite YA authors (I've been neglecting my reviews since starting to use the library to read from - but I will be catching up). I haven't yet started the second book in this series, as there was a waiting list I just got to the top of, but you can be sure I definitely added my name to the list immediately. The characters are compelling, the ending shocking, and the storyline deeply engaging.

[ncdonnas · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

unimpressed.

[fionaanne · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I struggled to connect with the narrator in this book. She was like a cardboard cut-out. When I got to the end, I discovered that she had not been the narrator in the first draft of this novel and I thought, "Aha!" There are a million ways to tell the same story; not all of them will be good. This one isn't, which is too bad because I enjoyed Ms. Lu's other works immensely.

[readingbeader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's not often the main character starts bad and stays bad. Usually we get some sort of redemption – usually through love of course. But in this case – that's not happening, maybe later in the series? Because of this the young elites is darker than the legend series. One character is a consort and there is some serious violence. I did like this one and this and look forward to the sequel. I'll definitely be finding it and reading it before the kids do.

[m_mozeleski · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very powerful story about loyalty, abuse, and how the response to that shapes who you are and how you act, as well as how others react to your story.

And, of course, how mistakes are made.

[bethyacoub · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Such a strong, dark...oh so dark, kick a$$ heroine!! If only the story was half as strong, dark and kick a$$ then it would have been an awesome, 5 star book. Alas, this is not such a book. The book was simply and elegantly Meh. Everything about this book was middle of the road, bland. Bland writing, Blah character and world development, and yaaaawwn ending. It under whelmed me so much that I'm definitely not going to brave the sequel.

[shellypya · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Adelina Amouteru marked by a jagged scar and snow-white hair and lashes is a member of the secret society called the Young Elites. The Young Elites are viewed by many as heroes. The Inquisition Axis sees the Young Elites as monsters with demonic powers that must be brought to justice. As Adelina learns more about this world of politics and magic she realizes that her own powers may be in danger of bringing on an era of terror the world has never seen before.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marie Lu's latest offering ventures into fantasy. After a disease has swept through leaving children who survived as Malfetto's, they are marked in some way and often times have a power of some sort, giving them the label of Young Elites. Adelina survived the blood fever, but it left her without one eye and with a streak in her hair. Adelina is saved by Enzo and the rest of the Daggers when she is about to be burned at the stake by Teren, the head Inquisitor. During her time with the Daggers, Adelina learns to use her power but is also used as a pawn by Teren who threatens the life of her younger sister. Adelina's powers are aligned with fear and her powers are strengthened by darkness. While readers come to care for Adelina, she is not a heroine and as she is pulled in further and further by the dark part of her nature it gets harder to hope for a happy ending. The world Lu creates is compelling and the end of the story is not neatly tied up in a pretty package. I look forward to volume two to find out what happens to the remaining Daggers and Adelina.

[alsparks324 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Adelina survived the deadly illness that swept through the nation. It left her changed and part of a group called the malfettos. They are "different" with physical deformities. They are also different because some of them have been displaying special powers or abilities. The king is looking to destroy the malfettos and blames them for the problems of the country. He is using the Inquisition to hunt down the malfettos and execute them. The malfettos with powers are called the Elites and they have formed a special society to resist the king and the Inquisition. Adelina just might be a young elite, she just doesn't know how to use her power or exactly what it might be. When she is arrested and sentenced to death by the Inquisition the Elites come to her rescue and take her to their safe house. They begin to "train" her to determine her power and see if she would make a good addition to their society. To complicate matters, Adelina's younger sister is taken hostage by the Inquisition and Adelina is forced to choose between loyalty to the society or to the Inquisition. Who is helping her? Who is hurting her? How can she juggle these sides and keep her sister alive? Great intrigue and action.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up because I really enjoyed the author's Legend series and for some reason I thought it would be a very similar dystopian series. While The Young Elites does have some dystopian elements, it's definitely more of a fantasy novel set in a world in which a plague outbreak has left some children with markings and special powers - the Young Elites. While I nearly drifted away a few times, the author did tie up the plot very nicely and I was left wondering when the sequel will be released.

[cinderh_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised to have liked this book as much as I did. The magic feel reminded me very much of Brandson Sanderson's Mistborn series although much more simple. Actually, the whole feel of the book kept bringing back to that series. Not a bad thing at all. My only issue was that I didn't always understand Adelina's and Enzo's relationship. I don't think it was fleshed out enough to really make sense. Her sister's choices didn't always make sense to me either. It seemed like the author just needed a character to act a certain way at times and so they did. I also didn't feel like there was a much growth in Adelina's character either. Maybe we will see more of that with the next book. Even with my issues it was an entertaining read.

[stevealtier · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not what I expected. It was a good read and very suspenseful.

[libstaff2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.25-4.5 StarsA dark Sci-fi/Fantasy YA novel with a great plot! The supernatural powers that the "infected" possess are cool and deadly and so are the characters. I love that all the characters have flaws and are capable of good and bad decisions. The storyline has a Shakespearean tragedy feel to it. There's some twists and turns; a few events even managed to surprise me. The book ends with a brief glimpse of another realm and introduces new abilities. A good start to a new series. Looking forward to the next one!Penguin First to Read Galley

[mtlkch-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Too many books with the same story . . .

[billiebook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the Legend trilogy, but this was even better. I started it last night and stayed up until I finished. It's very X-Men in Renaissance Venice, which, for me, was a can't miss combo. Add in a large cast of strong female characters and a lack of love triangle (so far) and it's pretty much everything I want from a YA fantasy. The only reason that it's four stars instead of five is because of the epilogue. Don't get me wrong, the epilogue was awesome, but it introduced new characters and plot points and made this volume less able to stand alone. Also, it made me want book two rightthehellnow, which I can't have so I knocked off a star in pique.

[tina_thebookworm · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I only made it through 53% before I decided to call it quits.

I thought the story was interesting but maybe right now it wasn't for me. I'll come back to it. But as of right now this is going on my DNF shelf because I dreaded reading it. And I felt a reading slump about to happen.

Maybe I just need to read this another time.

[v_allery · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Young Elites is a dark fantasy set in a bleak, medieval-y world that is full of unexplainable powers, complex characters and royals looking to claim the throne.What sets this book apart from all other dystopian or post-apocalyptic YA series is its setting. There are kids in this world that is not our world, that has special powers. They were not born with them, they got them after surviving an illness called the blood fever, that took lives of all adults, but for some reason spared children. These kids are marked physically and are starting to be hunted and killed, because they make the normal population scared. Our villain-y main character Adelina is also a survivor that is marked. She has only one eye, her hair and lashes are silver and is is said on various occasions that she would have been beautiful if only she was not scarred and was normal. Her crazy, abusive father is trying to sell her to the highest bidder, so she runs away. And it starts a chain of events that leads her to realizing her powers, training to control them, being part of dirty politics and making some frenemies.For the first book in a new series, The Young Elites is pretty much perfect - a great and interesting world building, captivating story, and the best of all - untrustworthy, villain type of a main character, who is always struggling with a choice between right and wrong, good and evil, and chooses wrong most of the time.

[brandileigh2003 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read The Young Elites because I read and loved her Legend series. The premise sounds great, and I have the faith that she can write characters to make me love them, and a plot that is fast paced. I really enjoyed Adelina. I wasn't sure what to expect with the synopsis calling her heart black and her quest for vengeance. It sounded like she was more of a villian than protagonist, but she was pushed to the edge of society basically for surviving. She and others like her that survived the plague that killed so many left some of the children marked, with physical marks and even more rarely with supernatural talents. She went most of her adolescence not really knowing that she had any sort of powers, just knowing that she has silver hair that still shifts colors as well as a scar from having one of her eyes removed. But her father has always preferred her non-scarred sister, and was cruel to Adelina. She discovers her powers when she is physically threatened and she is running away from being sold as a mistress, because even though she's marked, she is still beautiful. It is just that malfettos, what they call the children, now teens who are different, aren't socially acceptable to marry. Many want them all killed, and when she displays her powers and accidently murders, she is then facing death. She is rescued by the Young Elite, what those with supernatural powers call themselves. She has to decide if she wants to train with them, under the leadership of Enzo. Their mission seems to be to overtake the throne. The heir currently in line for the throne Teren is hunting for Adelina, and he is part of those in power who wants them killed. But their paths of course, are all destined to cross and intertwine. To keep her younger sister alive and safe, Adelina also has to make some pretty hard choices. There were some times when I was a bit confused at exactly what was going on, but that is not uncommon for me and fantasy. I still enjoyed and will read the next. The plot is fast paced, and even though Adelina has some pretty dark powers, and she has to walk a thin line of control and fury, she is still the main character, and I appreciated her character development. She does end up unleashing some pretty dark things, and she has to live with those consequences. Her path with the Daggers isn't an easy one, and she also wants to save her sister. I did like that bond, finding out all Violetta has done for her, and loved her, protected her even when Adelina didn't realize it. I always like a strong family bond in my books, so that did make me happy. Especially with the father that treated Adelina so negatively. I was pretty sad by one of the developments in the story and wonder what it will do to effect the bit of romance that was there, but the epilogue does give me an idea, but it also worries me at the mention of the brother and his changes. Bottom Line: Enjoyable fantasy, interesting to see how some of the plot lines will pan out.

[glitzandshadows · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Villain stories are the only reason for my existence. While this wasn't wholly groundbreaking (it was a tad predictable, I called the end, and I'm rather tired of 'heroine learning about her powers' plots) the end promised that the rest of the trilogy would definitely go places that aren't usually ventured in YA. I adore Adelina with everything I have. This was phenomenal if specifically for her.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I just couldn't find a character I liked or was interested in enough to want to read the rest of the series.

[englisherna · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why must certain things happen??? I give this book 3.5 stars.

I think that the blurb was a little misleading. It suggests that Enzo might be an enemy and Teren might be good. It also made me think that I'd hate Adelina. I did but not in the way I was expecting. I didn't like her because in most parts of the book, she's weak. I expected her to be a defiant B! (# but she mostly just cowered and was constantly afraid. I understand that her character must be like that because Fear and Anger fuels her ability but sometimes, it just didn't work.

Still, I loved how the story's told. I loved that I didn't see some of the twists coming. I loved that it made me cry. And I loved the delicious cliffhanger epilogue.

[imtanner2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Super compelling read about kids who have survived a plaque but are marked and end up with magical powers.