The Young Elites by Marie Lu - ADVISABLE

Lu, Marie The Young Elites, 355 p. Putnam (Penguin), 2014.  $19.

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13. 

 Adelina is a malefetto - left scarred by a fever that swept through her country when she was young, her father only sees her as a burden who is dragging their family name through the mud and ruining his business.  But some of the malefetto’s have powers and have rebranded themselves as the Young Elites.  When Adelina runs from her father, she is taken in by the Elites to be trained or to be destroyed, if she is not trainable.  The Queen of the country is determined to kill every Young Elite, using the powers of her pet malefetto.  There may actually be no one whom Adelina can trust.  

Lu has written a complicated, layered book, moving from her modern science fiction into a very much medieval fantasy world.  It will be interesting to see if those readers follow.  I enjoyed it as a fantasy reader and really want to know where Adelina’s journey takes her. 

MS, HS - ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher