The Butterfly with the Broken Wing: Young Elites By Marie Lu

Personal Rating

* Spoilers Alert *

“A newborn babe takes its first breath,

And creates storm that rains down death”

Young Elites Trilogy is a popular YA fantasy novel written by Marie Lu. It is set in a Renaissance-like era after a deadly plague called blood fever ravaged the land and left a mass of deaths and a generation of marked survivors. A select few who are blessed (some would say cursed) came with magical powers both feared and misunderstood. They are known as Young Elites. 

The strongest point of the series, also which Marie Lu’s best known for, is world-building. There are enough details to paint the picture in the reader’s imagination, but not too much to be overwhelming and distracting. The customs practiced in each of the kingdoms are believable, engaging and consistent, unique and familiar at the same time.

I love how the author incorporates all senses when depicting a scene as if the reader can see the sparkling bright jewels decorating the characters’ hair with their own eyes, almost smell the jasmine in the bowls scattered across the court, hear the courtesan’s melodic voice, feel the richness of silk robes adorning the crown prince, or taste the saltiness of the sea air. The narration almost makes the reader feel as if they are magically transported there.

The setting was made effective by complex and convincing characters. Adelina Amouteru is the main character through whom the story is told. The closing line of Midnight Star (third and last installment in the series) wonderfully depicts the many layers of her personality and character and the poetic tragedy of her life:

“Some say that once upon a time, she had a prince, a father, a society of friends. Others say that she was once a wicked queen, a worker of illusions, a girl who brought darkness across the lands. Still, others say she once had a sister and that she loved her dearly. Perhaps all of these are true. “

The compelling narrative captures the inherent goodness and darkness in each of the characters; the protagonists and antagonists all have the capability to do good and evil, to choose right from wrong and each flawed in disposition and in appearance, yet doing the best they can, the way they know how – Adelina wields fear to protect herself, Violetta uses love as a weapon, while Teren exerts strength to shield his emotional scars. 

Young Elites has a coming-of-age tone to it because it started and ended with Adelina defining what she is, realizing what she’s capable of, and coming to terms with who she truly is. There’s also a recurring theme of abuse, manipulation and betrayal, trust, compassion, and loyalty. Although the series is darker and grimmer than average YA novels, the plot and subplots are well-crafted, surprising, and profoundly moving. My favorites, in particular, are the closing chapters of Young Elites and the epilogue of Midnight Star. 

If you’ve wept for Matteo Alacrán in The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, or fell in love with Darkling in Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, or if you’ve been captivated by the mysterious like Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, then I’m sure you’d love The Young Elites of Marie Lu.