This review post is all about the “Powerless” book by Lauren Roberts.
CATEGORIES: BOOK BLOG POSTS, BOOK REVIEW, FANTASY, ROMANCE
ABOUT THE BOOK
TITLE: POWERLESS
SERIES: THE POWERLESS TRILOGY, BOOK ONE
AUTHOR: LAUREN ROBERTS
GENRES: YA FANTASY, ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: SIMON & SCHUSTER
PUBLISHING DATE: 11/07/2023
FORMAT: hardcover
PAGE COUNT: 528 PAGES
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MY THOUGHTS ABOUT “Powerless”
Like many people, I was obsessed with “Hunger Games” when I read it, so when a book surfaces with similarities I’m always down to give it a try. That, plus the hype on Bookstagram made take the leap and buy it. However, I’ve been burned before by overly-hyped books, so honestly it’s hit or miss whether a popular YA fantasy will deliver the goods.
So, was “Powerless” by Lauren Roberts just my type, or was it over-hyped? Let’s discuss.
This book review of “Powerless” by Lauren Roberts will contain a breakdown of the plot, characters, and writing style.
It will also contain book recommendations for books similar to this one.
This review post is all about "Powerless" By Lauren Roberts
goodreads: pOWERLESS book summary
She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.
The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.
Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.
When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.
POWERLESS" BOOK REVIEW
UNPACKING THE PLOT OF “POWERLESS”
✂️ I’ll cut to the chase.
The plot was basically a mixtape of “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard and Suzanne Collin’s “Hunger Games”, except with an angsty romance cranked up to eleven and world-building that was dialed down to two.
This one started off strong with our female protagonist, Paedyn Gray, barely getting by in slums of Ilya with only her wits and her ability pick pocket.
In a world where being an Ordinary, someone without magical abilities, is a crime, she must pretend to be psychic to fit in. After she bumps into Prince Kai, a series of events thrusts her into center stage of the Purge Trials.
She must use the same street smarts and toughness to outperform Elite kids all with special abilities such as superhuman strength, casting illusions, telekinesis, etc.
The plot is predicable, which I usually don’t mind. It was just too similar to the above-mentioned books so it lost points for creativity.
For example, there’s…
➡️ A girl from the slums who’s handy with a bow and arrow
➡️ A love triangle
➡️ A game with teenagers who must both put on a fashion show and fight to the death
➡️ A dystopian society with haves and have-nots
➡️ A resistance group fighting the Elites
Sound familiar? Personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with remixing an oldie but goodie.
However, if the plot is too predicable, it can get boring.
I waited for something new to be added to the mix, but the only thing that set this book apart from the others was the flirty banter, which I did very much enjoy.
“Mark my words, Prince, I will be your undoing.” I lean in, ignoring the knife against my throat as I murmur, “Oh, darling, I look forward to it.”
THE CHARACTERS THAT BROUGHT “POWERLESS” TO LIFE
Paedyn is a character who embodies kindness, resourcefulness, and cunning. Her ability to closely observe those around her makes her act of pretending to be psychic believable. I particularly enjoyed the scenes where she had to “prove” her psychic abilities by noticing small details and piecing them together.
Prince Kai, on the other hand, is a character who struggles with meeting his father’s expectations. He has been brainwashed into being the unyielding enforcer of the king.
While he enjoys killing and torturing others, he has no qualms about switching back to his charming prince persona. This dual personality is something that I found jarring and couldn’t quite wrap my head around.
Prince Kit, the heir to the throne of Ilya, seems dull and lacks original thought. His deep affection for his father was baffling given the king’s cruelty to his brother, Kai, and his subjects.
The king, who lacks depth as a villain, is not much more than a caricature of evil. His motivations remain unclear throughout the book.
“She's bewildering as much as she is beguiling. That pretty mouth of hers says one thing, but those ocean eyes say another. She pulls a knife from my back only to say she'll bury another one there. She's confusing, captivating, and we're completely wrong for each other in all the right ways. She's a flame, and I'm going to get burned. An ocean and I'm going to drown.”
Writing Style of “Powerless”
For a debut novel, the writing in “Powerless” is commendable. The dialogue, especially Kai’s, is engaging and at times, even poetic. However, the world-building leaves much to be desired.
The purpose of the Purge Trials remains unclear, and the dialogue feels repetitive at times. For example, there were practically a bazillion times these characters mention being mesmerized by eye color or knowing they shouldn’t be attracted to each other but not being able to help it.
“I'd never thought about what my favorite color was before. It never seemed important. Not until I looked into a pair of ocean blue eyes and realized that perhaps drowning was a beautiful thing. Not until I looked into a pair of fiery blue eyes and realized that perhaps burning was a painless thing. Not until I looked into a pair of sky blue eyes and realized that perhaps falling was a peaceful thing. I'd never thought about what my favorite color was before because I hadn't seen one that was worthy of the title. Until now, that is. "Blue," I say, my voice low.”
Spiciness Level of “Powerless”
Despite flirty banter and a few touchy feely scenes, you can put away you fans, ladies, because there’s no heat. Fair enough, these two main character’s have their hands full fighting for their lives in a deadly competition so there’s not much time for hanky panky.
This gets an ice cube 🧊 for spice level.
“Powerless” Age Rating
Given the level of violence in the book, which is comparable to that in “Hunger Games,” yet the lack of spicy content, “Powerless” is suitable for young adults aged 16 and up.
Not bad.
“Powerless” by Lauren Roberts is a decent start to the Powerless Trilogy. While it has its flaws, it offers a ticks all the trope boxes for a satisfying YA dystopian romantasy. The cliffhanger at the end leaves me eager to see how the story unfolds in Book Two, “Reckless”.
I’m curious to see how the love story between Kai and Paedyn will develop and whether they will find a happy ending.
BOOKS SIMILAR TO Powerless
Thanks for reading this book review of “Powerless” Book One of the Powerless Trilogy. If you have any thoughts on this book, please leave a comment below and lets get a conversation going.
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Also, if YA dystopian Fantasy is your thing, check out my earlier post “10 Best YA Dystopian Books (For Teens)”.
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