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Renegades #1
Renegades
Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.
552 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2017
About the author
Marissa Meyer
72 books123k followersI live in Tacoma, Washington, with my husband and beautiful twin daughters. Represented by Jill Grinberg. Learn more about me and my upcoming books at http://www.marissameyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,319 reviews
November 11, 2018
I’ve got like, two feelings about this book and not all of them are good.
I'm trying to come to terms with the possibility that I will never form a meaningful emotional connection with a Marissa Meyer book like I did with The Lunar Chronicles. It's like my heart closes for maintenance when it comes to anything else written by this author. I don't know. There must have been a dimensional hiccup in the timeline—how else could I go from being unambiguously and obsessively 100% full scale high key addicted to her books to just....being an aggressively disinterested bystander?
Aaaaad here's why:
Renegades was one big conglomerate of timeworn clichés and hackneyed superhero tropes, which would have gotten me so pumped—like, who cares? it’s time to read about overthrowing the government and burning the patriarchy to the ground—if at least the MCs managed to scratch a line into my heart. But they didn't. I don't dislike them really, I'm just like “meh ok, go do your thing in your corner”. The secondary characers also had so much potential yet they eventually became a distant memory. They kind of just existed in the nook of the MCs', like some ghosts of goodwill. No witty banter to make them stand out or anything. There were like two characters who would’ve made this book a lot better but none of them were given enough backstory or enough page time..
Honestly, I think the main problem is that when I think about this book…I don’t feel anything. My mind just blanks and all I feel is hollow wind blowing through my skull because it's just kind of there... trying so hard but failing to leave even the most basic impression upon my psyche. Yes, it was fun to read for a couple of pages but the love just isn’t there. Swipe left.
One of the biggest disconnects from this book is how much pages it took. You could shrink up at least 40% of it into a little nice blot. Instead, it was too long and too introductory and I kept losing track of the story after 10 consecutive pages of redundant descriptions. I was just SO BORED. I couldn't read a couple of pages without also being on my phone watching vine compilations.
I really wish there was a camera following me around 24/7 so whenever something completely predictable and unoriginal happened, so I could look directly into the camera like in The Office.
• This is your painfully typical Supervillains vs Superheroes story. The Anarchists are the supervillains in this case, and of course like any other superhero comic/book/movie, they're actually the ones with a vision for the world. The Anarchists are trying to change things for all prodigies and fight their oppressors. The Renegades are resisting that change and their only goal seems to be stoping the villains from reaching their goal.
• Overused and generic tragic backstories. I mean, of course it’s not a superhero novel without a few sob stories. What these kids need is extensive sessions of therapy where they can unload their heavy emotional baggage. Just saying.
• Cheesy villainous dialogue that only gives the superheroes a chance to turn the tables.... except of course they never do. The monologues were so cringy I almost eye-rolled into another dimension. Yikes.
• Secret identities. Duh. At least, it would’ve been much better if their secret identities was actually secret, so the readers have to try and figure it out. But what's absolutely unrefined WILD to me, however, is that no one, NOT ONE SINGLE CHARACTER, was able to come across two brain cells to rub together and figure out that Adrian was the Sentinel and that Nova was Nightmare. The fact that Adrian and Nova suddenly disappear EVERY TIME their alter egos show up is the equivalent of venomous animals being bright orange. Imagine “HEY WE HAVE SECRET IDENTITIES” written in sixty stores high letters and there's a bone fire in the middle....that's how obvious it was.
• The plot twists were so...anticlimactic. I would have loved to be passionate and react but when it all played out, I went like, [monotone voice] wow ok. Like, you know in the metamorphosis, when Gregor wakes up and instead of freaking out because holy! shit! he’s a bug, he’s just like “I really cannot deal with this right now”. That was me after every single reveal.
At this point, I'm frankly more interested in reading about the insurance adjuster who arrives to assess damage after superhero fights and starts an investigation to uncover their real identities and hold them accountable for all the property damage they've caused.
This is a public service announcement: I do not care one single bit about the romance in this book. Get it away from me. Do not touch me with their romantic sentiment.
I'm not even going to give a valid reason, it's just the good ol' unwarranted dislike. They annoy me and that's the end of it. I also have so much beef with the concept of “having to ship off all your main characters into clichéd hetero relationships”. Their banter was the equivalent of slightly stale piece of bread. THEY DONT EVEN LIKE EACH OTHER OR EVEN HAVE FUN TOGETHER. Thank you, next.
Okay here's what I liked, because I'm not completely a swamp goblin lol.
• DIVERSITY.
Nova is half Filipino. Adrian has two supportive and happily married dads. Oscar has a rare bone disease that rendered him disabled.
• MAX.
Max is a 10 years old kid with a mysterious and highly dangerous superpower. He's been put in quarantine because of the aformentioned superpower but can we please take a minute of our time to appreciate what a pure source of light and warmth he is? I wish I had big tender wings to protect him. He’s literally the only reason I didn't call this book a dnf and spare myself the stress pimples.
I'm trying to come to terms with the possibility that I will never form a meaningful emotional connection with a Marissa Meyer book like I did with The Lunar Chronicles. It's like my heart closes for maintenance when it comes to anything else written by this author. I don't know. There must have been a dimensional hiccup in the timeline—how else could I go from being unambiguously and obsessively 100% full scale high key addicted to her books to just....being an aggressively disinterested bystander?
Aaaaad here's why:
✨ THE ‘MEH’ FACTOR:
Renegades was one big conglomerate of timeworn clichés and hackneyed superhero tropes, which would have gotten me so pumped—like, who cares? it’s time to read about overthrowing the government and burning the patriarchy to the ground—if at least the MCs managed to scratch a line into my heart. But they didn't. I don't dislike them really, I'm just like “meh ok, go do your thing in your corner”. The secondary characers also had so much potential yet they eventually became a distant memory. They kind of just existed in the nook of the MCs', like some ghosts of goodwill. No witty banter to make them stand out or anything. There were like two characters who would’ve made this book a lot better but none of them were given enough backstory or enough page time..
Honestly, I think the main problem is that when I think about this book…I don’t feel anything. My mind just blanks and all I feel is hollow wind blowing through my skull because it's just kind of there... trying so hard but failing to leave even the most basic impression upon my psyche. Yes, it was fun to read for a couple of pages but the love just isn’t there. Swipe left.
✨ IT WAS TEXTBOOK KIND OF LONG
One of the biggest disconnects from this book is how much pages it took. You could shrink up at least 40% of it into a little nice blot. Instead, it was too long and too introductory and I kept losing track of the story after 10 consecutive pages of redundant descriptions. I was just SO BORED. I couldn't read a couple of pages without also being on my phone watching vine compilations.
✨ C FOR CLICHE:
I really wish there was a camera following me around 24/7 so whenever something completely predictable and unoriginal happened, so I could look directly into the camera like in The Office.
• This is your painfully typical Supervillains vs Superheroes story. The Anarchists are the supervillains in this case, and of course like any other superhero comic/book/movie, they're actually the ones with a vision for the world. The Anarchists are trying to change things for all prodigies and fight their oppressors. The Renegades are resisting that change and their only goal seems to be stoping the villains from reaching their goal.
• Overused and generic tragic backstories. I mean, of course it’s not a superhero novel without a few sob stories. What these kids need is extensive sessions of therapy where they can unload their heavy emotional baggage. Just saying.
• Cheesy villainous dialogue that only gives the superheroes a chance to turn the tables.... except of course they never do. The monologues were so cringy I almost eye-rolled into another dimension. Yikes.
• Secret identities. Duh. At least, it would’ve been much better if their secret identities was actually secret, so the readers have to try and figure it out. But what's absolutely unrefined WILD to me, however, is that no one, NOT ONE SINGLE CHARACTER, was able to come across two brain cells to rub together and figure out that Adrian was the Sentinel and that Nova was Nightmare. The fact that Adrian and Nova suddenly disappear EVERY TIME their alter egos show up is the equivalent of venomous animals being bright orange. Imagine “HEY WE HAVE SECRET IDENTITIES” written in sixty stores high letters and there's a bone fire in the middle....that's how obvious it was.
• The plot twists were so...anticlimactic. I would have loved to be passionate and react but when it all played out, I went like, [monotone voice] wow ok. Like, you know in the metamorphosis, when Gregor wakes up and instead of freaking out because holy! shit! he’s a bug, he’s just like “I really cannot deal with this right now”. That was me after every single reveal.
At this point, I'm frankly more interested in reading about the insurance adjuster who arrives to assess damage after superhero fights and starts an investigation to uncover their real identities and hold them accountable for all the property damage they've caused.
✨ THE ROMANCE
This is a public service announcement: I do not care one single bit about the romance in this book. Get it away from me. Do not touch me with their romantic sentiment.
I'm not even going to give a valid reason, it's just the good ol' unwarranted dislike. They annoy me and that's the end of it. I also have so much beef with the concept of “having to ship off all your main characters into clichéd hetero relationships”. Their banter was the equivalent of slightly stale piece of bread. THEY DONT EVEN LIKE EACH OTHER OR EVEN HAVE FUN TOGETHER. Thank you, next.
✨ POSITIVE NOTES
Okay here's what I liked, because I'm not completely a swamp goblin lol.
• DIVERSITY.
Nova is half Filipino. Adrian has two supportive and happily married dads. Oscar has a rare bone disease that rendered him disabled.
• MAX.
Max is a 10 years old kid with a mysterious and highly dangerous superpower. He's been put in quarantine because of the aformentioned superpower but can we please take a minute of our time to appreciate what a pure source of light and warmth he is? I wish I had big tender wings to protect him. He’s literally the only reason I didn't call this book a dnf and spare myself the stress pimples.
October 30, 2017
2 1/2 stars.
I'm reminding myself while I'm writing this that I really didn't like Meyer's Cinder but went on to enjoy the rest of the series. Maybe Meyer is just not great at beginnings. Maybe I'm already feeling burned out on this new "It" genre featuring superhero stories. All I know is that Renegades didn't really pick up until the second half and, looking back, I don't get the sense that this first book really had a story arc. There was no climax or revelation. It felt like one very long introduction.
For much of the book, this feels like a very standard superhero tale that doesn't do anything new. After an age of anarchy descended and gangs ruled the streets, the Renegades emerged to restore the balance with their superpowers. Now they rule the city. The orphaned Nova, however, feels they are the reason her parents were murdered and so she teams up with the other side - the Anarchists - in order to overthrow the Renegades.
It was almost unreadable at first, with the cliche dialogue making it seem as if the characters were reading off the script for the latest superhero movie:
Both characters and scenes seem stolen straight from Marvel. Frostbite is obviously a play on Storm from X-men, right down to the “silver-white hair”. Gargoyle is a Hulk-like monster. They are not developed far beyond the description of their powers, which makes it difficult to distinguish them from the superheroes we know. Similarly, the parade attack near the beginning will surely remind many readers of the Green Goblin vs Spiderman parade attack.
And how is it possible that no-one worked out that Adrian is the Sentinel? Honestly, how? The Sentinel is a mysterious new superhero who claims he is a Renegade and Adrian suddenly disappears every time he’s around. Plus everyone knows how much both Adrian and the Sentinel want to find Nightmare… how do they not know? He is the worst at having a secret identity. (Note: this is not a spoiler. We are told his identity in the beginning.)
It's a long book for YA and it feels even longer. Though it does pick up eventually, I thought it was too little, too late. I will probably read on with the series, if only because I learned once already that Meyer builds up to the goods. But my expectations have been dramatically lowered.
Diversity points for the Italian-Filipina protagonist, Adrian's two dads, and a character with a disability.
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I'm reminding myself while I'm writing this that I really didn't like Meyer's Cinder but went on to enjoy the rest of the series. Maybe Meyer is just not great at beginnings. Maybe I'm already feeling burned out on this new "It" genre featuring superhero stories. All I know is that Renegades didn't really pick up until the second half and, looking back, I don't get the sense that this first book really had a story arc. There was no climax or revelation. It felt like one very long introduction.
For much of the book, this feels like a very standard superhero tale that doesn't do anything new. After an age of anarchy descended and gangs ruled the streets, the Renegades emerged to restore the balance with their superpowers. Now they rule the city. The orphaned Nova, however, feels they are the reason her parents were murdered and so she teams up with the other side - the Anarchists - in order to overthrow the Renegades.
It was almost unreadable at first, with the cliche dialogue making it seem as if the characters were reading off the script for the latest superhero movie:
"Nightmare," said Smokescreen, with a subtle incline of his head. "It's been a while."
"You're about to wish it had been longer."
***
"Your days of villainy are over, Nightmare."
Both characters and scenes seem stolen straight from Marvel. Frostbite is obviously a play on Storm from X-men, right down to the “silver-white hair”. Gargoyle is a Hulk-like monster. They are not developed far beyond the description of their powers, which makes it difficult to distinguish them from the superheroes we know. Similarly, the parade attack near the beginning will surely remind many readers of the Green Goblin vs Spiderman parade attack.
And how is it possible that no-one worked out that Adrian is the Sentinel? Honestly, how? The Sentinel is a mysterious new superhero who claims he is a Renegade and Adrian suddenly disappears every time he’s around. Plus everyone knows how much both Adrian and the Sentinel want to find Nightmare… how do they not know? He is the worst at having a secret identity. (Note: this is not a spoiler. We are told his identity in the beginning.)
It's a long book for YA and it feels even longer. Though it does pick up eventually, I thought it was too little, too late. I will probably read on with the series, if only because I learned once already that Meyer builds up to the goods. But my expectations have been dramatically lowered.
Diversity points for the Italian-Filipina protagonist, Adrian's two dads, and a character with a disability.
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October 2, 2018
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. So fun so complex so interesting – a must read!! Check out my video review!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veujV...
Other than the epic superheroes, what intrigues me most about Renegades is that it focuses on the concept of anarchy, which appears to be lacking in YA despite the abundance of dystopian/futuristic novels already on the market. The history of the time of anarchy combined with active anarchists in the present story made it very unique in that manner. I clearly don’t agree with total anarchy, but the state of the world before and after that period is truly fascinating and leads to a variety of moral questions to toy with while reading.
Although there is an influx of superhero content in the entertainment world as of late, I still feel as if Renegades stands on its own. I’m not a Marvel/DC fan in the slightest and superhero films/comic books are not my thing, but the dynamics of the prodigies vs. the Renegades vs. the Anarchists vs. the public were too fascinating for me to scoff at. The powers of prodigies vary from invulnerability and elemental manipulation to the ability to make origami come to life – the variety in terms of powers and standards created by both the superheroes and the public was very interesting to me. I found all the abilities to be well-though-out consistent, and the increase in scope of powers to be extremely well done. I definitely feel this novel would appeal to non-superhero fans who are still intrigued by the concept of supernatural abilities.
I LOVED the characters in this story. For a SFF YA novel, we have a very diverse cast which I was super pleased with! One of our main characters is Italian/Filipina, and the other is described as having “brown skin”; Additionally, one of them comes from a household with two dads and another superhero side character is disabled (walks with a cane & his superpower has nothing to do with his disability!) Nova is fierce, resourceful, brave, and confident – I truly enjoyed reading from her perspective. Adrian is also brave and intent on justice, but I feel we see more of his soft side as the story progresses. I found most of characters to be interesting and complex.
I REALLY enjoyed the slight romance in this story, more than I have regarding YA books in a while. It is the definition of slow burn, and even by the ending, romantic feelings are only just developing. The story is definitely centered on the dynamics between Renegades and Anarchists, with romance being one of the least important parts of the plot in my opinion. It’s the type of relationship where the flirtations and growth of feelings are only just beginning to brew, but you still REALLY want to root for the characters to be together.
Overall, Renegades was a fantastic read (and a fantastic audiobook!) I would absolutely recommend this read, particularly to those interested in SFF, supernatural powers, complex moral issues, and unbelievable twists. This one is definitely on my list of auto-recommends!
Other than the epic superheroes, what intrigues me most about Renegades is that it focuses on the concept of anarchy, which appears to be lacking in YA despite the abundance of dystopian/futuristic novels already on the market. The history of the time of anarchy combined with active anarchists in the present story made it very unique in that manner. I clearly don’t agree with total anarchy, but the state of the world before and after that period is truly fascinating and leads to a variety of moral questions to toy with while reading.
Although there is an influx of superhero content in the entertainment world as of late, I still feel as if Renegades stands on its own. I’m not a Marvel/DC fan in the slightest and superhero films/comic books are not my thing, but the dynamics of the prodigies vs. the Renegades vs. the Anarchists vs. the public were too fascinating for me to scoff at. The powers of prodigies vary from invulnerability and elemental manipulation to the ability to make origami come to life – the variety in terms of powers and standards created by both the superheroes and the public was very interesting to me. I found all the abilities to be well-though-out consistent, and the increase in scope of powers to be extremely well done. I definitely feel this novel would appeal to non-superhero fans who are still intrigued by the concept of supernatural abilities.
I LOVED the characters in this story. For a SFF YA novel, we have a very diverse cast which I was super pleased with! One of our main characters is Italian/Filipina, and the other is described as having “brown skin”; Additionally, one of them comes from a household with two dads and another superhero side character is disabled (walks with a cane & his superpower has nothing to do with his disability!) Nova is fierce, resourceful, brave, and confident – I truly enjoyed reading from her perspective. Adrian is also brave and intent on justice, but I feel we see more of his soft side as the story progresses. I found most of characters to be interesting and complex.
I REALLY enjoyed the slight romance in this story, more than I have regarding YA books in a while. It is the definition of slow burn, and even by the ending, romantic feelings are only just developing. The story is definitely centered on the dynamics between Renegades and Anarchists, with romance being one of the least important parts of the plot in my opinion. It’s the type of relationship where the flirtations and growth of feelings are only just beginning to brew, but you still REALLY want to root for the characters to be together.
Overall, Renegades was a fantastic read (and a fantastic audiobook!) I would absolutely recommend this read, particularly to those interested in SFF, supernatural powers, complex moral issues, and unbelievable twists. This one is definitely on my list of auto-recommends!
June 19, 2020
Well, went from 5 to 3 stars. I just got taken to trade in my hardbacks, but I’m keeping the kindle and Audible versions because they are ok. But I still love The Lunar Chronicles and will be rereading them later 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
**
Left my old review up on my blog just to have. Although, I haven’t been blogging and it might just go away 🤔
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
**
Left my old review up on my blog just to have. Although, I haven’t been blogging and it might just go away 🤔
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
November 19, 2021
Guys, I don’t know myself anymore.
I’m currently sitting here eating baby carrots, and I’m not happy about it, which is characteristic, but the sheer fact that I’m ingesting a vegetable in the first place is astounding. I’m currently addicted to watching feature-length episodes of a British quiz show on YouTube, when up until two days ago I was convinced I was racist against British people. But most importantly (and actually, you know, semi-relevantly) I don’t know how I feel about Marissa Meyer.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
She used to be my Favorite Author!!! (Capitals and excessive exclamation points for both emphasis and flair.) Or I used to say she was. Because I also used to say that the Lunar Chronicles were my favorite series, before I realized that was patently false.
But now there’s a whole lot going on.
I do remember loving all of the Lunar Chronicles books except Cinder, which was meh. Well, and Fairest was pretty bad. Okay and Wires and Nerve was also bad. But anyway, I read most of them in 2015 and 2015 me, as has been stated many a time on this account, canNOT be trusted. Example of an opinion I held in 2015, for proof: “I should wear full makeup, including eyeliner, to school every day. Even though school starts at 7:35 a.m. Even though I could sleep for at least 14 more minutes if I, you know, didn’t do that.”
See the level of illogical we’re working with when we reflect on 2015?
Anyway. But it gets worse, because I hated the book Heartless with everything in me. Which caught me off guard, because that was in very early 2017 and I hadn’t realized past me’s lack of reliability yet.
The point of all of this is that I approached this book with trepidation. And now I am approaching this review with trepidation, because I DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL!!
Yes, I am claiming to be “approaching” this review even as I am clearly an excessive number of words into it. What of it?
Let’s divide this into two very broad categories. Bad news first.
THE BAD
I am currently taking a class called “The Art of Fiction,” and it has threatened to single-handedly absolutely full-on ruin reading one hundred percent of YA fantasy for me. Just in time for me to be in the hugest fantasy mood of my life!! Ideal. Life is filled with these perfect symmetries, etc.
Anyway. In that course, we read a couple of stories by Anton Chekhov, and Chekhov’s got this quote, maybe, which may or may not go something like this: “If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there.” This is a very great quote to ponder as a writer, but as a reader it sucks SO BAD.
No twist is a twist anymore. I see everything coming. I am now prescient and it is a goddamn curse.
Basically what I’m saying is that I saw a twist in this book coming and I blame Chekhov.
My more major, less literary complaint: the pacing of this is extremely strange. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that this book is FIVE HUNDRED PAGES LONG!! Can you imagine being bold enough to make the first book in your trilogy five hundred pages long?? Who besides Marissa Meyer has the clout to pull that type of sh*t off.
But anyway. As the old saying goes, just because Marissa Meyer can doesn’t mean Marissa Meyer should. There is just no reason this book had to be 500 pages long. One, because that’s too long for almost any book, but two, because this book was doing absolutely nothing good with all of those pages.
First off, I finished this book and was like, “Ah! A whole lot of nothing.” It truly feels like there is absolutely zero plotline to this book. There are a few separate events with very little tying them together, and definitely no tension or suspense of any kind. The last hundred pages especially were like Dry City, USA. (Dry meaning boring. Not as in “not wet.” Hopefully all pages are Dry City, USA in that sense.)
The second pacing thing: this felt like 1.5 books. I can pick an exact moment around 350 pages in that felt like a perfect stopping point, but this bad boy just...trucks on. And not only does that 350 page mark feel like a perfect ending, the actual ending (150 pages or so later) feels like the exact middle point of a book.
The ending was so, so, so weird and so, so, so rushed. I’m going to say what happened that was very strange in vague terms, so hopefully I won’t spoil anything, but if you haven’t read the book just skip this paragraph maybe. Okay so basically, one character has a near-death experience and we are expected to believe this character died. However, this character did NOT die. Character tricked us and other characters! That is just so classic this character. Anyway, character pops up, alive and well, and no explanation is ever given for how this character didn’t die. We just move on!
Sloppy, sloppy. I’m honestly very glad I have the ARC of Archenemies. not because this is so good that I’m like, let me get my hands on that sequel, but more because this feels aggressively unfinished.
In terms of characters: I feel pretty meh about all of them. There were some that have potential (more on that later), but a few were so devastatingly devoid of personality that a side-by-side comparison between them and a sleeve of saltines would make the crackers seem like a day trip to Flavortown. (Guy Fieri reference: Check.)
Finally, this book often just felt like...nothing special. Superheroes have been done. Slow burn romances and banter and fight scenes every hundred pages and halfhearted twists have been done. At a lot of moments this just felt like every entry into the superhero genre tossed in a blender with every YA fantasy of the last five years.
And that’s really lame.
Luckily, we left the good stuff to cheer ourselves up!!
THE GOOD
Even though this was unoriginal, it still managed to be...kind of fun? And a way quicker read than any poorly-structured book over five hundred pages has any right to be. At the beginning of the month, I was STRESSING about the idea of reading 1000 pages of Marissa Meyer superhero content on top of, like, midterms and basic human responsibilities.
But it seems to be going peachily. (Massive shoutout to Google Drive for not marking the adverb version of “peachy” I just made up a spelling error. I feel like a linguistic prophet.)
Also, I think Marissa Meyer puts forth a good effort in terms of diversity in this book. And she kind of always has. Cinder came out in 2013, back when SJM was just writing undiverse books instead of undiverse books feigning diversity, and presumably when JK Rowling’s Twitter was something other than a nonstop fountain flowing with cringe. Cinder is pretty diverse, considering.
Marissa Meyer has always seemed to me like one of the only YA authors who may actually care about diversity for diversity’s sake, rather than point-scoring. Which is rad.
There’s also a really interesting exploration of good versus evil and moral ambiguity in this book. Essentially what Wildcard stumbled over itself trying to do, except this was actually remotely good. And also this wasn’t constantly interrupting itself to have its female protagonist moon over a very annoying and morally corrupt man.
Other good things: I don’t know if this is fully one hundred percent unambiguously good, but I think there is POTENTIAL for me liking these characters. I am the closest to liking Nova. If a seven on the ten-point love scale is “truly like,” I am probably at 5.5 with her. Close second, Oscar, then Ruby, then Honey, then Adrian. If Archenemies really puts in work, I may end up liking one or two of them.
There is absolutely no question of me possibly liking any other character in this series.
But here is the single most surprising thing I liked about this series, and I’m almost embarrassed to say it…
Okay, FINE. It was the romance! I liked the romance.
It’s nice. It’s slow burn. The characters are awkward and both like nO STOP I DON’T LIKE ANYONE. I AM THE VOID. I FEEL NOTHING. Which is very fun. I think they’re a good match and oh my god I am going to go lay in a pond now since when do I say things like “a good match.”
Closing out this review like we started it: With me having a minor existential crisis over my own identity.
Bottom line: This was not good, per se, but it was fun and fine!
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currently-reading updates
"I can't wait to read this book," I say, and then wait almost a year before reading this book
please be better than Heartless
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tbr review
I can't forget the pain Heartless caused me, but Marissa...I'm willing to forgive.
I’m currently sitting here eating baby carrots, and I’m not happy about it, which is characteristic, but the sheer fact that I’m ingesting a vegetable in the first place is astounding. I’m currently addicted to watching feature-length episodes of a British quiz show on YouTube, when up until two days ago I was convinced I was racist against British people. But most importantly (and actually, you know, semi-relevantly) I don’t know how I feel about Marissa Meyer.
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
She used to be my Favorite Author!!! (Capitals and excessive exclamation points for both emphasis and flair.) Or I used to say she was. Because I also used to say that the Lunar Chronicles were my favorite series, before I realized that was patently false.
But now there’s a whole lot going on.
I do remember loving all of the Lunar Chronicles books except Cinder, which was meh. Well, and Fairest was pretty bad. Okay and Wires and Nerve was also bad. But anyway, I read most of them in 2015 and 2015 me, as has been stated many a time on this account, canNOT be trusted. Example of an opinion I held in 2015, for proof: “I should wear full makeup, including eyeliner, to school every day. Even though school starts at 7:35 a.m. Even though I could sleep for at least 14 more minutes if I, you know, didn’t do that.”
See the level of illogical we’re working with when we reflect on 2015?
Anyway. But it gets worse, because I hated the book Heartless with everything in me. Which caught me off guard, because that was in very early 2017 and I hadn’t realized past me’s lack of reliability yet.
The point of all of this is that I approached this book with trepidation. And now I am approaching this review with trepidation, because I DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL!!
Yes, I am claiming to be “approaching” this review even as I am clearly an excessive number of words into it. What of it?
Let’s divide this into two very broad categories. Bad news first.
THE BAD
I am currently taking a class called “The Art of Fiction,” and it has threatened to single-handedly absolutely full-on ruin reading one hundred percent of YA fantasy for me. Just in time for me to be in the hugest fantasy mood of my life!! Ideal. Life is filled with these perfect symmetries, etc.
Anyway. In that course, we read a couple of stories by Anton Chekhov, and Chekhov’s got this quote, maybe, which may or may not go something like this: “If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there.” This is a very great quote to ponder as a writer, but as a reader it sucks SO BAD.
No twist is a twist anymore. I see everything coming. I am now prescient and it is a goddamn curse.
Basically what I’m saying is that I saw a twist in this book coming and I blame Chekhov.
My more major, less literary complaint: the pacing of this is extremely strange. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that this book is FIVE HUNDRED PAGES LONG!! Can you imagine being bold enough to make the first book in your trilogy five hundred pages long?? Who besides Marissa Meyer has the clout to pull that type of sh*t off.
But anyway. As the old saying goes, just because Marissa Meyer can doesn’t mean Marissa Meyer should. There is just no reason this book had to be 500 pages long. One, because that’s too long for almost any book, but two, because this book was doing absolutely nothing good with all of those pages.
First off, I finished this book and was like, “Ah! A whole lot of nothing.” It truly feels like there is absolutely zero plotline to this book. There are a few separate events with very little tying them together, and definitely no tension or suspense of any kind. The last hundred pages especially were like Dry City, USA. (Dry meaning boring. Not as in “not wet.” Hopefully all pages are Dry City, USA in that sense.)
The second pacing thing: this felt like 1.5 books. I can pick an exact moment around 350 pages in that felt like a perfect stopping point, but this bad boy just...trucks on. And not only does that 350 page mark feel like a perfect ending, the actual ending (150 pages or so later) feels like the exact middle point of a book.
The ending was so, so, so weird and so, so, so rushed. I’m going to say what happened that was very strange in vague terms, so hopefully I won’t spoil anything, but if you haven’t read the book just skip this paragraph maybe. Okay so basically, one character has a near-death experience and we are expected to believe this character died. However, this character did NOT die. Character tricked us and other characters! That is just so classic this character. Anyway, character pops up, alive and well, and no explanation is ever given for how this character didn’t die. We just move on!
Sloppy, sloppy. I’m honestly very glad I have the ARC of Archenemies. not because this is so good that I’m like, let me get my hands on that sequel, but more because this feels aggressively unfinished.
In terms of characters: I feel pretty meh about all of them. There were some that have potential (more on that later), but a few were so devastatingly devoid of personality that a side-by-side comparison between them and a sleeve of saltines would make the crackers seem like a day trip to Flavortown. (Guy Fieri reference: Check.)
Finally, this book often just felt like...nothing special. Superheroes have been done. Slow burn romances and banter and fight scenes every hundred pages and halfhearted twists have been done. At a lot of moments this just felt like every entry into the superhero genre tossed in a blender with every YA fantasy of the last five years.
And that’s really lame.
Luckily, we left the good stuff to cheer ourselves up!!
THE GOOD
Even though this was unoriginal, it still managed to be...kind of fun? And a way quicker read than any poorly-structured book over five hundred pages has any right to be. At the beginning of the month, I was STRESSING about the idea of reading 1000 pages of Marissa Meyer superhero content on top of, like, midterms and basic human responsibilities.
But it seems to be going peachily. (Massive shoutout to Google Drive for not marking the adverb version of “peachy” I just made up a spelling error. I feel like a linguistic prophet.)
Also, I think Marissa Meyer puts forth a good effort in terms of diversity in this book. And she kind of always has. Cinder came out in 2013, back when SJM was just writing undiverse books instead of undiverse books feigning diversity, and presumably when JK Rowling’s Twitter was something other than a nonstop fountain flowing with cringe. Cinder is pretty diverse, considering.
Marissa Meyer has always seemed to me like one of the only YA authors who may actually care about diversity for diversity’s sake, rather than point-scoring. Which is rad.
There’s also a really interesting exploration of good versus evil and moral ambiguity in this book. Essentially what Wildcard stumbled over itself trying to do, except this was actually remotely good. And also this wasn’t constantly interrupting itself to have its female protagonist moon over a very annoying and morally corrupt man.
Other good things: I don’t know if this is fully one hundred percent unambiguously good, but I think there is POTENTIAL for me liking these characters. I am the closest to liking Nova. If a seven on the ten-point love scale is “truly like,” I am probably at 5.5 with her. Close second, Oscar, then Ruby, then Honey, then Adrian. If Archenemies really puts in work, I may end up liking one or two of them.
There is absolutely no question of me possibly liking any other character in this series.
But here is the single most surprising thing I liked about this series, and I’m almost embarrassed to say it…
Okay, FINE. It was the romance! I liked the romance.
It’s nice. It’s slow burn. The characters are awkward and both like nO STOP I DON’T LIKE ANYONE. I AM THE VOID. I FEEL NOTHING. Which is very fun. I think they’re a good match and oh my god I am going to go lay in a pond now since when do I say things like “a good match.”
Closing out this review like we started it: With me having a minor existential crisis over my own identity.
Bottom line: This was not good, per se, but it was fun and fine!
----------
currently-reading updates
"I can't wait to read this book," I say, and then wait almost a year before reading this book
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tbr review
I can't forget the pain Heartless caused me, but Marissa...I'm willing to forgive.
January 14, 2020
what have we learned today? kat and marissa meyer’s books just don’t gel. sorry y’all 😥
January 17, 2020
ive read many books about people who have abilities or gifts, but i think this is the first book ive read where they are actually considered superheroes. like crime fighting superheroes, against villains. straight out of a comic book. and i will say it felt very cheesy in the beginning, but i got into it. eventually. because this is a beast of a book with loads of introspection and description. so there was a lot of trudging through that had to be done. but fortunately, things really picked up in the last 200 pages or so. and because of that, i think the next book is going to be so much better!!
↠ 4 stars
↠ 4 stars
November 23, 2017
I feel like the amount of expectations I put on this book just made it bound to disappoint me. Like, think about it realistically, how is ANY book ever going to live up to the glory that is Scarlet??
You just…can’t compete with that ya know.
My feelings and thoughts summed up:
The Pros
- I love me some anti-heroes, give me bad guys with tragic back stories and complex development that make me rethink my entire moral compass
- The ending was bloody fantastic, that last sentence left me all !!???!!!???!!
- Max my son. I want a whole book on him, just entirely him. He was the saving grace for this book no joke
- Forbidden love is my ISH.
- While the first half almost put me to sleep, the second half was for sure more action packed and fun, I practically finished it in one night
- Marissa Meyer is always spot on with diversity tho. Im :’)
- Ruby and Oscar tho
- I AM DYING FOR THE FANART TO BE DRAWN. Bc these peeps in the fandom are so hella talented and like THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING IDEAS HERE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The Cons
- It hurts me to have to list cons for marissa meyer bc she is everything I want to be when I grow up but this book was just //not// doing it for me
- I still got hope tho bc I didn’t like Cinder very much but the rest of the series SLAYED my existence so hopefully she makes a comeback, plz plz plz
- So, the cons
- The book felt like a filler. Like 500 pages, not including the last sentence, worth of filler
- The pacing for the first half was sooooooo slowwwwwww
- Nova is a character with so much potential but just, idk she fell flat. Definitely not like my girl scarlet
- Adrian, besides the fact that hes a total nerd which earns him like 100 extra points, he’s kinda really bland, like no personality whatsoever and that makes me :(
- It really had a lot of potential but I just wasn’t invested in it like I thought I would be
- EVERYTHING JUST FELT SO INDIFFERENT I wanted to love it so badly but then this happened and i just JIFDASJFIUASDHFAHFDAKLF
- It was kinda really cliché a lot of the time
- Just felt like a mega rerun of a favourite superhero episode, a total //been there, done that// situation
- Again, sad.
“One cannot be brave who has no fear.”
3.5 stars!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DONT CARE THAT IM READING 3 BOOKS ALREADY, MARISSA MEYER RELEASES A BOOK, YOU STOP YOUR LIFE AND YOU READ IT
shoutout to my babes, the sista-in-law for reminding me bc im a fake :') also buddy reading with her, juju & kazzy & pregye & beybey & hamad & mango
You just…can’t compete with that ya know.
My feelings and thoughts summed up:
The Pros
- I love me some anti-heroes, give me bad guys with tragic back stories and complex development that make me rethink my entire moral compass
- The ending was bloody fantastic, that last sentence left me all !!???!!!???!!
- Max my son. I want a whole book on him, just entirely him. He was the saving grace for this book no joke
- Forbidden love is my ISH.
- While the first half almost put me to sleep, the second half was for sure more action packed and fun, I practically finished it in one night
- Marissa Meyer is always spot on with diversity tho. Im :’)
- Ruby and Oscar tho
- I AM DYING FOR THE FANART TO BE DRAWN. Bc these peeps in the fandom are so hella talented and like THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING IDEAS HERE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The Cons
- It hurts me to have to list cons for marissa meyer bc she is everything I want to be when I grow up but this book was just //not// doing it for me
- I still got hope tho bc I didn’t like Cinder very much but the rest of the series SLAYED my existence so hopefully she makes a comeback, plz plz plz
- So, the cons
- The book felt like a filler. Like 500 pages, not including the last sentence, worth of filler
- The pacing for the first half was sooooooo slowwwwwww
- Nova is a character with so much potential but just, idk she fell flat. Definitely not like my girl scarlet
- Adrian, besides the fact that hes a total nerd which earns him like 100 extra points, he’s kinda really bland, like no personality whatsoever and that makes me :(
- It really had a lot of potential but I just wasn’t invested in it like I thought I would be
- EVERYTHING JUST FELT SO INDIFFERENT I wanted to love it so badly but then this happened and i just JIFDASJFIUASDHFAHFDAKLF
- It was kinda really cliché a lot of the time
- Just felt like a mega rerun of a favourite superhero episode, a total //been there, done that// situation
- Again, sad.
“One cannot be brave who has no fear.”
3.5 stars!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DONT CARE THAT IM READING 3 BOOKS ALREADY, MARISSA MEYER RELEASES A BOOK, YOU STOP YOUR LIFE AND YOU READ IT
shoutout to my babes, the sista-in-law for reminding me bc im a fake :') also buddy reading with her, juju & kazzy & pregye & beybey & hamad & mango
August 7, 2021
This book is dull, unoriginal, boring, and nonsensical.
Nova is a prodigy, someone gifted with special powers. She's basically a superhero, only she's not a hero, she's an Anarchist (very original). Adrian is a Renegade, one of the heroes that protects Gatlon City from the Anarchists.
First of all, why do the people need protection in the first place? The Anarchists aren't even doing anything. They just hide in their little abandoned buildings and occasionally attempt to assassinate a Renegade. And that doesn't make sense, either. Why are they trying to kill the Renegades? If they just joined them, none of this would have happened. And they have no reason to not join the heroes.
But this has already been accomplished. Now prodigies are almost worshiped. They're treated as heroes and saviors. So if Ace's so-called goal isn't even needed anymore, then why resist the Renegades?
This book opens with Nova attempting to kill Captain Chromium, the leader of the Renegades. According to her:
This also doesn't make sense. He's an insanely famous and popular figure. And he was just standing out there on a parade float with no protection. Somebody was bound to try to kill him eventually, but he was in an incredibly vulnerable position to start with. I find it hard to believe that Nova, a young girl with a single poisoned dart, sitting on top of a building, was the one to almost kill the Captain.
If I ignore all the plot holes, I'm still left with a mediocre story. Nova and Adrian were woefully lacking in the personality department. Their superpowers were interesting--Nova can put other people to sleep (not death, just sleep) and Adrian can turn whatever he draws into a real, tangible object. Unfortunately, Adrian is too busy drawing extra shutters and tiny houses for his brother to actually do anything useful with his power. Think of all the missed opportunities. He could go rogue and draw himself millions of dollars. Or he could sketch the cure for cancer and distribute it. But no, windows are more important.
I learned this a while back when I was reading The Lunar Chronicles, but I just do not like Marissa Meyer's writing. At all. It's very cliche, with bad banter and dull inner monologues.
There were some interesting ideas thrown into this book, but it didn't hold my interest. I was getting worried that a romance would start, so I DNFed this before I could get too frustrated. The only thing worse than two bland characters is two bland characters in a bland relationship.
1.5 stars, loved the cover, at least
Nova is a prodigy, someone gifted with special powers. She's basically a superhero, only she's not a hero, she's an Anarchist (very original). Adrian is a Renegade, one of the heroes that protects Gatlon City from the Anarchists.
First of all, why do the people need protection in the first place? The Anarchists aren't even doing anything. They just hide in their little abandoned buildings and occasionally attempt to assassinate a Renegade. And that doesn't make sense, either. Why are they trying to kill the Renegades? If they just joined them, none of this would have happened. And they have no reason to not join the heroes.
Ultimately, [Ace Anarchy had] wanted a world in which prodigies were no longer oppressed and frightened, belittled and tormented. He'd wanted a world where they could all be free to live their own lives according to their own devices.
But this has already been accomplished. Now prodigies are almost worshiped. They're treated as heroes and saviors. So if Ace's so-called goal isn't even needed anymore, then why resist the Renegades?
This book opens with Nova attempting to kill Captain Chromium, the leader of the Renegades. According to her:
As far as she knew, that one dart had come closer to killing Captain Chromium than anything had before.
This also doesn't make sense. He's an insanely famous and popular figure. And he was just standing out there on a parade float with no protection. Somebody was bound to try to kill him eventually, but he was in an incredibly vulnerable position to start with. I find it hard to believe that Nova, a young girl with a single poisoned dart, sitting on top of a building, was the one to almost kill the Captain.
If I ignore all the plot holes, I'm still left with a mediocre story. Nova and Adrian were woefully lacking in the personality department. Their superpowers were interesting--Nova can put other people to sleep (not death, just sleep) and Adrian can turn whatever he draws into a real, tangible object. Unfortunately, Adrian is too busy drawing extra shutters and tiny houses for his brother to actually do anything useful with his power. Think of all the missed opportunities. He could go rogue and draw himself millions of dollars. Or he could sketch the cure for cancer and distribute it. But no, windows are more important.
I learned this a while back when I was reading The Lunar Chronicles, but I just do not like Marissa Meyer's writing. At all. It's very cliche, with bad banter and dull inner monologues.
There were some interesting ideas thrown into this book, but it didn't hold my interest. I was getting worried that a romance would start, so I DNFed this before I could get too frustrated. The only thing worse than two bland characters is two bland characters in a bland relationship.
1.5 stars, loved the cover, at least
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1646942374i/66224803._UX200_CR0,46,200,200_.jpg)
September 19, 2018
“One cannot be brave who has no fear.”
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In a World Full of People with superpowers, which Side would you choose - good or evil?
Would you be a superhero or a villain?
If I had to choose, I would take the side which would be the right one in my opinion.
That’s what I love about really brilliantly created villains - in their own eyes they do the right thing, they are the heroes.
Nova was raised by people that many call villains - people that fought the Renegades in the Age of Anarchy.
Now she’s back for revenge - to avenge her uncles death and to destroy the dictatorship of the Renegades.
But after a failed assassination on the head of the Renegades, Nova is forced to take another way to get what she wants.
And that makes her rethink everything she thought and all her plans. But in the end she’s sure of the things that are right.
From the first moment I was absolutely fascinated and in love with this book.
Finally a book about superheroes and villains were we get to choose which side we’re on.
And I’m definitely Team Nova.
And Team Adrian.
Oh, oops.
That’s not working right?
I loved the fight, the twists, the humor and that ending - OH MY GOD.
Okay, let’s just say I Love the story and all the characters in it and it’s now one of my favorite series and I can’t wait to read the next book.
Character ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Your days of villainy are over, Nightmare."
She scoffed. "You sound like you've read too many comics."
"You sound like you think that's a bad thing," he retorted.
I always had a weakness for villains, for bad boys, for people who were seen as evil.
And Nova aka Nightmare is one of them. She attempted to kill one of the Council members of the Renegades- and she failed.
But that didn’t stop her.
She was ruthless, extremely intelligent and such an interesting character. She did what needed to be done, she sacrificed things for her goals and she never thought to stop thinking about everyone’s life’s.
Adrian - my wonderful cinnamon roll - oh, I mean, superhero. He was such a sweetie.
He was smart, strong and he knew when Nova could save her own ass.
He was also such a lovely and caring son, big brother and team leader.
All in all I was absolutely in love with him.
Even though I loved all the characters in this book, I still think they need a little bit more depth. But maybe that’ll come with the next book.
World ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For hundred of years, prodigies were feared by the rest of the world.
Ace Anarchy changed everything. He united the most powerful prodigies he could find and together they rebelled.
Whole governments, gone.
Law enforcement, disbanded.
The Anarchists cared little for what would come next once the old world crumbled.
They cared only for change, and they got it.
Soon, a number of villain gangs began to crawl out from Society’s ashes, each hungry for their own slice of power, and it wasn’t long before Ace Anarchys influence spread across the globe.
They call it the Age of Anarchy.
But then, seemingly overnight... hope.
Bright and sparkling hope, dressed up in capes and masks.
Hope called themselves the Renegades.
I thought this Pre-Prologue was absolutely perfect. Every time we get to know a little bit more about what happened and what is happening now, I get to excited.
Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of course I’m a sucker for a forbidden love story. The hero and the villain? Hell, Yeah.
And the tension and the cuteness between those two was just so beautiful.
Next to the sweet relationship Nova and Adrian had, there was also the relationships Nova had with her “family”, the villains.
The loyalty she felt towards her uncle, who saved her and the love she felt towards the other villains was so refreshing.
She didn’t care who they were to the world, she didn’t care what they did and how they got their villain-names. She only cared how they treated her, how they raised her.
And it was so gorgeous and beautiful.
I loved it.
I loved how Nova saw the world and the people in it.
“There are many dangerous people in this world.
But there are also many good people.
Brave people.
No matter how bad things get, we have to remember that.
So long as there are heroes in this world, there's hope that tomorrow night might be better.”
Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh I loved the writing. It was so perfectly paced and balanced, there was action, romantic tension and funny things too.
It wasn’t full of beautiful quotes, but there were still some I really loved.
All in all I’m absolutely fascinated and happy I started this book.
Can’t wait for the next book!
“What exactly are we looking for?”
“Villains, doing villainous things.”
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In a World Full of People with superpowers, which Side would you choose - good or evil?
Would you be a superhero or a villain?
If I had to choose, I would take the side which would be the right one in my opinion.
That’s what I love about really brilliantly created villains - in their own eyes they do the right thing, they are the heroes.
Nova was raised by people that many call villains - people that fought the Renegades in the Age of Anarchy.
Now she’s back for revenge - to avenge her uncles death and to destroy the dictatorship of the Renegades.
But after a failed assassination on the head of the Renegades, Nova is forced to take another way to get what she wants.
And that makes her rethink everything she thought and all her plans. But in the end she’s sure of the things that are right.
From the first moment I was absolutely fascinated and in love with this book.
Finally a book about superheroes and villains were we get to choose which side we’re on.
And I’m definitely Team Nova.
And Team Adrian.
Oh, oops.
That’s not working right?
I loved the fight, the twists, the humor and that ending - OH MY GOD.
Okay, let’s just say I Love the story and all the characters in it and it’s now one of my favorite series and I can’t wait to read the next book.
Character ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Your days of villainy are over, Nightmare."
She scoffed. "You sound like you've read too many comics."
"You sound like you think that's a bad thing," he retorted.
I always had a weakness for villains, for bad boys, for people who were seen as evil.
And Nova aka Nightmare is one of them. She attempted to kill one of the Council members of the Renegades- and she failed.
But that didn’t stop her.
She was ruthless, extremely intelligent and such an interesting character. She did what needed to be done, she sacrificed things for her goals and she never thought to stop thinking about everyone’s life’s.
Adrian - my wonderful cinnamon roll - oh, I mean, superhero. He was such a sweetie.
He was smart, strong and he knew when Nova could save her own ass.
He was also such a lovely and caring son, big brother and team leader.
All in all I was absolutely in love with him.
Even though I loved all the characters in this book, I still think they need a little bit more depth. But maybe that’ll come with the next book.
World ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For hundred of years, prodigies were feared by the rest of the world.
Ace Anarchy changed everything. He united the most powerful prodigies he could find and together they rebelled.
Whole governments, gone.
Law enforcement, disbanded.
The Anarchists cared little for what would come next once the old world crumbled.
They cared only for change, and they got it.
Soon, a number of villain gangs began to crawl out from Society’s ashes, each hungry for their own slice of power, and it wasn’t long before Ace Anarchys influence spread across the globe.
They call it the Age of Anarchy.
But then, seemingly overnight... hope.
Bright and sparkling hope, dressed up in capes and masks.
Hope called themselves the Renegades.
I thought this Pre-Prologue was absolutely perfect. Every time we get to know a little bit more about what happened and what is happening now, I get to excited.
Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of course I’m a sucker for a forbidden love story. The hero and the villain? Hell, Yeah.
And the tension and the cuteness between those two was just so beautiful.
Next to the sweet relationship Nova and Adrian had, there was also the relationships Nova had with her “family”, the villains.
The loyalty she felt towards her uncle, who saved her and the love she felt towards the other villains was so refreshing.
She didn’t care who they were to the world, she didn’t care what they did and how they got their villain-names. She only cared how they treated her, how they raised her.
And it was so gorgeous and beautiful.
I loved it.
I loved how Nova saw the world and the people in it.
“There are many dangerous people in this world.
But there are also many good people.
Brave people.
No matter how bad things get, we have to remember that.
So long as there are heroes in this world, there's hope that tomorrow night might be better.”
Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh I loved the writing. It was so perfectly paced and balanced, there was action, romantic tension and funny things too.
It wasn’t full of beautiful quotes, but there were still some I really loved.
All in all I’m absolutely fascinated and happy I started this book.
Can’t wait for the next book!
“What exactly are we looking for?”
“Villains, doing villainous things.”
June 8, 2019
I don’t think I can properly put into words how INCREDIBLE this book was!!! It was consistently good from start to finish and I knew I’d be giving it a five star from about the halfway point but the ENDING!!! No spoilers, but I had chills for the entire last chapter and Marissa Meyer absolutely stunned me with not one BUT TWO plot twists!!! (One still wasn’t explained but like, I’m pretty sure about it). If you’re at all a fan of superheroes and super villains and the great area in between I think you’ll adore this! My heart is truly full with how much I enjoyed this story and it is probably going to be one of my favorite (if not my favorite) read of the year 💙
Want to read
May 13, 2017why didn't anyone tell me THIS EXISTED
January 12, 2021
PSA: THIS BOOK SUCKED BUT NOT BECAUSE OF THE GAY DADS
January 1, 2018
I hadn’t even planned on reading this and finished it in three days. It was sooooooo good & fun & dark but also funny at the right times and GREAT! Such a fun spin on the superhero/super villain type of story, and I NEED the next one!
January 4, 2021
Buddy read with my OG BR partner, Maica!
WHAT. OMG WHAT. WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!
Ok onto Archenemies NOW because I need to know what happens!!! (And yes, I know that it’s 5am lol I couldn’t put this down)
WHAT. OMG WHAT. WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!
Ok onto Archenemies NOW because I need to know what happens!!! (And yes, I know that it’s 5am lol I couldn’t put this down)
March 11, 2020
I forgot the book ended with that. Holy shit.
This probably would have been a 4 star rating if I found Nova to be a more likable character. But I didn't. So it's not.
Rtc maybe? We'll see.
This probably would have been a 4 star rating if I found Nova to be a more likable character. But I didn't. So it's not.
Rtc maybe? We'll see.
January 9, 2018
THE REVIEW IS POSTED
3.8 STARS. Totally worth to read.
BOLD. VALIANT. JUST. DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A HERO?
Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite authors, like I need to buy everything she writes.
So, I bought this book because :
1. Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite authors.
2. The cover looked so BEAUTIFUL.
3. I needed this pretty book on my bookshelf.
4. The plot was interesting.
Look, when my copy arrived at my house, I was beyond excited, you know. I have waited it for days and FINALLY I could touch this book and I literally hugged the book after I tore open the package and I jumped around.
but I admit that I got scared to read it because reading about superheroes was new to me but I do like watching superheroes movies but reading about them? hmm, I don't know and before I read it I had quite high expectations about this book and thank God, it lived up my expectations and it was good but I also think this book could've been better but don't worry this book was still good even though, it wasn't amazing for me.
Here are the reasons why I enjoyed reading this book :
The Plot and The Pacing
I'm not really a fan of superheroes but this book worked for me! it was good and I shouldn't have doubted this book. The plot intrigued me and it kept me that way till the end of the book, which was so great, right!? and I got even more curious, intrigued and excited when I nearly reached the ending and to be honest, I cried a little bit while reading this book but I won't talk further about why I cried because I don't want to spoil any of you and now let me tell you about the pacing.
I love reading slow-paced books but even though it's slow-paced, the book has to keep me interested and this book did that to me. The pacing was slow but it somehow always made me curious about ... well, everything and not every book that I have read managed to keep me interested till the end if it's slow-paced but this book, every thing was interesting and I couldn't help to feel curious and want to read more and more.
The Characters
first of all, I wanted to talk about Adrian, first. Oh my God. This guy could make me smile the way I rarely smile at boys in real life! Look, I don't really need a boyfriend but I would totally be so happy if I had a boyfriend like Adrian. He is so sweet and he could make me laugh! and I rarely laugh while reading. So this means something, right?
and about Nova, she's cool and smart and there's a particular scene that left me in awe and I even had the urge to shout her name because she was that cool and amazing.
The secondary characters in this book were also great. Especially, Oscar and Ruby. oh and Oscar was very funny and made me laugh so hard. I wish I had a friend like him! He's so precious! and I want to hug them both! and now I'm going to tell you what I didn't really like in this book.
The Romance
It's about the romance. It's not bad and it was even good but I needed more of the romance hahaha, it wasn't enough and I totally know that the main plot here isn't the romance but ... I still needed more scenes between these two particular characters. ( if you want to find out who these characters, just read the book. IT IS GOOD :) )
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading this book and had a good time reading it. I recommend you guys to read it :D
Thank you very much for reading and liking this review. I appreciate it very much. *hugs* ❤️❤️
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit : 31/12/2017 : I tried the quiz, guys! And my super power is super strength. 💪🏻
November 30, 2020
This book put me in a slump. The reason I’m giving it 2 instead of 1 (and honestly it’s more of a 1.5) is cause at least it’s still a well defined story it follows basic rules of structure and someone could probably find some enjoyment from it.
I was not so lucky. This review will contain some spoilers because I’ll be including some of my annotations.
My god I’m too tired of this book to even do a deep dive. Let’s just start with how incompetent the characters are like they make every situation worse I honestly felt like I was reading a non-comedic version of team America sometimes like there were no consequences for their actions the two main characters spent more time denying if the other person liked them or like liked them.
Like these huge events would happen, a library would be blown up, a carnival would be the site of a huge battle, ona parade would be destroyed and nothing in their every day life changes? Like people just shrug and go on with their day is if it were just a minor annoyance. I mean they treated a terrorist attack on a public building the way I treat a cold.
All these characters felt sooooooo flat only nova had some internal battle but it wasn’t much of a battle it was renegades are bad but this one is hot so I guess they’re alright but nah they’re bad and ya know what maybe the villains are bad too.
The tone was all over the place. There would be a serious fight scene or dramatic event then the descriptions would be over the top comedic and characters were more interested in who could give the best one line singer than actually fighting.
Also I usually reward books for rep but Adrian’s two gay dads had no identity beyond their sexuality. Like every time they were brought up it included a backstory of cute things they did together almost as if Meyer didn’t trust us to remember they were gay unless it was their only character identifier.
Speaking of backstories, why did she give some I consequential a solid 2 paragraphs of exposition backstory that has no impact on the plot just to make us feel some emotion for them before they go to jail or die? Like annoyed me cause it was so manipulative.
Ugh anyway here are my notes on this book if you want a bit of a play by play how I felt reading it.
Ch 4:
Why are all the descriptions comical? Aren’t they on a serious mission? There’s some tone whiplash going on
Ugh corny banter and weapons that just happen to be there
Ch 16
Rock Paper Scissors? Paper beats rock okay the dialogue is so corny
Ch 21
If she wasn’t supposed to know about the Bandit why did they take her there
Ch 23
This origin story scene is one info dump after another
Ch 25
On what a shock the girl who walks through reflections is named narcissa, a nod to mythology to create intrigue. Okay are names personality traits now?
Ch 27
How many times can you write tuck and roll on one page?
Ch 28
I love plot convenience. She better not trust Ingrid again
Ch 31
Adrian’s dads have no identity outside of their relationship. Whenever one of them is mentioned the rest of the scene talks about how they’re married and act cute together.
Ch 32
This flirty dialogue is giving me hives
Ch 33
Oscar threatened to take his tacos away? See this book tries so hard to be funny but all it does is snap my willful suspension of disbelief because Oscar isn’t coming across as funny here he’s immature and stupid in a serious scene- the tones in this book give me whiplash
Ch 36
Okay what’s happening that served no purpose to plot or character development just random descriptions
Okay again these characters’ motivation seems to be witty dialogue above all else
Ch 38
Unless these weapons are going to be used later I don’t need detailed descriptions and backstories of them
Ch 39
I love when the protagonist is too incompetent to see their love interest likes them to create fake tension in the plot and stir some emotion for two characters I have no feelings for
Ch 41
Really she’s just now learning that the villains also caused some damage? What gave that away? The lack of consequences in this book is ridiculous. Like they blew up a library and they talk about it like a minor inconvenience. If there is a terrorist attack on your public library that’s in the news cycle constantly the city reshapes people would revisit security laws—everyone just shrugged
They are such kids and it’s not cute since they’re also police officers like I get it teens care about romance more than anything else but maybe this society would’ve figured that out by now and not put teens in charge no matter how powerful they are
Ch 42
I rolled my eyes so hard at Adrian’s dialogue that I think I concusses myself
Ch 44
He really just discovered the villain named the detonator has the ability to detonate things? How stupid is this guy? Also why does Nova keep trusting Ingrid she’s done nothing but betray her.
Wow she really can’t figure out they’re planning on using the bandit to steal powers? They literally said it involves max and that soon they won’t have to deal with people’s powers anymore. How blatant can they get?
I was not so lucky. This review will contain some spoilers because I’ll be including some of my annotations.
My god I’m too tired of this book to even do a deep dive. Let’s just start with how incompetent the characters are like they make every situation worse I honestly felt like I was reading a non-comedic version of team America sometimes like there were no consequences for their actions the two main characters spent more time denying if the other person liked them or like liked them.
Like these huge events would happen, a library would be blown up, a carnival would be the site of a huge battle, ona parade would be destroyed and nothing in their every day life changes? Like people just shrug and go on with their day is if it were just a minor annoyance. I mean they treated a terrorist attack on a public building the way I treat a cold.
All these characters felt sooooooo flat only nova had some internal battle but it wasn’t much of a battle it was renegades are bad but this one is hot so I guess they’re alright but nah they’re bad and ya know what maybe the villains are bad too.
The tone was all over the place. There would be a serious fight scene or dramatic event then the descriptions would be over the top comedic and characters were more interested in who could give the best one line singer than actually fighting.
Also I usually reward books for rep but Adrian’s two gay dads had no identity beyond their sexuality. Like every time they were brought up it included a backstory of cute things they did together almost as if Meyer didn’t trust us to remember they were gay unless it was their only character identifier.
Speaking of backstories, why did she give some I consequential a solid 2 paragraphs of exposition backstory that has no impact on the plot just to make us feel some emotion for them before they go to jail or die? Like annoyed me cause it was so manipulative.
Ugh anyway here are my notes on this book if you want a bit of a play by play how I felt reading it.
Ch 4:
Why are all the descriptions comical? Aren’t they on a serious mission? There’s some tone whiplash going on
Ugh corny banter and weapons that just happen to be there
Ch 16
Rock Paper Scissors? Paper beats rock okay the dialogue is so corny
Ch 21
If she wasn’t supposed to know about the Bandit why did they take her there
Ch 23
This origin story scene is one info dump after another
Ch 25
On what a shock the girl who walks through reflections is named narcissa, a nod to mythology to create intrigue. Okay are names personality traits now?
Ch 27
How many times can you write tuck and roll on one page?
Ch 28
I love plot convenience. She better not trust Ingrid again
Ch 31
Adrian’s dads have no identity outside of their relationship. Whenever one of them is mentioned the rest of the scene talks about how they’re married and act cute together.
Ch 32
This flirty dialogue is giving me hives
Ch 33
Oscar threatened to take his tacos away? See this book tries so hard to be funny but all it does is snap my willful suspension of disbelief because Oscar isn’t coming across as funny here he’s immature and stupid in a serious scene- the tones in this book give me whiplash
Ch 36
Okay what’s happening that served no purpose to plot or character development just random descriptions
Okay again these characters’ motivation seems to be witty dialogue above all else
Ch 38
Unless these weapons are going to be used later I don’t need detailed descriptions and backstories of them
Ch 39
I love when the protagonist is too incompetent to see their love interest likes them to create fake tension in the plot and stir some emotion for two characters I have no feelings for
Ch 41
Really she’s just now learning that the villains also caused some damage? What gave that away? The lack of consequences in this book is ridiculous. Like they blew up a library and they talk about it like a minor inconvenience. If there is a terrorist attack on your public library that’s in the news cycle constantly the city reshapes people would revisit security laws—everyone just shrugged
They are such kids and it’s not cute since they’re also police officers like I get it teens care about romance more than anything else but maybe this society would’ve figured that out by now and not put teens in charge no matter how powerful they are
Ch 42
I rolled my eyes so hard at Adrian’s dialogue that I think I concusses myself
Ch 44
He really just discovered the villain named the detonator has the ability to detonate things? How stupid is this guy? Also why does Nova keep trusting Ingrid she’s done nothing but betray her.
Wow she really can’t figure out they’re planning on using the bandit to steal powers? They literally said it involves max and that soon they won’t have to deal with people’s powers anymore. How blatant can they get?
March 8, 2022
!FIVE STARS!
!!not really spoilers but if. you want to go into this book knowing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING do not read this revew!!
MSSHRG: failed abortion's and unerasable mistakes, gather around, for I have a tale to tell. *throws wood into bonfire dramatically*
little ugly kids: Tell us Ms. Super Sexy Hot Reading Girl
MSSHRG: This tale begins in a..dun..dun.DUN. DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY! For people with cool abilities are hated by people who don't have cool abilities.
little ugly kids: but why, but why?
MSSHRG: shut the fuck up you failed abortions. Anyway, we start with a super hot sexy gal who can make people sleep, which is something I lack thanks to you wankers, and she's an assassin
little ugly kids: is she evil!!!???
MSSHRG: luckily yes, which makes her ten times hotter. Anyway, she hates superheroes, but like....who doesn't. Those motherfuckers always be rescuing cats from trees and expecting a reward. Like bitch, I ain't giving you a brownie for doing the bare minimum..ahem...anyway...she works for these hot evil people, and a hot evil guy who really isn't a guy but sort of is a guy but isn't really tho
little ugly kids: *mild confusion*
MSSHRG: Anyway she meets this hot black guy in glasses and he's like 'oh, your bracelet' then she's like 'wow, your weird' then he's like 'here's your bracelet' then she's like 'get the fuck away from me'. Basically that's what we call 'enemies to lovers' where two whipped bitches try not to be whipped by insulting and killing each other. Spoiler alert: it doesn't really work
little ugly kids: whipped like slaves
MSSHRG: don't be racist. anyway, there's so much complexity. because most goodie goodie readers are on the hero's side. But the superhero pal gals treat normal humans like they're pets, and it's condescending. Like, I CAN REACH THE TOP SHELF FOR A PICKLE JAR
little ugly kids: but you're vertically challenged
MSSHRG: first your racist, now you're ableist. Anyway, this supercool hot villain gal is so annoyed, so she wants to get revenge on the superhero pal gals, so she infiltrates them
little ugly kids: *surprised pikachu faces*
MSSHRG: yeah, they're really dumb bitches, basically she goes to a trial and becomes a 'superhero', and the hot black guy from before is like 'you really turn me on with your cool kickass moves and snarky attitude' and she's like 'i will taze you' and he's like 'with that tazer or with that million dollar pussy'
little ugly kids: what's a pussy
MSSHRG: your reason for existing, now don't interrupt. basically the other superhero gal pals are all like 'woah, this chics hot and smart, we love her' but others are like 'she's def sus, and not because she pours milk before cereal' and she's all like 'DESTROY' and the hot black dudes like 'you are so fucking hot' and she's like 'i will FUCKING taze you' and he's like 'you turn me on when you threaten me'
little ugly kids: Do they kiss?
MSSHRG: this is an angsty villain love story...OF COURSE NOT! meyers wants us to suffer before we get all warm and gooey inside, and besides, she's a hot villain, she hates the superhero gal pals.
little ugly kids: what happens next
MSSHRG: next, i'm going to fucking sleep because it's called beauty sleep for a reason!!!!
!!not really spoilers but if. you want to go into this book knowing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING do not read this revew!!
MSSHRG: failed abortion's and unerasable mistakes, gather around, for I have a tale to tell. *throws wood into bonfire dramatically*
little ugly kids: Tell us Ms. Super Sexy Hot Reading Girl
MSSHRG: This tale begins in a..dun..dun.DUN. DYSTOPIAN SOCIETY! For people with cool abilities are hated by people who don't have cool abilities.
little ugly kids: but why, but why?
MSSHRG: shut the fuck up you failed abortions. Anyway, we start with a super hot sexy gal who can make people sleep, which is something I lack thanks to you wankers, and she's an assassin
little ugly kids: is she evil!!!???
MSSHRG: luckily yes, which makes her ten times hotter. Anyway, she hates superheroes, but like....who doesn't. Those motherfuckers always be rescuing cats from trees and expecting a reward. Like bitch, I ain't giving you a brownie for doing the bare minimum..ahem...anyway...she works for these hot evil people, and a hot evil guy who really isn't a guy but sort of is a guy but isn't really tho
little ugly kids: *mild confusion*
MSSHRG: Anyway she meets this hot black guy in glasses and he's like 'oh, your bracelet' then she's like 'wow, your weird' then he's like 'here's your bracelet' then she's like 'get the fuck away from me'. Basically that's what we call 'enemies to lovers' where two whipped bitches try not to be whipped by insulting and killing each other. Spoiler alert: it doesn't really work
little ugly kids: whipped like slaves
MSSHRG: don't be racist. anyway, there's so much complexity. because most goodie goodie readers are on the hero's side. But the superhero pal gals treat normal humans like they're pets, and it's condescending. Like, I CAN REACH THE TOP SHELF FOR A PICKLE JAR
little ugly kids: but you're vertically challenged
MSSHRG: first your racist, now you're ableist. Anyway, this supercool hot villain gal is so annoyed, so she wants to get revenge on the superhero pal gals, so she infiltrates them
little ugly kids: *surprised pikachu faces*
MSSHRG: yeah, they're really dumb bitches, basically she goes to a trial and becomes a 'superhero', and the hot black guy from before is like 'you really turn me on with your cool kickass moves and snarky attitude' and she's like 'i will taze you' and he's like 'with that tazer or with that million dollar pussy'
little ugly kids: what's a pussy
MSSHRG: your reason for existing, now don't interrupt. basically the other superhero gal pals are all like 'woah, this chics hot and smart, we love her' but others are like 'she's def sus, and not because she pours milk before cereal' and she's all like 'DESTROY' and the hot black dudes like 'you are so fucking hot' and she's like 'i will FUCKING taze you' and he's like 'you turn me on when you threaten me'
little ugly kids: Do they kiss?
MSSHRG: this is an angsty villain love story...OF COURSE NOT! meyers wants us to suffer before we get all warm and gooey inside, and besides, she's a hot villain, she hates the superhero gal pals.
little ugly kids: what happens next
MSSHRG: next, i'm going to fucking sleep because it's called beauty sleep for a reason!!!!
June 6, 2018
Loved it! This book reminded me so much much like the movie Sky High in some aspects. And that ending!? 😱 Can't wait to read the next one.
October 26, 2021
~ 2.5 stars ~
This book was enjoyable enough, but it wasn't necessarily "good". It's a fun concept, and I can see why someone would love this, but unfortunately, despite surface level enjoyment, I didn't really have a fulfilling experience. I did not connect with the story or the characters. Nor is there anything that really makes this series stick out to me. It's kind of just mediocre, for a lack of better words. I am unimpressed.
The biggest thing that annoyed me about this book, and pretty much the only thing I think worth talking about, was the overwhelming amount of plot conveniences. Relying on plot conveniences to keep to story moving seems like such lazy writing. It was frustrating and made absolutely no sense most of time. It isn't realistic. Not to mention it contributed in dragging out the already dragging plot. Which isn't great.
So overall, I would only recommend to a small set of people I suppose. I honestly just have no strong feelings towards this book. I've tried to write this review like ten times, but have barley been able to relay my thoughts. Because I don't give this series a second thought. I read it, and I don't really have anything to say about it.
Thank you Ruby for buddy reading this book with me!
This book was enjoyable enough, but it wasn't necessarily "good". It's a fun concept, and I can see why someone would love this, but unfortunately, despite surface level enjoyment, I didn't really have a fulfilling experience. I did not connect with the story or the characters. Nor is there anything that really makes this series stick out to me. It's kind of just mediocre, for a lack of better words. I am unimpressed.
The biggest thing that annoyed me about this book, and pretty much the only thing I think worth talking about, was the overwhelming amount of plot conveniences. Relying on plot conveniences to keep to story moving seems like such lazy writing. It was frustrating and made absolutely no sense most of time. It isn't realistic. Not to mention it contributed in dragging out the already dragging plot. Which isn't great.
So overall, I would only recommend to a small set of people I suppose. I honestly just have no strong feelings towards this book. I've tried to write this review like ten times, but have barley been able to relay my thoughts. Because I don't give this series a second thought. I read it, and I don't really have anything to say about it.
Thank you Ruby for buddy reading this book with me!
Want to read
December 25, 2017Set aside @ pg 171. I do want to finish this, just not right now.
---
I'm here for aaaaaaall the gay dads :)
---
oh my god you guys LOOK AT THIS COVER
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I'm here for aaaaaaall the gay dads :)
---
oh my god you guys LOOK AT THIS COVER
October 14, 2018
4.5 en realidad. No le di el 5 porque sé que el siguiente va a superar a este con creces porque me conozco a la autora y quiero reservarme el 5 pero ¡OMFG!
Me ha encantando esta historia. Marissa Meyer nos plantea una historia de superhéroes y villanos, donde la línea es muy fina y los términos no son tan claros como parece.
Me ha enganchado muchísimo desde el principio, y es que siempre me pasa con esta autora, sabe crear inicios increíbles y sabe pegar al lector a las páginas de su libro. Ha creado una ambientación de lujo, donde te sientes dentro cómo de un cómic de X-men, por lo menos es la sensación que me ha dado, pero con unos personajes totalmente nuevos y unos poderes que yo no había potenciados en ninguna otra historia que haya leído (o visto).
Nova, nuestra protagonista, me ha parecido un personaje brutal. Ella forma parte de los Anarquista y ODIA a los Renegados (los héroes). Su poder es de lo más peculiar, consigue con un solo roce, que su enemigo se quede dormido y por eso es conocida como PESADILLA. Para acabar con sus enemigos, los anarquistas creen que Nova debe infiltrarse entre las filas de los Renegados para acabar con ellos desde dentro. Y hasta aquí puedo contar.
Nova no es el único personaje, hay muchísimos y fue lo que más me costó al principio, quedarme con quién era quién, porque no solo tienen su nombre, sino también un alias. Aunque es cierto que al principio del libro viene un glosario con los personajes, pero aún así tenía que recurrir bastante a él durante las 100 primeras páginas.
He adorado a Adrian, que digamos es el otro protagonista y personaje principal de los Renegados. Su poder es que da vida a los dibujos que crea y me mola mogollón. Entre Adrian y Nova se crea una conexión genial y a mí me ha encantando verla.
En este libro os vais a encontrar tramas de misterio, política, superhéroes salvando a personas y villanos atacándolas. También hay muertes, acción, romance (muy light) y momentos muy divertidos. Creo que tiene lo que cualquier lector puede buscar en este tipo de novela. Sobretodo esa lucha interna por lo que está bien y mal, y lo que nos parece que está bien y mal. No sé si me explico, pero es fabulosa y me encanta como lo plasma la autora.
Y me muero con el final, madre de mi vida. No me esperaba ese giro, en serio. Todavía estoy descolocada con las dos últimas páginas que he leído e intentando asimilarlas.
Yo sin duda os lo recomiendo muchísimo y estoy deseando leer el siguiente libro.
Me ha encantando esta historia. Marissa Meyer nos plantea una historia de superhéroes y villanos, donde la línea es muy fina y los términos no son tan claros como parece.
Me ha enganchado muchísimo desde el principio, y es que siempre me pasa con esta autora, sabe crear inicios increíbles y sabe pegar al lector a las páginas de su libro. Ha creado una ambientación de lujo, donde te sientes dentro cómo de un cómic de X-men, por lo menos es la sensación que me ha dado, pero con unos personajes totalmente nuevos y unos poderes que yo no había potenciados en ninguna otra historia que haya leído (o visto).
Nova, nuestra protagonista, me ha parecido un personaje brutal. Ella forma parte de los Anarquista y ODIA a los Renegados (los héroes). Su poder es de lo más peculiar, consigue con un solo roce, que su enemigo se quede dormido y por eso es conocida como PESADILLA. Para acabar con sus enemigos, los anarquistas creen que Nova debe infiltrarse entre las filas de los Renegados para acabar con ellos desde dentro. Y hasta aquí puedo contar.
Nova no es el único personaje, hay muchísimos y fue lo que más me costó al principio, quedarme con quién era quién, porque no solo tienen su nombre, sino también un alias. Aunque es cierto que al principio del libro viene un glosario con los personajes, pero aún así tenía que recurrir bastante a él durante las 100 primeras páginas.
He adorado a Adrian, que digamos es el otro protagonista y personaje principal de los Renegados. Su poder es que da vida a los dibujos que crea y me mola mogollón. Entre Adrian y Nova se crea una conexión genial y a mí me ha encantando verla.
En este libro os vais a encontrar tramas de misterio, política, superhéroes salvando a personas y villanos atacándolas. También hay muertes, acción, romance (muy light) y momentos muy divertidos. Creo que tiene lo que cualquier lector puede buscar en este tipo de novela. Sobretodo esa lucha interna por lo que está bien y mal, y lo que nos parece que está bien y mal. No sé si me explico, pero es fabulosa y me encanta como lo plasma la autora.
Y me muero con el final, madre de mi vida. No me esperaba ese giro, en serio. Todavía estoy descolocada con las dos últimas páginas que he leído e intentando asimilarlas.
Yo sin duda os lo recomiendo muchísimo y estoy deseando leer el siguiente libro.
May 13, 2019
my attention came and went in spikes while reading this 😪
November 25, 2018
second time read and review!
I FREAKING LOVE RENEGADES GUYS. I'M SO FREAKING PUMPED TO DIVE INTO ARCHENEMIES. IT'S SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO ME. STARING AT ME. GLARING AT ME. I MUST READ IT!!
Nova, she's a fucking bad ass. I love her so much. I mean.. if anyone wanted a cool super power.. putting people to fucking sleep is probably one of them. She's like the girl version of the sandman. I loved it! Then there's Adrian, and I'm all like.. yasss gimee more por favor! I love them together so freaking much. I don't really care that much about his power or anything else about him.. just that they are together and shit. It give me life!
Now I definitely have some theories about certain people or situations that happened.. however, I'm not going to mention them in this. Or in anything really. Maybe after I read archenemies?? MAYBE!
Overall, I can't wait to dive into that beautiful book that is sitting right next to me. Okay, it's in my lap.
_________________________________________________________
It's not weird or anything that I can't wait till I reread this book, right?!
I love Marissa Meyer and I was pretty sure that I would love Renegades.
Yup, I did. I loved it.
When I walked into Barnes and Noble with my boyfriend - he had no idea that he would end up buying me this book (plus a lot more). Yeah, never take me to a book store and say "get whatever you want" you will regret it.
Anyways, I loved Marissa's take on superheros - it was a super fun read that I just couldn't put down. It's a pretty big book, with lots and lots of amazingness between them. Now we have the anarchists vs. the renegades. Then there's Nova, who I loved so freaking much it's actually insane. I mean, HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU FEEL IF THE PEOPLE YOU IDOLIZED NEVER SHOWED UP TO SAVE THE DAY??! I'd be fucking pissed - like NOVA.
Then there's the whole Nova and Adrian and I'm like.. YASSSSS. I wanted more of them. They were my whole world (in this book). I guess the only thing I didn't like was the ending because it was a cliff hanger and cliff hangers will somehow be the death of me. I HATE THEM because they leave me wanting more and I hate the whole waiting game.
GOD, I need more. I want more. And this is why I will probably reread this book in 2018 because it was amazing and I will love it forever and ever.
I FREAKING LOVE RENEGADES GUYS. I'M SO FREAKING PUMPED TO DIVE INTO ARCHENEMIES. IT'S SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO ME. STARING AT ME. GLARING AT ME. I MUST READ IT!!
Nova, she's a fucking bad ass. I love her so much. I mean.. if anyone wanted a cool super power.. putting people to fucking sleep is probably one of them. She's like the girl version of the sandman. I loved it! Then there's Adrian, and I'm all like.. yasss gimee more por favor! I love them together so freaking much. I don't really care that much about his power or anything else about him.. just that they are together and shit. It give me life!
Now I definitely have some theories about certain people or situations that happened.. however, I'm not going to mention them in this. Or in anything really. Maybe after I read archenemies?? MAYBE!
Overall, I can't wait to dive into that beautiful book that is sitting right next to me. Okay, it's in my lap.
_________________________________________________________
It's not weird or anything that I can't wait till I reread this book, right?!
I love Marissa Meyer and I was pretty sure that I would love Renegades.
Yup, I did. I loved it.
When I walked into Barnes and Noble with my boyfriend - he had no idea that he would end up buying me this book (plus a lot more). Yeah, never take me to a book store and say "get whatever you want" you will regret it.
Anyways, I loved Marissa's take on superheros - it was a super fun read that I just couldn't put down. It's a pretty big book, with lots and lots of amazingness between them. Now we have the anarchists vs. the renegades. Then there's Nova, who I loved so freaking much it's actually insane. I mean, HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU FEEL IF THE PEOPLE YOU IDOLIZED NEVER SHOWED UP TO SAVE THE DAY??! I'd be fucking pissed - like NOVA.
Then there's the whole Nova and Adrian and I'm like.. YASSSSS. I wanted more of them. They were my whole world (in this book). I guess the only thing I didn't like was the ending because it was a cliff hanger and cliff hangers will somehow be the death of me. I HATE THEM because they leave me wanting more and I hate the whole waiting game.
GOD, I need more. I want more. And this is why I will probably reread this book in 2018 because it was amazing and I will love it forever and ever.
Read
December 9, 2017dnf
i rather watch grass grow
RTC !!
*******************************************
Buddy reading with my villains meymey and tims sista 💙💙💙
Why I am a Failure at life
*goes inside bookstore to just have a "look"*
*gives myself a pep talk about not spending any money*
*sees Renegades staring me in the soul and sending those "take me home" vibes*
*reminds myself that I'm only here to "look" around*
5 seconds later...
*silently whispers "...fuck"*
me to me:
WELL I HOPE THIS WAS WORTH BREAKING THE ONE THING I HAD PROMISED MYSELF TO NOT DO !!
BUT YOU KNOW HOW SEDUCTIVE BOOKS ARE, RIGHT?? YOU FEEL ME??
Marissa Meyer...................... you better impress me.
i rather watch grass grow
RTC !!
*******************************************
Buddy reading with my villains meymey and tims sista 💙💙💙
Why I am a Failure at life
*goes inside bookstore to just have a "look"*
*gives myself a pep talk about not spending any money*
*sees Renegades staring me in the soul and sending those "take me home" vibes*
*reminds myself that I'm only here to "look" around*
5 seconds later...
*silently whispers "...fuck"*
me to me:
WELL I HOPE THIS WAS WORTH BREAKING THE ONE THING I HAD PROMISED MYSELF TO NOT DO !!
BUT YOU KNOW HOW SEDUCTIVE BOOKS ARE, RIGHT?? YOU FEEL ME??
Marissa Meyer...................... you better impress me.
November 29, 2017
4.75
I did not expect to love this as much as I did...but it honestly could have been half the length.
I did not expect to love this as much as I did...but it honestly could have been half the length.
June 13, 2018
3.5 to 4 stars
I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit draggy at times. And, while I was enjoying it, I was often not very gung go to get back to it. It felt like it took a long time to make even a little progress. But, in the end I was intrigued and entertained.
For fans of YA sci-fi/fantasy, you should be satisfied with this book. I am not sure if this has been approached with the superhero element before, but it felt similar to ones I have read before where magic was involved. Also, there is a bit of dystopian in here with many YA tropes, so it may almost be overload!
I did enjoy the relationships between characters in the book even though I was not sure they always made sense. I had to suspend my disbelief even more than usual, but I was okay just going with the flow. In the end, I was left still wondering a lot about many of the relationships; luckily there is a sequel coming out soon.
In summary: enjoyable, but maybe a bit drug out. All the YA is here! Be prepared to accept the nonsensical. My guess is 1 out of 5 will love it, 3 out of 5 will think it is okay, and the last 1 won't like it at all.
I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit draggy at times. And, while I was enjoying it, I was often not very gung go to get back to it. It felt like it took a long time to make even a little progress. But, in the end I was intrigued and entertained.
For fans of YA sci-fi/fantasy, you should be satisfied with this book. I am not sure if this has been approached with the superhero element before, but it felt similar to ones I have read before where magic was involved. Also, there is a bit of dystopian in here with many YA tropes, so it may almost be overload!
I did enjoy the relationships between characters in the book even though I was not sure they always made sense. I had to suspend my disbelief even more than usual, but I was okay just going with the flow. In the end, I was left still wondering a lot about many of the relationships; luckily there is a sequel coming out soon.
In summary: enjoyable, but maybe a bit drug out. All the YA is here! Be prepared to accept the nonsensical. My guess is 1 out of 5 will love it, 3 out of 5 will think it is okay, and the last 1 won't like it at all.
October 22, 2018
A light and fun book for when you want to turn your brain off. The story and characters are nothing remarkable, but its harmlessly generic writing can provide itself as a comfort read.
January 18, 2019
THAT. ENDING.
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