Powerless Book Review
Synopsis
The Silver Savior. The future Enforcer. The next Dynast. Odd pairings? Paedyn Gray, an ordinary, posing, from the slums. Kai Azer, the future Enforcer, is a heartless monster. Kitt Azer, the next king, sooner rather than later. It was a mere coincidence that Paedyn was the one to rescue the future Enforcer, rewarded with the title ‘Silver Savior’ due to her silver mane. But what would have been considered a glory through the Elite, is nothing but a suicide for Paedyn.
The Trials, created to showcase the people’s supernatural abilities and bring honor to the only Elite kingdom, have chosen Paedyn as one of their competitors. As she weaves her way through the inner workings of the castle, the king’s eagle eyes glued to her, Paedyn woos the two princes, and betrays them all in one fell swoop. As every breath is a lie, and every moment is a threat to her life, will Paedyn Gray persist or perish? She refuses to remain powerless, and he has always been.
Main Characters Overview
- Paedyn Gray: A silver main, and the subtle shade of forget-me-not colors her eyes. Unacquainted with her mother, her father was her idol in her early years, until one fateful day, when she saw him murdered before her eyes. His blood coated her fingers, as she saw him collapse in his study, his murderer merciless. Being an orphan in the slums leads to thievery, and after a while, she perfects it and resides with her best friend, and partner, Adena. ‘I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. Oh, why can’t I hate it?’
- Kai Azer: Since childhood, Kai has been molded into the monster he is now, his father more of his king, than a parental figure. His brothers were always there for him, but through his sufferings, he was alone, and would always be; until Paedyn Gray came along. Kai can sense and use other Elite’s powers, even though he could not sense Paedyn’s ‘physic’ power, he went with it. ‘But I know the agony all too well. The agony of everything you are being suppressed as the very power you possess is stripped away from you. I know that face they are wearing because I’ve worn it many times before.’
- Kitt Azer: Kitt, the future king of Ilya. Lost his mother, his father being the only one left, for he and Kai were only half-brothers. He had a different connection to their father unlike Kai’s, he had a more fatherly figure; their times together were spent over a desk, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. When Paedyn came along, he loved her with all his heart, but some romances aren’t meant to be, are they? Especially not for a king. “He’s in a mood,” he sighs before dropping his voice to murmur, “Careful, Jax, he’s been playing with the knives again.”
My View
Powerless. I’m not even sure where to begin. Roberts has certainly exceeded my expectations for a fantasy romance. I must admit, when I walked into this book, I didn’t have high expectations. I simply assumed it was just another book, and I would simply forget about it later, but that wasn’t the case. The sequel to Powerless, Reckless, was just as good, maybe even better, especially due to the cliffhanger Roberts left us at. I can’t say I relate with the characters, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t left an impression on me. Kai Azer is a lonely soul who was crafted into a heartless monster.
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This was my first book by Lauren Roberts and I must say, I enjoyed it. The writing style is very much to my taste and I wouldn’t say there were any plot twists, due to the fact it was dual perspective, letting the reader view the story from Kai and Paedyn, but Reckless had a major plot twist. Powerless hooked me, I wouldn’t say from the first line, but near the beginning. It’s hard to say Powerless was out of the ordinary because many books have a similar writing style and plot, but I preferred it to a few other fantasy romances out there. In my view, it might not have been the best book of 2024, but it’s worth reading.
Takeaways
As I made my way through the pages of Powerless, I gained more than just a good experience. I received teachings I might not have found otherwise.
- The Ripple Effect of Every Choice: You might already know this, but ask yourself; do you? The Ripple Effect: the effect we have on other people is in turn passed on to others, as much as the ripples in a pond go on and on until they’re no longer visible but continuing at a nano level. That was the definition of the Ripple Effect, and the connection between the Ripple Effect and Powerless is very profound, for we see that every decision Paedyn made, affected the entire book, whether it was a small, or big choice.
An example would be when she accepted the offer the rebels made her; to join them, and discern where the tunnel, from the castle to the slums, was. The decision seemed small at first, just one moment in the grand scheme of things, but its impact reverberated far beyond what Paedyn could have imagined. By accepting the offer, she betrayed Kai, and Kitt, and possibly endangered Adena, but without sparing such dangers a thought, Paedyn persisted with her vengeful plan. Now next time you choose not to work hard in school or ditch class, think about how this might affect your future, or even the next day.
- Understanding Inequality: Powerless, as many books contain, dives deep into unfair society, as you can see, certain abilities are frowned down on, even going to the point, where if you’re an Ordinary (talentless) then you’re automatically sentenced to death.
In Ilya, the Elites believe the Ordinaries have a disease, and will eventually pass it on to them leading to the downfall of Ilya, and the eradication of the Elites. An entire group of people were condemned to death, simply because they were different. The belief that the Ordinaires have a disease, and could infect an entire different species, aids them in justifying their systematic oppression and eventual extermination.
The Highlights
As I am writing this, I have read Powerless, and its prequel, Reckless. I have to say Reckless was far more enjoyable than Powerless, but here are a few chapters that made Powerless the great book it is!
- Chapter twenty is where I will start; this chapter is the first ball/dance before the First Trial. Ilya’s kingdom’s color is green, so it is customary for all women to wear green dresses, but not a rule. Adena sews a gorgeous silver gown for Paedyn, and she struts into the room, all eyes following her every step, but Kai’s opinion is what truly matters in this one scene. She is the embodiment of a bad decision. The twin of danger and desire. The fine line between deadly and divine. And I can feel myself drowning.
- The next chapter is a heavy cliche on my part, but what can I say? I have a strong affinity for these. Chapter 26, where the first Trial is taking place, and Kai finds Paedyn wounded near a river. After he stitches her injuries, he asks her the iconic line; the line we all know; the line all characters represent. “I’m going to ask again. Who did this to you?”
- (SPOILER ALERT) We’ll end Powerless off with a soul-crushing chapter. It’s the epilogue. The last line in the epilogue left me wanting more. The epilogue is written from Kitt’s POV, which is new because throughout Powerless it alternates between Kai and Paedyn, but in Reckless it alternates between the three of them, Kai, Paedyn, and Kitt. Kitt’s father is dead, and Paedyn Gray is the one who sunk the dagger in his chest. Kitt Azer is now the King Of Ilya, and Kai is the enforcer.
‘It’s been three days since I saw my father lying dead in the mud. Three days since I last slept. Three days since I could close my eyes without seeing his bloody body. Three days since the Resistance attacked at the final Trial. Three days since the girl I trusted, the girl I grew to want, became a murderer and a betrayer. Three days since I became king.
Is It Worth Reading?
Powerless: Hunted. Hunter. Destined for each other. This was indisputably a romance more than fantasy, but what I admired about Roberts was that she could go heavy on the romance, yet retain the book’s original plot. Previous fantasy romances I have read struggle with sustaining the plot while adding romance, which helped me appreciate Powerless.
I walked into Roberts’ book blindly, unaware of any characters, plots, or influence of any sort, simply because it caught my eye from the library shelf. I’d say that Reckless is more on the romance side than Powerless considering that the characters matured, and we have a better understanding of each of them. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was in the top five for 2024, but certainly in the top ten.
Conclusion
Powerless by Lauren Roberts, published by Simon and Schuster, is an engrossing tale of forbidden love and unjust lives. Lauren Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Powerless, Powerful, and Reckless, all of which are now available globally. Roberts has also written other books such as The Worry Website, A Yankee and A Star, Home Stronger, and many more.
Twenty-two-year-old Lauren Roberts has crafted a wonderful story, blending fantasy and romance most magnificently. I have read Powerless, Reckless, and Powerful by Lauren, and I still hold great respect for her writing. If I were to rate Powerless out of five, I would give it a 3.9, primarily because I felt the experience was similar to others. Until next time!
