The Skinny: 
 I did not see that coming. 
 The Fat: 
 I loved this book so freaking much. As soon as I was finished I had to go to the store to buy its sequel. You think I'm joking? Nope. Literally finished the last page, grabbed my keys, and went to the store. 
 The Young Elites (TYE) is told primarily through Adelina's POV. Adelina's POV is told in first person, while Teren and Enzo's POV are both told in third person. At first I thought it was odd, but it really works for this story. I like how we see the world through Adelina's eyes and then see things how they actually happen in other characters' POVs. 
 Some of the parts of the plot I found predictable and called early on in the book. However, there were some scenes that I definitely did NOT see coming. (view spoiler)[ For example, when Enzo dies because Adelina accidentally tortures him. (hide spoiler)] Like, at all. Not even remotely. I mean the ending shocked me, but it made the book so fucking good. 
 I really enjoyed Marie Lu's Legend trilogy and I am regretting waiting so long to read TYE (I guess the only pro is that I don't have to wait for The Rose Society to be released). I really enjoyed how Lu wrote "quotes" at the beginning of each Adelina chapter. It was really cool how they all tied into the story. I only wish that the "quote" would pertain to that particular chapter, but oftentimes a "quote" would fit better with a later chapter. My other major critique is the font. I know that it's a small and tedious thing to complain about, but I really did not like it. I also wish that the book was longer. There is so much more that I want to find out about this world. 
 Other than those small complaints, I loved this book. Some of my favorite quotes: 
 "The gods gave us powers, Adelina, because we are born to rule." (page 54) 
 "Tell me, little wolf. Do you want to punish those who have wronged you?" (page 55) 
 "Be true to yourself, Violetta once told me when I was trying in vain to win Father over. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like." (pages 89-90) 
 ***TRIGGER WARNINGS: self-harm, child abuse, prostitution, death, murder, torture, corporal punishment, capital punishment