Review: Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy #1)

Title: Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy #1)
Author: Lauren Roberts
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: January 31, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.

Review:

In Ilya, the Elite have been granted extraordinary powers. Those who don’t have those powers are called Ordinary, and they have been banished by the King. Paedyn Gray is an Ordinary, but she’s a clever thief who is able to pose as an Elite with psychic powers. After saving Prince Kai in the city, Paedyn is taken to the palace and sent to the Purging Trials. The trials is a competition that is meant to showcase the powers of the Elite, which Paedyn doesn’t actually have. Paedyn is joined in these trials by Prince Kai who has been trained to enforce the laws for the King and can’t resist being close to Paedyn. She must try to convince everyone she has powers and survive the trial so that her secret isn’t discovered.

This was a great fantasy competition story. There were nods to some classic YA fantasy stories including a love triangle with two princes and a magical hedge maze. I liked that the narrative skipped over transition scenes and showed the important events. Fantasy stories can become tedious if they focus on every small detail but this one kept up a steady pace. I’m excited to read the sequel!

Powerless is a great YA fantasy!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book. 

Content warnings: death, stabbing, death of parent

Other books in the series:

• Powerful (The Powerless Trilogy #1.5)
• Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy #2)

Have you read Powerless? What did you think of it?