Lauren Robert’s debut novel Powerless takes place in an exhilarating fantasy world. It revolves around female protagonist Paedyn, a regular, disguised Ordinary in a world of Mundanes and mostly Elites. Surviving in the slums, Paedyn poses as an elite, concealing her true identity. However, when she finds herself saving the Elite Prince Kai, she is voted into the brutal “Trials” for the royal’s entertainment. How will she survive in the deadly competition, created especially to show off Elite powers when in reality, Paedyn is nothing but powerless.
Many elements to this novel such as the churning forbidden romance, invigorating action scenes, and strong female main character make it a compelling story. However, though entertaining, there were many plot holes and lack of reasoning behind many significant events. There also were aspects to this novel that were very similar to the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, making it very predictable. The world building was also eerily akin to Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. If you liked these two novels and are looking for something of similar resemblance, this is a wonderful novel for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for something unique with unpredictable plot twists, this may not be the most perfect novel for you.