REVIEW: The Rose Society
I read the The Rose Society right after I read the first novel in The Young Elites series, and I have to tell you I was thrilled! Knowing Adelina past in the first novel, Adelina and her sister Violetta, are on a quest seeking strong malfettos ( children who are marked from an illness, also developing special abilities) to form The Rose Society. Although others may claim the novel to be somewhat dragged out, on the contrary , I loved the feeling of suspense and anticipation it provided. The novel illustrates the mind of a young girl, who can't decide whether to be evil or good, a universal theme that many teens find relatable
The first reason to why I’m so in love with this novel is the development of the main character, Adelina Amouteru, also known as the White Wolf. She is extremely different from other characters I have previously encountered. Firstly, she has a dark past of an abusive father, which contributes to her character now. Her appearance is very unique, a character with silver hair and only one eye, which is definitely something to read about. Adelina’s heart is dark, yet she’s a caring girl only in the wrong ways. She has the ability to create and weave any illusion that can trick the five senses, but they sometimes get the best of her, claiming they feed her evil thoughts.
Secondly, the setting and exposition of the novel pulled me into the book. Although, the novel is a fantasy, it still can be drawn into real life. As I’m reading the book I can imagine it taking place right now. The society has a king or queen ruling over lower people who aren't fit to be in the palace. Adelina is apart of the lower class but she meets others like her that are in a higher class. Lower classes and higher classes were back in the past. This novel makes me believe that I’m actually in the story, that I was right there watching the whole story unfold.
Thirdly, the persuasive writing used in this novel is impressive. The novel includes the devices such as anaphora, chiasmus, and plenty of rhetorical questions. One example of chiasmus is when Adelina states, “Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.” The criss-crossing structure of her remark helps to reinforce her message and stick in the reader’s mind. This devices also helps the story move along by creating a tense moment that causes the reader to want to keep reading. An example of a rhetorical question is when Adelina has a voice in her head, “Why does everyone forget your good intentions, Adelina?” This quote illustrates how the voices in Adelina’s head determine her actions. Rather than being a question for the reader to answer, Adelina’s question provides insight and internal monologue. Overall, the author’s use of figurative language and rhetorical devices allows the reader to practice some of their literary analysis skills on a popular, fun novel.
On the opposing side, some critics may say that the story was confusing or too dragged out. A critic that goes by the name, Nat the Geekgirl, says, “However, overall, I found the pacing of the story to be the complication.” Nat claims the story could have be more “fast-paced” or it shouldn't have seem “dragged out.” His reviews are founded on the website, TheFandom.net. Even though I can understand his opinion, I believe the story to be unique, thrilling, and exciting all in one.
Anyone who likes the series, Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver will love The Rose Society as there are elements in the text similar to these dystopian stories. The novel carries action, romantic, and emotional scenes that’ll have you on the edge of your seat.