Review: Renegades | Marissa Meyer

This review is spoiler free.

“One cannot be brave who has no fear.” 

Series: Renegades
Published: 2018, by Macmillan Children’s Books.
Pages: 552
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Comics, Superheroes, Romance, Adventure
Contains: Violence, Anger, Death, Murder, Arson, Blood/Gore

‘Renegades’ tells the story of a world of secret identities and extraordinary powers. The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies, humans with supernatural abilities, who establish peace and order where chaos once reigned. Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission of vengeance. However, can one Renegade boy change her mind?

As a fan of the author, I picked this book up a few years ago hoping to try it and immediately fall in love. I knew at once that it was something right up my street, but expectations were high and I was afraid of that changing once I picked it up. Needless to say, I had nothing to worry about.

Nova makes for a brilliant narrator. I couldn’t call her a protagonist, more like she’s the antagonist of this particular world, but hearing from her point of view and argument made for a fascinating read. She’s an extremely passionate character, determined and lost in her own ways which is what makes this book so interesting. There’s no changing her mind, she believes the Renegades should be stopped, and has a justifiable argument too; you believe in Nova’s story and her reasons. Her logic makes sense.
Adrian makes for a brilliant protagonist with fascinating abilities. That goes for all the other characters within this world too; they’re all unique and interesting abilities that you don’t usually see in a Superhero novel. That’s what makes this whole novel so unique and refreshing to read; we’re not stuck with the same superpowers that you usually see – there’s no super strength, or super speed – they’re fresh and fascinating and flawed. They’re kids with superpowers that they don’t know how else to deal with and that’s brilliant to read.

The novel itself is quite large for a first instalment of a series, but that’s nothing to fear. It’s fast paced and gripping throughout, manageable to complete in just a few sittings as you get lost in the world that unfolds. Meyer’s writing style is flawless, the descriptions  enticing you further, whilst the dialogue makes you believe in these characters. There’s nothing else for it but to believe in the story that Meyer is telling.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed this read. It’s unique, gripping and flawless and I can’t wait for to get my hands on the next instalment.

5/5