The Rose Society

Adelina, dear... you are so doomed.Back in [b:The Young Elites 20821111 The Young Elites (The Young Elites, #1) Marie Lu https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407318399s/20821111.jpg 25217978], we saw glimpses of darkness Adelina has always had in herself. But here in The Rose Society, she takes it to a whole new level. The betrayal of the Daggers has left her hurt and bitter, and the darkness in her is gradually taking over her mind. Adelina is undeniably selfish. She doesn't hesitate to use others when she needs to, and she pushes away the people who genuinely care for her... but at the same time, I find it hard not to sympathize. Her emotions feel so real, so while I think she makes a lot of terrible decisions, a part of me also wants her to succeed.To be completely honest, I have mixed feelings about the new characters. They all have layers and play their own roles in the story, but I can't seem to like Maeve. I find her rude and arrogant while lacking the depth that everyone else has, though maybe that's for the next book to dig further into. I understand that she's a young queen who is eager to rule, but what she said to Adelina towards the end—AFTER attempting to attack Adelina—just didn't sit well with me.“You are outnumbered!” Her eyes fix on me. “The Beldish do not believe in abominations,” she says to me. “We revere your malfettos in the Skylands. You are an Elite, the children of the gods. Just like me. There is no reason for us to fight.”Adelina's response to that pretty much mirrors my own.I look up at her, suddenly disgusted by her olive branch. What a trick. She doesn't want peace—she nearly killed me. She wants to win, and she will take over Kenettra under the disguise of friendship.Magiano, on the other hand, I've loved since the first time he appeared. With Enzo, one could only guess whether he truly loved Adelina or not. I was hoping that the bond they shared was real, but after what happened in this book... I can't tell anymore. Actually, Enzo made me rage when he blamed Adelina for attacking Raffaele and for Gemma's death. Nevermind that Raffaele wanted her killed. Nevermind that Gemma attacked her first. You just pin all the blame on the poor girl. I'm so glad she called him out on it, because I don't think that's entirely her fault. Magiano, on the other hand, clearly shows genuine affection for Adelina. I feel like he might be the light she needs to keep herself safe and calm, so I find myself thinking that he might be the better match for Adelina.Then again, looking at the little “accident” with Violetta at the end, Adelina's fate probably depends on whether or not she can find salvation. I'm also curious about what's going to happen to Teren. Adelina had a really sweet revenge, but I doubt this is the last we'll see of him.Enzo inherited a throne. Giulietta relied on her royal blood. Queen Maeve rules Beldain because she was born to it. But true rulers are not born. We are made.This book doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but it gives you a revelation that makes you want to jump straight to the last book. Which, unfortunately, won't be out until next year. ;___; It's really refreshing to read from a villain / antihero's point of view, and I think Marie Lu does them especially well.