A Book Review of Renegades by Marissa Meyer

 

A Book Review on Renegades

By Felix Lee

 

            Renegades by Marissa Meyer takes place in a society of prodigies, people with extraordinary superpowers and abilities. The story is presented years after the conclusion of an all-out war between the Anarchists, portrayed as the villains, and the Renegades, shown as the heroes. The Renegades won over the Anarchists, defeating the leader of the villains and putting an end to the previous era of chaos. With the ending of the war, the Renegades acted as the new government for control and peace, now not only stopping crime and conflict but also managing all kinds of government duties, such as technology, research, education, city infrastructure etc. Unlike a majority of superhero themed stories, however, the novel follows both the perspective of Nova, the niece of the villain leader, and the perspective of Adrian, the adopted son of Captain Chromium, the leader of the Renegades. As the plot unfolds, we see the tragic anecdote of her parents’ murder and how the Renegades weren’t there to save them as they falsely claimed, fueling her pursuit of vengeance. We also learn about the murder of Adrian’s mother and his pursuit for justice as he tries to figure out who the murderer was. We see these two characters cross paths as Nova becomes a Renegade to become a spy for the Anarchists, joining Adrian’s team. Simultaneously, Adrian builds a robotic suit and disguises himself as “the Sentinel” to gather possible clues and information on his mother’s murderer, exploring Nightmare, Nova’s villain identity, as his first lead. Neither Nova nor Adrian know each other’s secret identities as they pursue their goals, acting as friends without realizing their rivalry. Will Nova be successful in overthrowing the Renegades as a spy? Similarly, will Adrian figure out the murderer of his mother and bring them to justice? Will either of their identities be found out, and if so, how will that affect them?

            I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from beginning to end. I grew up watching a lot of superhero films, and reading this book brought back a lot of good memories. I liked the unique abilities of each of the superheroes and villains, and how they’re used to build on each character in the story. For example, I found Nova’s ability to put other people to sleep as well as not needing any sleep to be quite different than any of the other traditional superpowers I’ve seen in the past. Since this ability isn’t as flashy or easily useful as many of the other abilities, it explains her need to train and learn in order to make her ability applicable and adds determination to her character. I also appreciate how the chapters switch between the perspectives of both main characters. It allows me as the reader to visualize both sides of the story, rather than looking from the hero’s point of view. Rather than just admiring the hero, I’m also able to understand the villain and the motives for their actions. The action and fights throughout the novel are also a great addition to the overall quality of the story. The way they’re described fuels my imagination and is enlightening in a way that makes me feel like a bystander watching the battles. I’ve heard that this book is part of a trilogy, and I can’t wait for what’s to come in the next book. 10/10!