Renegades, by Marissa Meyer, is an amazing book that blurs the lines of good and evil. In a society where super-powered people, or prodigies, were once oppressed, the Renegades have risen to power, portraying themselves as guardians of the people and bringers of hope. Nova sees things differently. She sees the Renegades as power hungry murderers who failed the city they promised to protect. As a spy in their ranks, Nova evolves into a truly interesting character whose conflicting desires create compelling moral dilemmas as she grows more attached to her sworn enemies.
This is a thought-provoking book that shows how much the victors really do write the history books. The characters, both Anarchists and Renegades, are compelling, interesting, and have real and valid motivations. However, one thing this book does wonderfully is portraying that there is good and bad to each side of the story. The so-called heroes and villains are both flawed, interesting characters fighting for their beliefs and ideals, and there are characters on both sides who are very likable and interesting, as well as characters who twist what their faction stands for into something disgusting and brutal. All elements of the book, including the powers and worldbuilding, are all very thought out and intriguing, especially with the creative ways certain prodigies use their gifts, and how the personalities, powers, and beliefs clash when each factions’ plans intersect. Renegades is the first book in its trilogy, and the sequels continue to impress. Meyer builds on characters, situations, and worldbuilding throughout the series that will keep readers desperate for more.
Overall, this is one of my favorite books of all time, definitely five out of five stars. The rich, vibrant characters alone would earn a full five stars from me, but they’re also backed up by compelling worldbuilding, thought-provoking ideas, and twists that make everything so much better. This book is amazing.