How do you define being evil? Or being good? It’s a very philosophical question with an answer that may seem simple but people have proven again and again that the line between the two can be blurred. There is a term for people like this: we call them morally grey. People who want to achieve what we typically call ‘good’ things and do ‘bad’ things to achieve them. Personally, these are our favorite characters, characters who would burn down a city and massacre the government in order to bring an end to corruption or save those they love. In this Issue we’ll tell you some of our favourite books with morally grey main characters.
Our rating system:
1/5: It’s so bad I wanna give you a 0, but I can’t so I’ll give you a 1
2/5: Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy
3/5: I plead the fifth
4/5: Snap girl, I think you dropped something… my JAW
5/5: I would sell all of my organs for this book
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️/5
After witnessing her parent’s murder and being kidnapped to a world of cruel fae and deadly magic, all Jude wants to do is fit among them with their pointed ears and inhuman beauty. But with her rounded ears and curves, she knows that she’ll have to fight her way to the top to land herself a place in court. Nothing will stop her, not even the cruel and beautiful prince who would love nothing more than to watch her fail. And she knows if she cannot be better than them, she can become so much worse.
While The Hunger Games is what got me into reading, The Cruel Prince is what got me into reading fantasy. My favorite part of it is how it is not just a fantasy but a political fantasy that takes you into the dark and unforgiving world of fae politics. I love how many go into the book expecting it to be a romantasy and then the story twists into something darker and more complex. It is very much based on the more grim side of fairy stories and poems, not the cute little creatures with wings and magic, but twisted creatures, some beautiful, some ugly who kidnap children and put curses on innocent people. The political aspect was the cherry on top where we witness the crueler side of politics with everyone trying to usurp each other in order to gain power. Now there is a romance aspect but it is more of a subplot. Even with the limited focus on romance, no couple will ever beat Cardan and Jude. They are true enemies to lovers and I have never been able to find a romance as good as theirs while reading. Both main characters are written very well and show that no one bad is truly bad. Jude grew so much in the book, from someone who is satisfied with what little is given to her, to someone who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She’s brilliant in the way she manipulates and tricks the characters who have mischief embedded in their bones. Cardan is also one of the best male characters I have ever read about. He truly is a cruel prince but as you learn more about him you understand why he is the way he is. He is also one of the only male main characters I’ve read who isn’t perfect at anything, has very obvious flaws and sits back letting Jude do all the work while he parties and drinks. I did not see the twist at the end and it made me love the book even more. I devoured the other books in the series at the same rate as I did this one and recommend it to everyone who wants to get into reading.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️/5
In a world where aliens roam the earth, the only way to fight them is Chrysalises; giant transforming robots who need both a male and a female to pilot them. However, the twist is that the woman dies each time. After her sister’s death, Zetain, fueled by rage, swears for revenge to kill her sister’s murderer and will do anything–even kill– to find out the reason why girls need to die and take down the patriarchal system she’s trapped in.
This book left my jaw on the floor. Every second I read it, it made me angrier and in a good way. This book takes place in a patriarchal and sexist society where women are only good at raising children. The way they are treated made me open my eyes even further to our society as the ideas proposed in this story can be reflected back on society and, in my opinion, those are the best kinds of books. The plot overall was very good and well-paced. I was always on the edge of my seat and did not see the plot twist coming at the end. The magic system is so unique and complex to the point where it is borderline confusing, but it was written well enough that I understood it. The main character Zetain is who I aspire to be when I grow up. She is such a complex and borderline crazy character that makes you root for her even when she is doing awful things. She is not a good person but she is fighting for the right thing; to bring the system down so women can have more rights. This book had two main male characters but, thankfully, it was not a love triangle. I liked Li Shimin, the first male main character. I especially enjoyed how he had obvious flaws and wasn’t perfect like some authors make their male characters. He was also very morally grey like Zetain. The second male main character, Yizhi, wasn’t very impressionable. I felt like he was just…there. I liked him and his sweet personality but he just didn’t stand out to me. He has a small personality compared to the big personalities that surrounded him and I hope he has more character growth in the next book. The romance was okay. I liked it but I just didn’t see the chemistry; it almost felt forced, but there were still a few cute scenes among couples. Overall this is very dark and contains mature themes, I would consider it a YA version of The Poppy Wars which was also extremely gruesome. I enjoyed every second of it and recommend it if you are looking for a book that entertains you while also making you think.
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
🗡️🗡️🗡️.5/5
Following the spread of a deadly illness, Adelina Amouteru was one of the few who survived. The survivors were left with scars, often regarded as abominations by others. However, it seems that they may possess mysterious and powerful gifts, gaining them the title of the Young Elites. Adelina encounters both those who wish to eradicate the Young Elites and those who claim to help them, but who to trust is a game on its own. The only thing for sure is that Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world…
As it has been a long time since I’ve read this book, it is somewhat difficult to recall the details. From that fact alone, I do have to start off by saying that The Young Elites just didn’t stick out to me. It was a solid read that I enjoyed, but it failed to become a new favourite (admittedly, I was in a reading slump when I read it, so I also never finished the third book). The setting was interesting as even though the book is dystopian, in the sense that there is a deadly disease that results in magical powers, it wasn’t set in the future but instead in Renaissance Italy. I felt that there was a lot of potential with that but the world-building just wasn’t as developed as I would have liked. Adelina, being a morally grey main character, was compelling to read about because I really wanted to know her motives and whether she was a true villain. However, other than the interesting archetype, I wasn’t too drawn to Adelina. She didn’t stick out to me as a relatable character or someone that I should care about too much, which, as someone who finds characters more important than the plot, hindered my ability to be hooked by the book. There was good depth to the characters, there was just something about Adelina, in particular, I couldn’t connect to. The plot was solid and definitely unique. Overall, I liked The Young Elites, but I just didn’t get as invested in the story as some of Marie Lu’s other works, such as Legend.
