Lauren Roberts is the author of a 495 page novel called Powerless, which she wrote when she was 18.
Powerful by Lauren Roberts is a short 256 page novella about a character from Powerless named Adena. Adena is main character Paedyn’s best friend. The novella is about Adena’s life after Paedyn was sent to the trials. Specifically Adena’s love life. Which makes the ending so much harder to cope with.
If you don’t remember, at the end of Powerless, Paedyn finishes the maze to find Adena standing bloodied and beaten with all the fingers broken in the center of the area as the “criminal” who deserved to be killed. Of course this death was tragic because Adena was an icon of a character who everyone definitely loved and never expected to be killed. But it’s so much worse when you discover who she’d been spending her spare time with whilst Paedyn was in the trials.
Two words: Makoto Khitan. How would you not like him? Mak is described as a tall man who is extremely fit with longer dark hair. He’s also described to always be covered in soot since he is a blacksmith. He also happens to have a power that could easily get him killed. He is also a welder. Just like Prince Kai the Future Enforcer. Who is said to be the only wielder.
Adena and Mak’s love story unfolds so smoothly. The two meet in a sort of odd way but you easily look past that when their love begins to unfold. They meet because Mak’s cousin, Hera, has been called to the trials. But he knows she is not strong enough to win them let alone survive. So he goes to Adena. Who he’s seen wearing clothing on the streets. And they are working together. Adena starts making Mak a fake imperials uniform so he can sneak in and take Hera away before it’s too late. In return, Mak pays her with unlimited sticky buns and eventually, fighting lessons.
Don’t worry, we don;t have to wait 495 pages just to not get a kiss from the two characters in love. Because Mak and Adena do kiss! (in way less than 495 pages). After the kiss they start spending way more time together. Even having little night time dates in Adena and Paedyn’s fort. Unfortunately, it doesn;t last. One night, Mak shows up for his date with Adena. Along with him is a gift for her. A beautiful sewing needle with many small intircuit designs on it (it can be seen on the cover of the book). But Adena isn’t there. Thinking she’s just gotten busy and doesn’t have time to come, Mak makes his way back to his house and sleeps that night, excited to see Adena at the Trial the following morning.
There he sees Adena long curly locks of hair lying in the center of the arena. Then he watches her die. Which is literally so morbid and horrifying.
When you start the book, you know there’s no happy ending. You know Adena will die at the end. But I don’t think anything prepared me for what actually happened at the end. I definitely did cry.
Overall, I would recommend the book. But only if you’re prepared to get your heart ripped out and smashed on the floor. But other than the horrid heartbreak at the end, the majority of the book is actually a great read that I really enjoyed.
