Late to the party in reading this, and though it’s not without its issues there’s no escaping the pull it has by the end.
In this world there are Elites, those with special powers, and Ordinaries, who have to be killed to eradicate the threat they pose. Paedyn Gray has been used to hiding in plain sight, her father teaching her what she needs to help her survive in this world. The King of Ilya is determined that nobody without skill shall survive. So when Paedyn inadvertently saves the life of one of the King’s sons she becomes embroiled in a dangerous game.
Paedyn is entered into the Purging Trials, knowing that she’ll need her wits about her if she is to survive. Along the way she finds herself drawing closer to Kai, the Enforcer in training whose life she saved, and Kitt, the heir to the Ilyan throne.
The trials themselves were rather lacklustre when compared to other books using this format. However, it gave opportunity to develop the relationships between the Princes and Paedyn. Where it got interesting was in the appearance of the Resistance and the details Paedyn learned about her family. Spending so much time on the relationships cultivated by our key characters made the closing stages of the book seem even more brutal, and certainly sets up an interesting premise for what comes next.
I sense that book two will be something of a cat and mouse game, while the shadowy threat posed by the Resistance grows stronger. I feel Paedyn’s resolve will be tested, but I’m guessing that in book three certain other characters are going to be tested.