With each twist in the plot, “Powerless” by Lauren Roberts is a well-thought-out fantasy book.

 “Powerless” takes readers into the lives of Paedyn Gray, an ordinary (human without powers) living in poverty, and Kai Azer, a royal Enforcer (deliverer of death). The struggles of each get presented throughout the book, which makes them grow closer, as they learn their lives aren’t so different.

The story begins with Paedyn robbing a store for cloth and honey buns, which leads her to climb up a chimney to escape. As the book continues, readers are introduced to Adena, Paedyn’s closest friend and designer. We learn of Paedyn’s life in the Loot Alley and her skills in theft. 

As we move into Kai’s point of view, we learn about life in the castle and how he was trained by his father, the King of Ilya. We also learn about his brother, Kitt, the future king. Life in the castle is a privilege, but Kai is misunderstood and seen as heartless by the people in the slums because of his role as the Enforcer, while he only wants to do his job. 

In the first few chapters, the readers learn about how the power system works. Elites have strong powers, like Kai, who is a Wielder that can borrow other powers nearby. Mundanes still have magic, but not as strong as Elites, like Hera, a contestant in the Trials, who is a Veil that can turn invisible. Lastly, Ordinarys, like Paedyn, do not have any powers and mainly live in the slums, and are killed for weakening Elites.

As readers learn more about the dynamics, Paedyn and Kai grow closer during the Trials, where nine people are selected to go into the castle and have a ball, prepare for the Trials, and fight. The Trials have been going on for years; they are brutal events televised to celebrate those with powers given to them by the Plague. The Plague was a virus that swept through Ilya and killed many, and those who survived were gifted. 

Throughout the book, there is a romantic buildup between Paedyn, Kai, and Kitt. They have an interesting love dynamic. Paedyn leans more towards loving Kai, while she sees Kitt as a friend.

A weakness of the book is the time skips. Some of them only skip a few hours, but some pass by days. It’s understood why Lauren Roberts did it, to save time, but it may leave readers confused.

Overall, the book is recommended for anyone who enjoys romantasy stories. The characters are well-written, and the plot is riveting. Rating 3.5/5.