Quick Synopsis

In the first book of a sizzling dystopian romance series, psychic gifts are a death sentence and there are rules to survival: Trust no one. Lie to everyone. And whatever you do, don’t fall for your greatest enemy.

Publisher’s Synopsis

TRUST NO ONE.

Wren Darlington has spent her whole life in hiding, honing her psychic abilities and aiding the rebel Uprising in small ways. On the Continent, being Modified means certain death—and Wren is one of the most powerful Mods in existence. When one careless mistake places her in the hands of the enemy and she’s forced to join their most elite training program, she’s finally handed the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks.

LIE TO EVERYONE.

But training for Silver Block can be deadly, especially when you’re harboring dangerous secrets and living in close quarters with everyone who wants you dead.

AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T FALL FOR YOUR GREATEST ENEMY.

As the stakes grow ever higher, Wren must prove herself to Silver Block. But that’s easier said than done when your commanding officer is the ruthless and infuriatingly irresistible Cross Redden, who doesn’t miss anything when it comes to her. And as war rages between Mods like her and those who aim to destroy them, Wren must decide just how far she’s willing to go to protect herself . . . and how much of the Continent is worth saving.

Book Review

I am predicting it now: Silver Elite will be one of the books of summer. Without being on TikTok, I can already see booktokkers going wild for this book.

Silver Elite is a debut new adult dystopian novel with a love story embedded in the plot. The book is set in a future North America (“the Continent”) where the coasts have succumbed to climate change and the ocean. After a major war that dropped atomic bombs, a portion of the population has become modified from the radiation. Modifies (or mods) have telepathic powers and silver blood that glows when they use these abilities. At the present time, a Prime (normie) general rules the country and persecutes mods.

Silver Elite follows mod orphan Wren who shows no outward signs of her powers. When her uncle/guardian’s cover is blow, he faces a tribunal that threatens his life. Wren ignores all advice and attempts to rescue him, ending up in the clutches of the Command (military enforcers). She is forced to choose whether to remain a prisoner or train for an elite force of the Command led by the buff and impregnable Captain Cross.

When I first learned about Silver Elite, I was excited to step outside my comfort zone and revisit the days I became complete absorbed in a fictional world (à la The Hunger Games). This novel delivers an easy-to-read and super bingeable story that shares some common themes with other popular YA/new adult dystopian series, including severe socioeconomic stratification, romance, and vengeance.

Despite being thoroughly entertained by Silver Elite, it is apparent that the novel is a debut novel. Dani Francis tried to pack a lot into the novel but failed to execute any of those things particularly well. A majority of the world building occurs at the start and then falls to the wayside. The pacing is uneven with the climax and resolution feeling extremely rushed. I found the plot to be generally predictable, and the major twist easy to identify early on.

If you are familiar with my reviews, you likely know that if a synopsis promises me something, then I expect to find it in the book’s pages. Silver Elite is specifically called a dystopian romance novel. As a result, I expected a solid romance subplot. However, the romance between Wren and Cross is extremely thin. There is little development of feelings or emotions. It is clear the characters are physically attracted to one another, but they barely get to know one another. The build up to their coupling is insubstantial, resulting in little tension and satisfaction. Consequently, the romance storyline is not believable, or at the very least, leaves little to become invested in.

To add to this, I found the characters to be largely one-dimensional and underdeveloped. The protagonist also makes inconsistent decisions and fails to grow over the book’s course. She also reads as very immature, which I think will turn some readers off.

Finally, Silver Elite lacks an underlying message or meaningful critique of the government or other systems in its fictional world. I decided to look past this since Silver Elite is the first book in a trilogy. I am hoping the next entry in the series will tie up loose ends and improve on Silver Elite‘s weak spots.

Overall, Silver Elite is an enjoyable story that takes place in an intriguing world. However, the novel does not bring anything new to the genre and fails to deliver a plausible romance. I recommend it if you are nostalgic for the days when The Hunger Games and Divergent ruled the bestseller lists or are looking a fun story that is not too serious.