3.5/5
Powerless is a fun, action-packed read. I like the premise of the novel, that one can be powerless but not helpless, and I was looking forward to a strong female lead putting some people in their place.
And indeed, our protagonist Kenna does put some people in their place. She learns and grows a lot throughout the novel, and I loved watching her character development. I liked her strength, intelligence, and resilience, and her internal conflict over right and wrong is written well. These points make Powerless worth reading, and earned the novel a respectable rating from me.
Now for the points I have problems with: a minor one is the amount of testosterone in this novel. There was a bit too much of the macho, I-must-protect-my-girl thing going on. I can see how Childs and Deebs want to emphasize how Kenna doesn't need to be protected by placing overprotective people around her, but the amount of male tension was a little excessive. This is a forgivable problem; the one I had a harder time with was Kenna's discovery that she has powers. I couldn't believe it. The novel is literally called "Powerless". Its very premise is that Kenna is powerless and that overcomes this disadvantage to be strong. And yet, the trope of having a clueless protagonist discover her hidden powers still can not be escaped.
Overall, I would recommend Powerless to those who like entertaining, fast-paced fantasy reads. Powerless deals with themes of right and wrong and finding strength in your own identity, distinguishing it from the crowd of supernatural novels. Though I won't be reading the next one, these traits are strong enough to make Powerless worth picking up.
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