Silver Elite by Dani Francis is blowing up online, with the dystopian dystopian books having an incredible resurgence in 2025 — and romantasy being more popular than ever — perhaps that's no surprise. The book attempts to blend both categories, though whether it succeeds is another story.

Set in a world where Mods, or people with psychic abilities, are feared and persecuted, Silver Elite sees its heroine trying to hide such powers as she's thrust into military training. After her uncle is deemed a traitor and killed, Wren Darlington is forced to train for her nation's most elite program, Silver Block. There, she must stay undercover while trying to dismantle and escape the system that considers her life "less than." Of course, it's hard not to get wrapped up in her false identity or her relationships within the program — including her growing bond with commanding officer Cross Redden.

As many have pointed out, the premise of Silver Elite feels reminiscent of the dystopian stories of the 2010s, with Divergent immediately coming to mind as a comparison. Indeed, that's why so many people seem to be picking this book up on the heels of its May 6 debut. However, the book has become somewhat divisive after its publication, with other readers highlighting its shortcomings. The mixed reception may leave readers wondering whether they should pick up this BookTok sensation. Ultimately, it depends on what you're looking to get from it.

Silver Elite Is Compulsively Readable

It's Gripping & Easy To Read, Like Fourth Wing Or ACOTAR

If there's one thing that can be said about Silver Elite, it's incredibly easy to immerse oneself in. Its world-building has a low barrier for entry, as the societal setup is straightforward and simple — perhaps too much so at times. But while seasoned fantasy and dystopian readers may grow frustrated with the simplicity of Francis' world, beginners will appreciate it. It certainly makes for an easy read, allowing for a greater focus on the characters, relationships, and themes as the book continues.

This element of the book makes sense of the Court of Thorns & Roses and Fourth Wing comparisons.

And once the narrative picks up — something that happens not long into the novel — Silver Elite is compulsively readable. There are consistently high stakes and plenty of twists and turns, making for a fast-paced read that's difficult to put down. This element of the book makes sense of the Court of Thorns & Roses and Fourth Wing comparisons. Although there are major differences between the 2025 book and the two romantasy sensations, they all have this one thing in common: they're engaging and entertaining, ensuring readers their time with these books fondly.

Dani Francis' Book Works Better As A Romantasy Story Than A Dystopian One

It Excels In One Category But Doesn't Do The Other Justice

Trying to be both a romantasy and dystopian book could be one of Silver Elite's biggest mistakes, and it's an effort that has led to the most common criticisms of the book. Although Francis' novel excels when it comes to the conventions of romantasy, it doesn't do the greatest job living up to its dystopian label. The romance in Silver Elite isn't necessarily groundbreaking, and it could definitely be developed a bit more during the early chapters. But the forbidden love dynamic, banter, and spice are all pretty well done towards the middle and end, and they'll appeal to romantasy readers.

Silver Elite spends so much time on relationships that this aspect of the book often overshadows the conversations it should be having.

Unfortunately, Silver Elite spends so much time on relationships that this aspect of the book often overshadows the conversations it should be having. It's incorrect to say there's no dystopian commentary in this novel; the government that Wren and Cross live under is clearly oppressive, and there are many nods to the ways that greed, surveillance, and violence are used to maintain the status quo. The problem is that these references remain just that: minor notes that don't dig into these conversations as thoroughly or meaningfully as they should.

This makes Silver Elite a hard sell for its dystopian elements alone. If this book was billed purely as a romantasy novel, it might ensure that it finds the right audience — a readership that will appreciate its actual strengths. But even putting the genre distinctions to the side, Silver Elite does make a few dubious choices that could leave readers nonplussed with it either way.

Silver Elite Makes Some Dubious Choices

It Fails To Take A Stance & Overlooks Some Troubling Behavior

Although Silver Elite has a few key strengths, the book makes dubious choices that are difficult to defend — even if you actually have a good time with it. In line with its thin dystopian concept, the book has a tendency to paint both sides of its conflict as terrible, leaving readers to wonder what we're supposed to take away from the story. The novel being told from Wren's POV suggests we should root for the Uprising, but we witness them doing detestable things throughout the book. Meanwhile, Wren often sympathizes with the enemy, who we're also told are abhorrent.

It needs to take more of a stance to truly live up to its dystopian premise.

There's something to be said about a dystopian novel that can look at the issues with both sides; The Hunger Games does this masterfully in its final installment. And it's worth exploring whether someone must become as bad as their enemy to defeat them. However, Silver Elite doesn't dig into this discussion enough, making its commentary feel very wishy-washy. It needs to take more of a stance to truly live up to its dystopian premise.

Additionally, some of Silver Elite's smaller decisions might not go over well, even with readers who aren't hung up on the dystopia's shortcomings. One example that stands out is Cross disregarding Wren's consent when touching her face early in the book. In general, there's a lot of creepy and inappropriate behavior from the men in this novel, and not all of it is condemned as heavily as it should be. Such a sentiment coming from the male main character we're supposed to root for is especially troubling, even if his behavior improves later on.

Is Silver Elite By Dani Francis Worth Reading? It Depends

Ultimately, readers will need to decide whether Silver Elite is worth reading based on their own preferences and experience. For those looking for a detailed dystopian story that fully engages with its themes, this one may feel a bit too juvenile. However, newcomers to the genre may find it a decent entry point, especially if they're accustomed to reading a lot of romantasy. And those invested in the romantasy side will find a lot to love here, particularly if they don't mind a genuine enemies-to-lovers dynamic with some darker moments.