From Amazon…
Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard’s sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king’s palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?
Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.
To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.
Victoria Aveyard recently graduated from USC, where she majored in screenwriting. She has sold several television pilots and feature-length screenplays, and is currently represented by the Hollywood management company Benderspink. Red Queen
The Writing…
Amazing! Stellar! Writing fit for a queen (hee hee)! I loved the phrases she used like “his hand ghosts over my face” (or something like that). Just beautiful! And oh my word for the twist at the end. Even though I suspected it, I was still like “Wow! This author knows how to throw her readers for a loop.” You definitely won’t get bored with this one.
The Story…
I loved the idea of Silvers versus Reds. What an original idea. I couldn’t figure out if this was supposed to be a futuristic/ dystopian novel, or if it is set in its own fantasy world entirely. I think that’s what makes it unique. With books such as The Selection, Matched, or Eve, we know were are in a future version of America. But with Red Queen
I’m a super big fan of characters with powers, and Red Queen doesn’t lack in that department. But even better is that, even before she knows she has power, Mare Barrow is a strong female heroine from page one. A heroine willing to make sacrifices, dangerous ones, in order to protect those she loves. I couldn’t help but root for Mare until the end. She has her own mind, her own goals, and no one can stand in her way.
Finally, as always, I must mention the romance in Red Queen. I won’t spoil it and sway you by telling you whose team I’m on. I will say the guy I was rooting for ended up being the winner. Not completely, but there’s hope for him and Mare in book two.
The Ending…
Satisfying! Oh boy, was this ending good. Victoria Aveyard left questions open about the future of these characters, but she still wrapped everything up with a stellar conclusion. Her pacing was excellent, leaving me wanting so much more. (Victoria Aveyard, if by any chance you’re reading this, I’d LOVE an ARC!) I even have hopes for the villain, if you can believe it. Because, as you will find when you read Red Queen , “Anyone can betray anyone.”
Recommendation…
Ages: 16 and up
For fans of:
Content: Blood and violence (fighting, training), and a few kissing scenes (PG/mild).
I give Red Queen 5 out of 5 hearts for a killer plot twist, a well-written love triangle, and a strong female heroine I’m excited to meet again when the sequel releases!
Have you read Red Queen? Let’s chat about it! Leave a comment below or tweet to me @SaraEllaWrites. I love hearing from you! Until then, happy reading!
If you’ve read Red Queen, check out my reaction video. Warning! If you haven’t read the book this video contains spoilers!
Can’t wait to read this! Great review
Thanks, Janelle!
Wow, this looks so good! I’m so behind in my TBR list. I wonder now if I’ll ever catch up. lol. Thanks for sharing!
I’m behind on my TBR too, Natalie. I feel the same. Every time I think I’m catching up, I just add more books, haha!