Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Published by:Orion books
Pages: 388
Format:Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
This is a world divided by blood – Red or Silver.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to seventeen-year-old Mare, a Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
But Mare possesses a deadly talent of her own.
One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of her potential, the Silvers hide Mare in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess. Knowing that one false move will mean her death, Mare must use her new position to bring down the regime – from the inside.
Now Mare has entered a game of betrayal and lies.
This is Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart…
My thoughts
Victoria Aveyard’s thrilling debut throws readers into a futuristic fantasy world of clashing countries, segregation and a rebellion that depends on a young thief.
As a Red with a Silver aptitude, Mare is dropped into a dangerous game. It is a political desire that keeps her alive. While her days are limited to however long she can keep in line, Mare is given a route out of the slums, away from her fate of war. In a bid to placate the hunger for a rebellion, she becomes a Red in disguise as a Silver, betrothed to the King’s second son. From there on out, it is a game of chess.
What I most loved about Red Queen is the concept. It was fascinating, and the abilities possessed by the most powerful Silvers added another level of intrigue to an already thrilling plot. These extra elements made the book feel more than just your average YA fantasy. Instead, Red Queen offers up a special blend of dystopian science fiction fantasy, with the pace of an exciting thriller, and the crazy twists and turns of an epic adventure story. It didn’t take long until I was so into this book that I was reading from my copy in every spare moment I had, desperately keen to see what happened next.
I found Red Queen a mostly exciting and enjoyable read, with some good twists and turns along the way. I liked the characters and felt that Mare’s narration worked really well. The shock factor towards the last few chapters of the story also made for a really fun reading experience. Whilst it was maybe not one of the most original books I’ve ever read, something about this one really appealed to me anyway. I think this is mostly due to Aveyard’s writing style and the world she has built so vividly in this first book of the series. It was a little predictable at times and I can see how it’s been compared so much to a few other really successful fantasy books, but I still liked it very much!
Basically, if (like me) you’re a fan of The Hunger Games books, the Divergent series or Sara Holland’s Everless duology, this will be perfect for you. I’m looking forward to giving Glass Sword a go and to see where Victoria Aveyard takes this story next.
Overall reaction:
Published by:Orion books
Pages: 388
Format:Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
This is a world divided by blood – Red or Silver.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to seventeen-year-old Mare, a Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
But Mare possesses a deadly talent of her own.
One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of her potential, the Silvers hide Mare in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess. Knowing that one false move will mean her death, Mare must use her new position to bring down the regime – from the inside.
Now Mare has entered a game of betrayal and lies.
This is Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart…
My thoughts
Victoria Aveyard’s thrilling debut throws readers into a futuristic fantasy world of clashing countries, segregation and a rebellion that depends on a young thief.
As a Red with a Silver aptitude, Mare is dropped into a dangerous game. It is a political desire that keeps her alive. While her days are limited to however long she can keep in line, Mare is given a route out of the slums, away from her fate of war. In a bid to placate the hunger for a rebellion, she becomes a Red in disguise as a Silver, betrothed to the King’s second son. From there on out, it is a game of chess.
What I most loved about Red Queen is the concept. It was fascinating, and the abilities possessed by the most powerful Silvers added another level of intrigue to an already thrilling plot. These extra elements made the book feel more than just your average YA fantasy. Instead, Red Queen offers up a special blend of dystopian science fiction fantasy, with the pace of an exciting thriller, and the crazy twists and turns of an epic adventure story. It didn’t take long until I was so into this book that I was reading from my copy in every spare moment I had, desperately keen to see what happened next.
I found Red Queen a mostly exciting and enjoyable read, with some good twists and turns along the way. I liked the characters and felt that Mare’s narration worked really well. The shock factor towards the last few chapters of the story also made for a really fun reading experience. Whilst it was maybe not one of the most original books I’ve ever read, something about this one really appealed to me anyway. I think this is mostly due to Aveyard’s writing style and the world she has built so vividly in this first book of the series. It was a little predictable at times and I can see how it’s been compared so much to a few other really successful fantasy books, but I still liked it very much!
Basically, if (like me) you’re a fan of The Hunger Games books, the Divergent series or Sara Holland’s Everless duology, this will be perfect for you. I’m looking forward to giving Glass Sword a go and to see where Victoria Aveyard takes this story next.
Overall reaction: