Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)

by Victoria Aveyard

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.

Reviewed by Katie King on

3 of 5 stars

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3 stars for sure.

I didn't anticipate the general consensus of this. I thought it was supremely hyped when it first came out and I didn't follow it much after that, so I assumed everyone had enjoyed it. I guess not.

Totally flawed BUT I like the concept. I love the cover. I like the abilities. I like the revolution plot and of course the plot twist at the end. I actually didn't see it coming (some have said it was obvious, I didn't think so).

Lots of lines, terms, catchphrases were repeated throughout the book. I'm not normally that observant, so if I notice it, it's a problem. Lots of conflicting statements on one line vs the next. I get repeating themes, but this was just lazy. Very heavy-handed.

World building was interesting, but I felt as though it really lacked. I tried to picture this diamond world but I struggled quite a bit. I don't know what diamond and "something" mixed together look like...I really anticipate this getting better though.

MC wasn't all that great, she came off as bratty to me. She's also a bit of a heartless c*nt, as others have pointed out (in terms of naming the targets and how she treats Cal), which does nothing to endear her to me. I like her ability (and the concept) but she's just another all-powerful mystery-power special snowflake. WHY is she so powerful?? I would've thrown the book across the room if she had been able to overcome ability silencing, but thankfully even she couldn't.

Romance was basically a square, maybe with a hint of a pentagon? Not only is it desperate to have 3 love interests, cliche to make 1 the longtime best friend and the other 1 a handsome prince, then sad to make that 2 handsome princes, and tacky that the princes are BROTHERS, but pushing someone else into it as well?? COME ON!

All in all, I felt a very strong connection between this and several other popular YA novels. I don't need to name them, other reviewers have already done so. Sure, there was originality, but it was overshadowed by a feeling of "I've seen this before". I will be checking out the novellas to see if the world building improves.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 March, 2016: Finished reading
  • 30 March, 2016: Reviewed