Red Queen: A Sweeping Fantasy Adventure of Power, Rebellion, and Deadly Betrayal

The Red Queen thrusts the reader into dual class society separated by blood. The royal "Silvers" bleed silver, and the second class "Reds" bleed red. It implies the use of Greek Mythological powers on the "Silvers" to set them apart as a special breed - they are magic.

For me the novel reminded me of The Selection, and a little bit of Shadow and Bone , but with magic and more violence. Mare, a "Red" discovers through sheer will that she has the powers of a "Silver." This sets off a chain of events that shock even the evil queen, because this isn't supposed to be. Her power has the power to save her or condemn her - the question is, what will it be?

In an unsettling turn of events that forces her into the world of "Silvers," Mare has to learn her new place. But an burning desire to see equality (isn't that always the way?) puts her on the path of revolution. An incognito group known only as The Scarlet Guard is planning to launch a rebellion and with Mare on the inside of the castle walls, she's just the girl they need to make things right. But her betrothed Prince creates an obstacle for her she never saw coming.

She has to play this game, and not only her life is at stake.

This novel is a typical dystopian YA book, but I liked it. The characters were enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the sequel due out February 9, 2016. I've marked my calendar.

I love a good rebellion, but I would also love for something to actually happen during it. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard promises a dangerous world of political intrigue, forbidden powers, and betrayal. I spent most of my time waiting for the excitement to begin. Mare Barrow lives in a society divided by blood. The impoverished Reds serve the powerful Silvers who are an elite class gifted with supernatural abilities. Mare's life takes an unexpected turn after she discovers that she possesses powers no Red should have. The royal family forces her to masquerade as a Silver princess. Her new position places her at the center of a dangerous political game. Mare has plenty of reasons to fear for her life between a growing rebellion, two royal brothers, and the constant threat of discovery. The story had potential, but the pacing was painfully slow. At 65% through the book, I was still waiting for something substantial to happen. Mare spends much of her time narrowly avoiding suspicion, stumbling through her involvement with the Scarlet Guard, and attempting to navigate royal politics. These repeated close calls should create fear, but they became predictable and tedious. I nearly fell asleep multiple times waiting for the plot to move forward. A surprise was how closely the opening resembled The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The similarities were so striking that I found myself questioning how much inspiration was too much. From the oppressive class divisions and gladiator style competitions. To the familiar mentor figure and the protagonist's unintended influence on a rebellion. The parallels were difficult to ignore. I understand that dystopian fiction frequently shares familiar tropes, but the similarities here felt excessive. The narrative eventually develops its own direction through Mare's unusual abilities and the royal family's political maneuvering. Some interesting ideas about privilege, oppression, and the manipulation of power are introduced. The distinction between Reds and Silvers provides a foundation for exploring systemic inequality. The repetitive palace intrigue and sluggish progression made it difficult to appreciate the inequality theme. The rebellion should have been the driving force behind an exciting fantasy adventure. Instead, it frequently felt like an endless series of mistakes and near discoveries. Pick up Red Queen if you enjoy dystopian fantasy, royal politics, and slow building rebellions.

I think it does have many tropes but it is still an engaging plot, royalty and superpowers are both elements I enjoy in books. I ship Cal and Mare 😁. And I wasn't surprised about the plot twist , Idk why but I saw it coming. Maven seemed cute at the beginning but I felt like Mare didn't fit with his personality since he seemed so calm in contrast to Cal and Mare who are both fierce and not afraid to go for it

Love this

I’m still not sue abut this one. Parts of it I really liked, and parts of it were meh. I like Mare’s character, and Cal was okay, but some of the characters were just aggravating.

Maybe I just waited too long to read this book.