Review: "Red Queen," by Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen By: Victoria Aveyard
Purchased: Audible
If you like action with a small serving of romance, then this book might just be for you!
Rating
Summary
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 Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.
Spoilers!!!!
If you haven’t read this book and are still considering reading it then I recommend you pick it up before continuing so that you are not spoiled!
Discussion
I definitely love Mare as our main character she is so full of love for her family and her best friend Kilorn. You can really feel the love she has for them when she interacts with them even though she has a hard time showing them.
My heart broke when Mares sister Gisa tries to steal from a silver in a last attempt to help pay for Kilorn’s transport and is punished. All I could think was “great with Gisas talent they had a chance at a slightly better life safe from conscription, and now they don’t even get that”.
Even though the event is written off I had my first suspicion of Mare having some sort of power when she comes home to find the electricity out and her “fingers meet something sharp making her body jolt'. I knew there had to be something more than meets the eye with her.
When Mare fell onto the lightning shield at queen’s trial and she truly discovers her power I was doing a happy dance while silently chanting "I knew it". My thoughts while she was falling to her supposed death was “she can’t die she’s our main character there is definitely no way she’ll die, right?”.
When her fate is sealed to Maven I was like ok this is kinda cliché although I didn’t expect for her to be forced to marry him, I was honestly thinking/hoping it would be Cal she would marry but OK! But then my heart did a complete 180 and I was definitely rooting for #teamMaven. The way he was so attentive to Mare made me swoon although Cal had his moments (like when he tries to teach her how to dance) I just couldn’t shake Maven from my heart.
Least to say I was as shocked as Mare was when Maven completely shatters her heart (with mine in tow) when he turns his back on her to join his evil mother. All while framing poor Cal in the process while I selfishly didn’t even care what was happening to Cal (sorry Cal), because I was literally screaming internally “how in the heck could you do this Maven!!!!” “I trusted you, Mare trusted you!”.
I was really not expecting for the plot twist that lay ahead, I knew there would be one, I just didn’t imagine it would go down as it did. Then to top it all off when Maven says “I can save you” to Mare at the bowl of bones my jaw dropped. I knew Mare wouldn’t go for it but inside my heart was saying go for it! Make Maven change it couldn’t have all been an act some part of him had to be real. But of course, Mare was smarter than what I would have been in that situation, and instead left him with this remark. “One day your lies will strangle you, King Maven. My only regret is I won’t be alive to see it.” Least to say it was a big smack to Mavens gigantic head, and his stupid choices.
Final Thoughts
I have to say that I really enjoyed the way this book was written it had a healthy amount of action, and betrayal with a bit of romance. Although for me there wasn’t as much romance as I would have hoped for, that may be just because I love me some romance, I think this book would appeal to those of you whom prefer more action than anything else.
This book is definitely a fantasy book with individuals whom possess special powers which I really loved. There were some moments where for me the story seemed to drag along but that was mostly preparing the reader for some action to take place. All in all, I really loved this book and the huge plot twist that come along with it and I definitely recommend picking it up.
Hope you enjoyed this review! Let me know in the comments below what your favorite parts of the story were, and are you #teamMaven or #teamCal (sadly I’m still #teamMaven, I know there’s something wrong with me!)? Also if there are any books you might recommend for me to read let me know down below as well.
