Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

In school, we learned about the world before ours, about the angels and the gods that lived in the sky, ruling the earth with kind and loving hands. Some say those are just stories, but I don't believe that. 

The gods rules us still. They have come down from the stars. And the are no longer kind.

I was pretty sure I had this whole book figured out when I finished the first few chapters.

I was wrong.

Stats:

Genre: Dystopia but feels more fantasy

Feelings: No one touch me

Happiness: NO ONE TOUCH ME

Cuteness: Ehhhhh?

Fast pacing: Yessss

Series: Thank gods yes

Read if you like: Magicccc and supernatural powers and political magic and things.
Content: Some violent bits but very clean
In one sentence... In a world where the color of your blood defines your success and way of life….Mare’s knowledge of the magical abilities of the Silver bloods is about to be flipped on its head.
Thoughts: A drop of red, a face of white, and a flame's shadow

Messages: Power is dangerous, anyone can betray anyone, words are dangerous, no one is any better than anyone else.

Overall:

Rating: 4.5/5

This review is SPOILER FREE

The Lovely Bits:

Ah. This book. There's a lot I like about it. I had been anticipating this for a while, and was praying it was going to be good as I wanted it to be. While it wasn't perfect or outstanding, I was not disappointed.

-Characters-

Mare. I was hesitant about how I felt at first. She seemed like she was trying really hard to be that *STRONG FEMALE LEAD* but she grew on me. I feel like I've read a lot of political palace stories with fierce leads, but she seemed different. I appreciated her sass, though I'd love a story like this with a quiet awkward girl for once. I couldn't help but compare a lot of this to The Selection, and well...Mare was a lot better than America. You could tell she really cared about people, and was trying really hard to do the right thing even though she just really liked yelling at people.

I appreciated that she was more practical about romantic things. I appreciated that Victoria didn't go with the whole "Poor ugly girl who is actually really beautiful, and everyone loves her. SO SPECIAL" thing.

I actually didn't hate the love triangle, though weird. At the end when all the "choice-y' things happen, I was cheering at Mare with her reply. And the ending? Instead of the "we're together we will be perfect ah yes" last line she got all "Imma go kill people"

Although I felt bad for Kilorn. He became the Gale of the story. 

Pretty much all of the characters in this book were interesting. All of them. And there were a lot of characters. Even the family. In this one scene later on there's this amazing scene with the family where you get a good sense of them, and I loved that.

-Writing and Structure-

The writing was pretty great. I got a good sense for the feelings, though a few bits I didn't like (we'll get to that). The story went into a lot more than I was expecting. It got in dept into the political side, and the training scene were actually interesting and not drawn out any more than they had to be. 

The book indeed had a formulaic feel to it, but as it got closer to the end, it took a lot of turns. The secrets and unraveling of the plot was done successfully. It wasn't all laid out and perfect. The whole book I wasn't really sure who I could trust. Seriously. I changed sides multiple times during this book.

-Messages and Other-

This just had some really great things I like in books. Sibling love. Not a whole lot but it was there and when I was there, it was Glorious. I loved seeing plenty of Mare's home life at the beginning so I could really see the contrast of the two worlds she lived in.

And revolution. I love a good revolution. -sings a compilation of Le Miserables and Newsies-

The magic system. I love super powers and this is how it should be done. Not too "Super powers because reason!"...just right. It was interesting and obviously very well thought out. 

Oh my goodness and the setting! Sometimes its hard to get a good sense of the world in book one. But this one...ah. The atmosphere and setting was so interesting to me...I want to read more and more of it. 

The romance! I was eye rolling at the start, seeing the whole love square with the Childhood Best Friend, the Prince who she Hates but she's Engaged to...and the Other Also Engaged to Another Prince who is just so Nice. And yet this story was far from the "Teenage romantic angst" story. And that was appreciated. There was a lot more time spent of magic and revolution, which I am grateful for.

Also, this is one of the few books I've read recently where I am dying for a sequel. Sometimes I finish...and satisfied. This is one of those stories so dense and interesting...that I really need the second. Bad.

The Less Lovely Bits:

Though I definitely fell in love with this book...I did feel like I had read a lot of it before. It had a lot of common themes you see in books like this.

-Girl who is just SO special and can change the world. Of course I see how that is the point of most mc's...but I'd love to see a underdog story eventually.

-The OTHER girl who is pretty and perfect. Also a jerkface.

-Lessons! How to be a lady!

-Lots of fighting...conveniently with the other jerk girl

-Sass and standing up to those who try and oppress her!

-Love triangle. Not only a childhood best friend but TWO PRINCES. 

And yet..the book didn't have too much of a formulaic feel. Most of the events and things that could easily be overly cliche weren't that bad. Still, I wouldn't have minded a little more originality.

While the writing was good... there were still some bits where it felt really forced. 

"I will never smile again!" "Oh imma die. At least I still have my earrings my brother gave me!"

And that created a few eye rolls. Luckily there wasn't much. 

I want to keep this spoiler free, so I won't give details...but let's just say some Major Character "Development" at the end was a little...unexpected and quick. 

Overall...I really love this book. Guys I love it. A lot. This book has so much promise for a sequel. I want it. I need it. GIVE.