The premise of a class structure that was separated, not by the color of your skin, but by the color of your blood was interesting. Those with silver blood, surprisingly called Silvers,  had special power talents, like telekinesis, mind reading, controlling fire, water, etc. Those citizens with red blood (Reds) were normal, and the peasants and worker bees in this fantasy world. When Mare Barrow, a Red, receives placement as a servant in the ruling family’s castle, she finds out that her blood, although red, is different. She, too, has a power! She manifests that power for the first time in a room full of Silvers, and because she can’t be explained, the monarchy decides to create a new identity for her, placing her as a princess of a lost Silver family. However, Mare knows she is not Silver, and in fact, still bleeds red in not only color, but also in idealisms.

Red Queen had the normal YA trope of young idealistic girl feeling her power/strength for the first time. It also used the threesome trope. Young girl torn between two brothers, the future king, who is a gentle warrior, and the younger brother, her betrothed, who is quiet and shares her idealisms. Maybe that was why I was ambivalent? I think if I had read this book when it came out, the use of those tropes wouldn’t have been as stale. It wasn’t until the book turned political that I got truly interested. When Mare started fighting back was when my interest was earned. Finally, I thought! A fight against prejudice, no matter what kind, I will relish. Knowing this is a trilogy, I am hoping the second and third book start quickly and the story doesn’t get bogged down by other over used tropes.

I did enjoy this fantasy world that Victoria Aveyard built. It was really well thought out, and kind of Machiavellian, which was fun to read about. Even though this book took a little time to get into, the positives more than made up for the negatives. I will totally pick up the next novel in the series and see how Mare’s rebellion continues. This book ends right when things were starting to get interesting! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click the link to purchase! Red Queen

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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