This is a world divided by blood – red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a 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.
- Characters: 8.5/10
Mare was a decent main character but I’m not certain I cared for her all that much. She’s pretty interchangeable with so many other characters from other books. Call her Katniss or Laia and the story would barely change. However, that’s not to say it’s a bad thing. It certainly works for the story but I’ve just gotten a bit sick of the whole poverty-stricken stubborn girl gets massive power / prestige thrust upon them and is expected to aid in a ‘destined-to-fail’ rebellion narrative. However, it is kind of my fault for reading too many of those types of book – I just quite like them. Also, the other characters were all pretty decent with Maven actually being my favourite for the majority.
- Plot: 8/10
The plot was pretty decent. It wasn’t anything super out of the ordinary but it was interesting enough to hold my attention throughout. I liked the whole red and silvers idea – it added an extra element to the story and the world. I also liked the way in which this world incorporated technology whilst making it initially seem technologically primitive. The mix was strange but appealing to me. Finally, I’m sure it’s apparent by now that I’m a ducker for books with superpowers and Red Queen did not disappoint in that department.
- Writing: 10/10
The writing is good. I have no complaints. It flows well, it’s interesting and descriptive and the dialogue was engaging and realistic. No marks lost in this category.
- Enjoyment: 9/10
My main beef with this book is just how similar it is to so many other books I’ve read. I’m not saying that’s a totally negative thing. Obviously, I read this type of book because I enjoy them. However, it does get marked down slightly for enjoyment due to my subsequent moments of boredom.
- Overall: 8.875/10
An interesting book which I would say compares closely (almost too closely) to The Hunger Games and An Ember in the Ashes. It contains magic, revolution and a little bit of love. A pretty good read.
The Proof is in the Reading 