Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard ARC Review

Red Queen
Red Queen Trilogy: Book One
Written by Victoria Aveyard
Fantasy, Dystopian
Expected Publication February 10th 2014
400 Pages
Thank you to Hachette Australia
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...
Seventeen year old Mere Barrow is a Red, in a society segregated by the colour of your blood. With three brothers off fighting in the war, she provides for her family by stealing to keep them above the poverty line. While Red's struggle to feed their children, the population that bleeds Silver live in castles abound with riches and all hold remarkable abilities to manipulate their world around them. Metal, minds and the elements.
The gods rule us still. They have come down from the stars. And they are no longer kind.
At eighteen, Mere will be sent to the front lines, fighting a war waged by the Silver King against the Lakelanders. But when her best friend and boy next door is recruited, she'll stop at nothing to escape with Kilorn by her side.

She enlists the aid of The Scarlet Guard, a rebel group fighting for the equality of Red citizens while conducting terrorist attacks. She must infiltrate the Silver ranks and steal her way to freedom, finding herself being recruited by the palace to work as one of the many Reds who service the King. It's the most important event on the Royal calender, where the finest daughters of the Silver houses are countered against one another in order to ensure the royal prince is paired with the strongest females. In a display of raw power and ability, Mere finds herself fighting for her life as the battle is taken to the stands of the arena. Reds bleed Red, but Mere finds herself fighting back with an ability of her own, shocking the Silver crowd, herself and royals alike.

With the nation on alert, the royals are unable to explain why a Red has Silver abilities, and force Mere to live as one of their own, only to marry Prince Maven. The quiet and thoughtful Prince has always lived in his brother's shadow, the devastatingly handsome and war hungry Prince Cal. Maven wants change, and with Mere at his side they can free the oppressed Red society.
In the fairy tales, the poor girl smiles when she becomes a princess. Right now, I don't know if I'll ever smile again.
But as the war is being forged on their doorsteps, Mere learns that she may not be the only one of her kind. She's Silver and Red, stronger than both.

My Thoughts


Red Queen was incredible! An explosion of fantasy, a dystopian world and the story of a girl who defies an oppressive society against the odds. At eighteen, Red citizens are sent to the front line of the Silver waged war. With best friend Kilorn without a trade, his recruitment follows the same path as that of his father who died fighting, Mere's father who is now confined to a wheelchair and her three brothers who are all currently serving. Mere can't lose another. No one has ever escaped recruitment, but with the help of The Scarlet Guard, Mere is hoping both she and Kilorn can escape.

But Mere is no ordinary Red, and her journey to freedom takes a dramatic turn which will see her betrothed to a Prince, working alongside the revolutionaries and trying to survive within the palace walls with the cruel Royals that would rather see her dead. I loved Mere. She's tough and her choices are based solely on protecting her family and Kilorn. But as her character is immersed into the Silver world, she begins to fight for not only those around her but the plight of the Red population.
We will rise, red as the dawn.
Even without her ability to create and control electricity, she's a force to be reckoned with even though being betrothed to Maven is purely to keep her compliant. Mere and Prince Cal share an undeniable attraction, even though Cal is betrothed to marry another. Where Maven is sensitive and the neglected brother, Cal lives for the strategy of war and is a natural born leader of citizens and soldiers alike. From the poverty stricken streets of the Red towns, to the lush surrounds of the palace and Silver dynasty, even the secondary characters are in depth and well developed.

But what set Red Queen apart for me, was the world in which Victoria Aveyard created. Cruel and unforgiving, where hope shines in the form of a seventeen year old girl who is just starting to realise the power she holds. Red Queen is Victoria's debut. Yes, debut. If she's capable of creating such a phenomenal first release, seasoned authors should take note. Like Mere, Victoria Aveyard herself is a force to be reckoned with.

51 comments

  1. Wow, I just love the sound of Mere and her power, that sounds completely brilliant! I love the sound of the dystopian/high fantasy world too. Gotta pick this up soon!

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    1. I absolutely loved this Jeann. Passionately! It'll blow your socks clean into next week!

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  2. LOVE THIS REVIEW. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I agree 100% with you Kelly!

    What a fantastic debut, right? I love how cruel and unfair life is in Red Queen. It's harsh and it serves as the perfect backdrop for Mare's bildungsroman. Watching her realise the extent of corruption, watching her face reality is harsh but it is also beautiful watching her character grow!

    Brilliant review, Kelly. You really are a wordsmith! <3

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    1. Thanks Jess.

      It was absolutely glorious wasn't it. I loved it. I swooned, I raged and loved it nine ways to Tuesday. Already I'm so excited for book two.

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  3. I'm glad to hear you really loved this one. I've only read one other review for this one, but it was a bit mixed. I am curious about this though- it sounds quite good.

    -Lauren

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    1. It's fabulous Lauren. Even those who don't generally like fantasy will enjoy this one too. Grab a copy once it's released, it's utterly brilliant.

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  4. Although my love lies in contemporaries, this sounds like quite an interesting and different read, I've heard so much about it and I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it too, I value your opinion! :P

    Great review as usual <3

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    1. Thanks Becks. I know hoe much you love your contemporaries, the same way I generally feel about dystopians. I'm not usually much of a fantasy reader, but this tore that notion to shreds. You need this book in your life. The only title I could probably compare it to is the Throne of Glass series, which I actually enjoyed this one more. That's how incredibly it truly is.

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  5. I was on the fence about this book. I kind of sounded like Red Rising and I just can't deal with another dystopian novel. However, a dystopian novel with fantasy elements and an epic MC, and war, you can count me in!

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    1. Just between us, I hated Red Rising. Tried to read it twice and just couldn't even make it halfway through. It's more so fantasy first, but it's pretty mild. No outlandish names or places, or flying monkey's. It was a mild blend, but it worked so incredibly well.

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  6. My 'To Read' just keeps getting longer and longer thanks to you :-P :-)

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    1. Oh, but this one is a must read Sarah, it's just THAT good!

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  7. Wow, I had no idea she had that power! That's pretty cool! I actually have this for review, so will definitely get to it soon. Love me a journey to freedom. Fantastic review, Diva!

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    1. Thanks Lola. Definitely pick it up next, it'll knock your socks off. I'm a non fantasy reader and it blew me away. Just incredible!

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  8. SHE CONTROLS ELECTRICITY??? That is awesome! I'm so glad you loved it! I'm really hoping I love it as well, but I just have to wait for the library to get it haha. Awesome review KELLY

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    1. She totally does, which is rare for her lowly class as well. You can imagine how the upper class society feel about that. She's so determined and tough. Already I'm absolutely itching for book two.

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  9. The worldbuilding definitely had a lot to do with how highly I rated this book as well - it's so refreshing to have a dystopian novel that blows us away! Brilliant review Kelly :)

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    1. Thanks Eugenia, and I couldn't agree more. It just gave me that same feeling as the first time I'd read These Broken Stars or The Winner's Curse. That you'd just read something really special. And it's a debut novel. A debut! Incredible!

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  10. HORRAY! So excited for this book! I need to buy it when it comes out! <3 I LOVE CRUEL PEOPLE (IN LITERATURE I MEAN HAHA) AND THIS SOUND PERFECT! So glad you enjoyed this, Kelly! :D

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    1. I can't wait to see what you think Abby, it was absolutely brilliant.

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  11. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the book, your review is fantastic! I love how you included some of the quotes, the writing really is gorgeous, can't argue there. I'm really curious to see where the next books go!

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    1. Me too Alise. The prose was just beautiful wasn't it. That's one thing I really love about fantasy, the magic and mythology usually provide some of the most poetic passages in young adult. I'm so excited to see where Victoria Aveyard will be taking the series.

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  12. I am so excited for this book I can't even! I am so glad it so close to being released. I'm glad you loved it. I am sure I'll love it too. Great review :)

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    1. You totally will Rochelle. Preorder or hound your local library to get a copy in, you won't be disappointed. I loved it passionately.

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  13. So so so hyped for this book. I literally screamed and jumped when I got accepted for an arc. I cannot wait to read it and own a copy. Your comment on the world that the author created really makes me want to read it immediately! Great review Kelly!! <3

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    1. Thanks Paula. It's incredible! Hurry up and read it, I can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  14. So mixed thoughts about this one but whatever I'M STILL SO EXCITED. It's great to know this one was a solid one for you. Gah, I seriously love the sound of this and those quotes are lovely. Great review, Kelly. <3

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    1. It's so worth the hype, and I still find it hard to believe this is a debut. Wow. The author is phenomenal, and no doubt her work will only get better from here.

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  15. Not gonna lie, of all the awesome things you've mentioned about the plot, the only thing that stood out was the possibility of a multiple romance angle. Which, I really hope, would not be the case because it will undermine all the fantastic arches you've alluded to. Anyway, I'm dying to read this one now!

    As usual, fantastic review, Kelly!

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    1. There IS a possibility, but it's really well done. No instant love triangles here. A bit of friendship and lust. The main storyline focuses on Mere and her fight against the oppressive rule on behalf of the lowly Red society.

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  16. Honestly, I'm not really into dystopian, but I am enjoying fantasy more and more, and I really want to read this book. Mara sounds like a spunky, I-can-do-anything kind of character, which I love.

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    1. Me too Ana. Although I love dystopians generally, but this was more of a mild fantasy fusion and it worked brilliantly. Engaging, enthralling, everything you want in a read.

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  17. Ahhh I love the sound of the protagonist. She sounds so badass! Plus her power-so amazing. I have this on my reading schedule, so I definitely cannot wait! Awesome review, Kelly!

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    1. I can't wait to see what you think of it Marianne. I can't remember the last time I was so enamored with a book.

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  18. I HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS ELECTRICITY CONTROL IN THIS BOOK. THAT IS SO COOL. Love the sound of this book even more now, Kelly - thanks for a fantastic review! <3

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    1. There totally is. And because Mere is an unknown factor, having not seen anything like her, they're all shitting themselves just quietly. I loved it. You need this one poppet.

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  19. This sounds amazing Kelly! I know that when you like a fantasy it has to be a good one, I can’t wait to read this when it comes out. As always thanks for the amazing review!

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    1. Thanks Katie. I don't read many fantasy novels, but this has me eager to read more. It's renewed my love for the genre and any book that can encourage you to read others has an incredible impact. I can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  20. OH GOD THIS SOUNDS SO AMAZING I WANT IT!

    I've been excited about this book for so long now. Mere sounds AWESOME <3

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    1. I can't WAIT for you to meet her. I can't praise this book highly enough, it was absolutely brilliant Allie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Not long until it's release now.

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  21. YEEEES RIGHT HOW AMAZING WAS THIS BOOK? Gah that ending though ;__; MUST. HAVE. BOOK. TWO. NOWWWW. Yes, Mare is so freaking amazing and I absolutely loved her.

    Fantastic review, Kels <33

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    1. You know a book is incredible when you loved it too poppet. I know, that ending! I wonder what the chances are of us staging a sit in protest and gaining early access to the sequel...

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  22. I'm hyperventilating right now Kelly. 2 more weeks until this releases. With reviews like yours, I don't think I'll be able to survive the wait! *cries* This sounds absolutely fantastic. I love the sound of the world-building and the horrible oppressive government and how Aveyard envisioned it. And Mare sounds like a complete badass! Thanks for sharing Kelly and, as always, fantastic review! ♥ So glad you liked it so much!

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    1. Thanks Zoe. You'll absolutely love this one! It was simply phenomenal. Reminded me a lot of the Throne of Glass series, but is more than able to stand on it's own merits. Already I'm eagerly awaiting book two and book one hasn't even been released yet!

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  23. I received this a while ago and knew it was going to be amazing, but I haven't managed to read it yet. This fabulous review has totally cemented my need to pick it up soon. Sounds killer! Great Review x

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  24. I KEEP HEARING AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK AND ARRGGHHH I WANT TO READ IT BUT TIME AND LIFE AND YEAR 12 AND OMG I JUST WANT TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEONE'S BRAIN AND HAVE IT TURN INTO MY DREAM!
    okay I will take my finger off he shift key now. :P
    But this book sounds amazing and fantasy and historical and power and battles? YEAH THAT'S TOTALLY MY THING I WANT TO READ IT!!! (whoops my finger went back on the shift key)
    Now I'm going to be all hyped up.... thanks for making me all hyped up again!!! Great review!

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  25. Oh my goodness, another five star review?! I REALLY REALLY HAVE TO READ THIS SOON. I feel awful because it's been sitting on my Kindle and I just haven't read it. I'm so glad you loved this on Kelly!

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  26. I knew this title was one of the most anticipated release of 2015 for many people. I wasn't so sure myself. But this review is convincing me! It sounds amazing!

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  27. AHHHH I just finished this one! I found it too cliche in the first half but it definitely picked up traction in the second half. I adored Mare and found her thoughts and logic very believable. There was so much backstabbing too - LOVED IT.

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  28. This book seems amazing. I need to get my hands on it soon!
    Also, lovely blog and great review!

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  29. I read this novel recently, I wasn't a huge fan of it though.. I do understand the hype though, the fantasy elements and the love triangle was amazing. I think the ending saved the book for me though! Lovely review :)

    Benish | Feminist Reflections

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