Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Maggie | Holmdel High School, Grade 11

Rating: ***

Mare Barrow is a Red. And so in a world of Silvers and their powers and Reds and their lack thereof, she is just another poor Red scrambling for survival before conscription. Until one day lightning shoots from her fingertips--in front of the entire nation. It's the impossible: a Red with Silver powers.

Suddenly Mare is thrust into the world of Silvers, half of her time consumed with lies and forced smiles, the other half filled with trying to discover what, exactly, she is, while having to face the grim reality that being a Silver means "anyone can betray anyone."

I think the book was structured really well. At first, it was the concept and plot that really pulled me in and kept me there because I found the beginning to be a little slow. But once Mare steps into Silver territory, the drama and action is REAL. Even with all that goes on, Aveyard is always slipping in new information and insight on the characters that culminates fabulously at the end of the book.

The character development is also well executed. Mare not only proves to herself but to those who looked down on her that this "little lightning girl" is someone to be respected and feared. Overall, I quite enjoyed the book, and I'd say that if you're a fan of fantasy, action, and Sarah J. Maas's work, this book is for you (it's the first of a four book series, by the way).

Briana | Allentown High School, Grade 11

Rating: ****

Mare Barrow lives in a hierarchical world seperated by blood: the elite Silvers have supernatural powers, while the lowly Reds are preordained to a life of misery and misfortune. As Mare, a Red, and her family struggle to get by, her whole world gets flipped upside down when she finds herself in the royal palace. While working in the palace, she discovers that she herself has supernatural abilities in front of the King and all of his nobles, but her blood is red. The King and Queen announce her as the “long lost silver princess”. She must make a choice in love, which sets her against her own heart. How far will the King and Queen go to cover up this fatal accident? How will Mare accept the new life she has been damned to live?

This action-packed novel was filled with romance, surprises, and heroism. The author, Victoria Aveyard, did a superb job giving life to this fictional, corrupt society. The greatest asset of this novel to me was the abundance of personalities displayed by the characters. No two characters were the same, which brought life to the story. I was also enthralled by the captivating imagery presented by the author. She created a wonderful tableau of dystopia that is somewhat incipient today, with the hierarchy of our modern society.