REVIEW: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

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Buddyisabunny
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Re: REVIEW: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Post by Buddyisabunny »

it was entertaining but I lost interest very quickly and I've heard bad things about the sequel
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Rvt4life2015
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Post by Rvt4life2015 »

My boyfriend who is an avid book reader like I am happened upon this book and bought both this and the second. I have to say I really enjoyed it and I also thought of a horse when I heard the heroines name. It was a wonderful read and I am already halfway through the second: Glass Sword. This book was fantastic going from Mare's home to her trip to the castle, finding out that she is unique and has so much more power than either Red or Silver, her fall from royalty, and then fleeing. Mare does start out naïve realizing that there is more to the Silvers than what they show and continually being betrayed, some she deserves for bad decisions, but some undeserved and totally catch you unawares. Despite all this she has a dogged resolve to protect herself, the ones she loves, and the others like her; but she is always wondering at what cost? There is also the constant struggle between her love for both brothers. All in all I really enjoyed reading it and I am loving the second book.
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Post by manatee glasses »

I read this book recently, and I LOVED IT! I'm a dystopian future sort of person, so this book was totally for me. I really liked the plot twists. I had to put the book down for a moment the "big reveals". However, I wish the characters from the Scarlet Guard had a little more structure. I liked how Mare lived in the shadow of her sister because I can definitely relate to it.
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emilythebooklover00
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Post by emilythebooklover00 »

This book tore me apart, and after about 6 months it still burns. I've since moved on to the sequel and am looking to the 3rd but Red Queen still burns. The big twist is more like a shot in the heart. Not going to lie, i cried. I won't include spoilers but anyways i could never describe this book to anyone because i was so passionate, it always came out as GAH GaH awww Nooo WHY nooo UGH plEASE hLEP..... ECT. ECT. You get the point. Anyways, Aveyard's writing is superb and sets a unique tone for the entire series. Each character digs into my soul. Really you should read this book if you love thick layers of drama, action, and twists that will leave you with your mouth open. :wink2:
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Post by Vivisbooks »

I have heard so much about Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I at first wasn't sure if I would like this book. Although now I have to say it is one of my favorite books. This series drew me in from the start and I was not able to put the book down.
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Post by psychopathycathy »

This book was absolutely amazing! I totally agree with you and I wish that I had read it later, because now I have to actually wait for the next books to come out! I thought that the sequel was good but not as good as the first one, but I'm really curious as to how the series will continue.
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MaryKnight
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Post by MaryKnight »

I AM COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK! Red Queen broke my heart in two, mended it, and tore it apart again.

I will not lie, I had gone to the store with the intentions of only getting one book and when I saw the cover of Red Queen, i bought it on impulse. It hooked me the moment I saw the blood dripped crown. Then, I finished it in 2 days.

Red Queen had so many things that captured my attention. I even told a friend that it reminded me of a mix between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Victoria Aveyard is such a wonderful author with extraordinary character development and plot twists. The line "Anyone can betray anyone." has never been more true. Mare Barrow's journey is incredibly difficult but she is surrounded by people that give you hope.

I was slightly torn with the writing, however. While I absolutely LOVED the plot and the characters, Aveyard can be extremely descriptive. Normally, I would applaud this and say thank you, but there were times that I got bogged down in descriptions and would have to go back and reread a page. Whenever they make the movie for this book,though, they won't have to wonder what it needs to look like.

I also read the second book, Glass Sword, which was equally fantastic and am currently reading her novellas. I can't wait for the third book!
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Post by EnceeBooks_3722 »

I'm not really sure if I liked the book or not. I'm definitely into fantasy and dystopian stories, but it has the basic premise of any other dystopian novel. When I was reading the book, it was kind of obvious about what would happened next, which is why I didn't find it really interesting. I thought that the characters were creative, but other than that it had too many similarities. I felt like there was too much hype, so I kind of expected more from the book. It definitely wasn't boring because it was packed with many surprises and adventures, but overall it wasn't really impressive and I would give it 3.5 out of 5. But if you like books similar to Divergent and Hunger Games, you would definitely like this one!
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Jbondal
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Post by Jbondal »

Thanks !! For the review I'v been debating whether to read it . It has many mixed reviews.
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Post by MerryLove »

In the beginning, this book was compared a lot to The Selection. For me, The Selection was mostly romance with a bit of rebellion thrown in. This is the opposite. It's mostly rebellion and uprising, with a little bit of romance thrown in. The world in Red Queen actually reminded me more of the society in The Hunger Games.

The Red bloods are the ordinary folk, living in slums and shanty towns. They are forced to find a job before they turn 18, or they are drafted into the endless war. The Silver bloods, however, live and rule from a glamorous city. They all possess special abilities. Some can turn invisible, some can wield metal, others can read minds. But, there's a rebellion brewing among the reds, anxious for change.

Mare, the main character, ends up somehow displaying powers for a large crowd, even though she has red blood. To cover this up, the queen claims her to be a long lost silver child and future princess, and keeps her close by to hide her secret.

The story is full of plot, action, and anticipation. As a reader I found myself facing suspicion right along with the characters, never quite sure who to trust. It was an amazing read. I wish I had started the series sooner. While some might be bothered by the similarity of some scenes to other recent dystopian YAs, I don't see it that way. There are going to be similarities in any subgenre, and this book in particular had people looking for them from the beginning. For me, that it didn't take away from the story just because it was a little like The Hunger Games, or The Selection, or X-men.

There was only one qualm I had, and it was minor. I felt like the ending was a strong, page-turning climax. It wasn't until the wind down afterward that I found myself a little miffed. The book didn't end with a confident resolve, or a satisfying note, or really any ending cord. It felt very meh, like the author had to stop at some chapter, and picked that one. In fact, the second book starts off right where the first one left off, very much feeling like a next chapter. It wasn't bad enough to leave me disappointed, but it left me grateful that I had the second book on hand to start right away.


Rating


This book gets a full 4 out of 4. It was an enthralling read. I'd definitely recommend it to those who enjoyed the The Hunger Games or similar dystopians on the verge of revolution.

I also have to comment on Ms Aveyard's author photo. It is so gorgeous. It looks like a model shot. Beautiful picture!
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Post by Sarah Velliel Bryams »

Red Queen is certainly a jem. It starts just like any other mainstream YA novel and ends with a bang. The layout is nothing new. The bad guys have powers and oppress the weak guys. There are some serious similarities between Red Queen and Red Rising, and I'm not talking about the name only. The whole plot was way too analogous. In Red Rising we have the evil Golds and in Red Queen we have the evil Silvers. The reds are the commoners and our main character is a Red. :techie-studyingbrown: But as we get acquintanced with the characters little by little Red Queen managed to separate itself as a novel on its own. Victoria Aveyard did an amazing job with making a mundane prompt into a bestseller. The characters are intricate and the storyline is gripping and full of tension. I liked the plot twists, the love triangle, the main heroine, the princes and even the "bitch'' queen. This book is worth all the positive feedback it :tiphat: received.
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Lolly4532
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Post by Lolly4532 »

This book was AMAAAAAZING! I absolutely loved it. I almost bought it at first because of the beautiful cover, but then I read the synopsis and turned away because I'm not really into the dystopian societies or science-fiction-y stuff... it's just not what I like to read. However, my book club girls wanted to read the first two (we were a little late to the game) and I loved them and have been patiently waiting for book number three for MONTHS.
One of my book club girls said that they weren't over the moon about it because they've read other YA dystopian novels and she felt like they're all the same after awhile, so that might be a turn off for some. I thought the first book was amazing and wonderful, but I felt that in the second book Mare just because so whiny. I wondered what happened to the strong, independent heroine from book one? Where'd she go, and why did this whiny brat take her place? So I'm hoping that she gets some of that fire back from book one when book three comes out. I also feel like the only novella worth reading was the one about the first queen (I cannot remember the title right now), but it left me wanting to know so much more about her! And I hate that it's likely no character will ever know what happened to her! It intrigued me and irritated me all at the same time, but I loved it. And I highly recommend this series to anyone (just try not to be too disappointed in book two).
And I'm super excited about book three releasing in February!!! :D
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Post by Elizabeth_Catelyn »

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is an amazing novel that focuses on the unequal distribution of power and the corruption of power. Overall I was amazed by this novel. Aveyard creates a wonderful plot, and puts a spin on the YA motif of hardship and social injustice. However, I felt as if the characters were mildly underdeveloped and could use more background information. I hope she will elaborate in her other works.
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Post by Mannie913 »

I just bought this book and I am so excited!! I love Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and Infernal Instruments. I also love Sarah J Maas's Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series. This book has been compared to this type of story line which is why I am looking it to. I'm also in the middle of the Selection Series by Kiera Cass and it seems they might be slightly similar. Super excited to see what all the hubbub is about!
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Post by L Bucher »

My friend read it first and I was very curious. Cliché themes and character elements have been woven into something anticipated and unique. Aveyard did an amazing job keeping me hooked and I thoroughly enjoyed having my heart ripped out of my chest. The sequel was much anticipated!
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