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Red Queen
(Red Queen #1)
by
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, Mar
...more
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Hardcover, 388 pages
Published
February 10th 2015
by HarperTeen
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Victoria Aveyard
I hope I make it to the Philippines as well! No news on a world tour yet, but Universal Pictures did buy the option to the film adaptation. :)
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Start your review of Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
This book didn't start out terribly.
I mean, come on . . . royals with superpowers? And a heroine from amongst the downtrodden servant class? Okay, yes, that does sound kind of familiar, especially considering that said downtrodden heroine is a Red, but beyond that I didn't feel like there were many similarities. And as much as I love Red Rising and Golden Son , I would jump all over it if I thought this book was a copycat.
BUT. Sold as I was (at first), the heavy- ...more
This book didn't start out terribly.
I mean, come on . . . royals with superpowers? And a heroine from amongst the downtrodden servant class? Okay, yes, that does sound kind of familiar, especially considering that said downtrodden heroine is a Red, but beyond that I didn't feel like there were many similarities. And as much as I love Red Rising and Golden Son , I would jump all over it if I thought this book was a copycat.
BUT. Sold as I was (at first), the heavy- ...more

Sep 18, 2014
Rachel E. Carter
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
have-paperback

Three quotes that summarize this series spoiler-free:
”Anyone can betray anyone.” Meet the
”Make no mistake, my girl. You are playing the game as someone’s pawn.”
”I am a fool.”
Sooooooooo… My initial reaction ...more

I just... can't do it.
It was boring, light and silly, and I'm pretty sure I've already read the basic premise of this book in Pierce Brown's Red Rising.
I made it to 60% on my kindle and then skimmed for a bit, but I've been attempting to read this book for over a week now and the magic was evidently lost on me. When you're reading a book and you reach a point where you think "is it too soon to DNF this?", you know things must be bad. It's so sad, though, because everything about The Red Queen wa ...more
It was boring, light and silly, and I'm pretty sure I've already read the basic premise of this book in Pierce Brown's Red Rising.
I made it to 60% on my kindle and then skimmed for a bit, but I've been attempting to read this book for over a week now and the magic was evidently lost on me. When you're reading a book and you reach a point where you think "is it too soon to DNF this?", you know things must be bad. It's so sad, though, because everything about The Red Queen wa ...more

Jul 23, 2015
Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
genre-young-adult,
2015-reads

Actual rating : 1.5 stars
► So, this is the 2015 mind-blowing release?

① I'm just so fucking bored. UNDERWHELMED is the word.
② Mare is a selfish brat who can't shut up one second to look at something else than herself. She keeps acting without thinking and gets numerous people harmed/killed.
③ She's a special snowflake through and through, because she's special you know and nothing can be done without her.
④ She's in a constant need of saving and doesn't even acknowledge that fact.
⑤ There is a lov ...more

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Latest BookTube Video is up - a totally serious take on writing Young Adult Lit!
You know that feeling when you read a particularly bad YA and you just have to set down the book and ask, why?![]()
Why in the world did someone give the ok to publish this mess?
Why are the characters so effing dumb?
Why did I even pick this book up?
This happens (on average) once per YA book for me... and Aveyard's book was so far above average that I was honestly impressed.
This book had me questioning everythin ...more

this was a re-read for me.
my original review can be found here:
goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
youtube: https://youtu.be/kKQ5jusa8fo
After re-reading this, I stand by my original 4 star rating and my overall enjoyment of this book. I want to make it clear that I know this book does not have the most original concept and it also uses a lot of tropes, but I still had such a fun time reading it. I love the characters and the shock factor and the world. I can't wait to give Gla ...more
my original review can be found here:
goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
youtube: https://youtu.be/kKQ5jusa8fo
After re-reading this, I stand by my original 4 star rating and my overall enjoyment of this book. I want to make it clear that I know this book does not have the most original concept and it also uses a lot of tropes, but I still had such a fun time reading it. I love the characters and the shock factor and the world. I can't wait to give Gla ...more

This was fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed this crazy adventure of a book. I will say though that it did take a bit of time for me to really get into this book. I also felt the world is still a bit underdeveloped for my liking, but I'm hoping that I gain a better understanding for everything in the sequel. Other than that such an exciting read, full of twists and turns that will leave you flailing all over the place! HECK I'M STILL FLAILING.
...more

May 02, 2015
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
I'm sure it's great if you liked Red Rising. I did not like Red Rising.
DNFed this around the 20% mark. I hated the main character. Stupid, selfish, destructive brat intent on destroying the lives of her loved ones with all the makings of a special snowflake. I cannot stand selfishness when it involves harming the lives of innocents. I can't tolerate this character. I can't finish this book. It's been a month since I tried to read on and it's just pointless. ...more
DNFed this around the 20% mark. I hated the main character. Stupid, selfish, destructive brat intent on destroying the lives of her loved ones with all the makings of a special snowflake. I cannot stand selfishness when it involves harming the lives of innocents. I can't tolerate this character. I can't finish this book. It's been a month since I tried to read on and it's just pointless. ...more

Red Queen? more like Trash Queen, hmm yes, much better.
I wish I kept putting this book off until I eventually died someday. I would have been saved from the incredible fucking boredom and dumb ass characters.
Actual footage of me crying because I wasted three days on this book when I could have been reading good quality smut:

Okay, but why was this book so long??? I feel like it could have been cut down by 383 pages instead of fucking dragging to a disappointing and predictable ending. Guys, the ...more
I wish I kept putting this book off until I eventually died someday. I would have been saved from the incredible fucking boredom and dumb ass characters.
Actual footage of me crying because I wasted three days on this book when I could have been reading good quality smut:

Okay, but why was this book so long??? I feel like it could have been cut down by 383 pages instead of fucking dragging to a disappointing and predictable ending. Guys, the ...more

YAAAAAASSSS VICTORIA YAAAAAASSSSSS.
It's like an X-Men dystopia stuck in a high fantasy world on crack.

Look, guys, don't worry about the love triangle. Actually, calling it a love triangle is very spoilerish and I wish I could further calm your feels, but alas, you must read it for yourself.
Immensely loved this with very minor reservations and I can't wait for book 2! Full review to come! ...more
It's like an X-Men dystopia stuck in a high fantasy world on crack.

Look, guys, don't worry about the love triangle. Actually, calling it a love triangle is very spoilerish and I wish I could further calm your feels, but alas, you must read it for yourself.
Immensely loved this with very minor reservations and I can't wait for book 2! Full review to come! ...more

Book 19/100 for 2015
UPDATE: Giving it 3 stars because it's only been three months and I've already forgotten everything about this book. I enjoyed reading it, but it was so similar to many other YA books that it's not memorable.
WOAH. That was an intense book and I really enjoyed it! I am a sucker for superpowers and this book had such a cool variety of them! I was so into this book that I stayed up very, very late two nights in a row so I could see what happened next. It was a little predictabl ...more
UPDATE: Giving it 3 stars because it's only been three months and I've already forgotten everything about this book. I enjoyed reading it, but it was so similar to many other YA books that it's not memorable.
WOAH. That was an intense book and I really enjoyed it! I am a sucker for superpowers and this book had such a cool variety of them! I was so into this book that I stayed up very, very late two nights in a row so I could see what happened next. It was a little predictabl ...more


Reading Red Queen was like receiving sour candy when you were expecting some glorious sugary sweets. I just felt so much disappointment after turning the last page, since I was expecting a fresh new story out of this one.
This book had so much potential, but after a few chapters of reading, I got this sense of déjà vu, and yup, you guessed it, this book was a cardboard cut-out of all your favorite YA novels put together.
Exhibit A: There are the Reds, slaves the Silvers, who are amazing beings ...more

“I am finally learning my lesson. Anyone can betray anyone.”

Ohhh Goddd!! What a plot twist.
In the entire book I was like:
hmmm team Cal. No!! Team Maven.. Hmm Team Cal.. Team Maven.. Team Cal&Maven :P
And then:

I did not see that coming.. Julian was so right!!!
"He is his mother's son.”

Why???Why?? Why did he do that to us??I loved him..

“I told you to hide your heart once. You should have listened.”


"Cal betrayed me, and I betrayed him. And you betrayed...more

To whoever thought writing formulaic YA dystopian novels was a good idea....
I hate you.
YA dystopia is basically a game of Mad Libs. Shall we play?
__Insert name__ lives in a corrupt society where people are divided by __insert something along the lines of factions/districts/blood color__. She is a __insert oppressed race__, which means she slaves away for the "good" of __insert corrupt government__. But __insert name__ is not like other girls. She can __insert special ability__, which makes her ...more
I hate you.
YA dystopia is basically a game of Mad Libs. Shall we play?
__Insert name__ lives in a corrupt society where people are divided by __insert something along the lines of factions/districts/blood color__. She is a __insert oppressed race__, which means she slaves away for the "good" of __insert corrupt government__. But __insert name__ is not like other girls. She can __insert special ability__, which makes her ...more


Please be good, please be good. ...more

Feb 21, 2018
booksnpenguins (wingspan matters)
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
dystopian-and-scifi,
enemies-to-lovers
“I am finally learning my lesson. Anyone can betray anyone.”

red queen by victoria aveyard? more like red queen by victoria graveyard, because that's where this book put me.
No, okay, listen.
Let me explain why this book was a no-no for me.
We could say most of my problems with this book are to blame on wrong timing.
I'm firmly convinced that if I read it something like six years ago, I probably would have liked it. Not loved it, but it would have definitely gained a couple more stars and a ...more

RED QUEEN, FEATURING:
- A special snowflake chosen one
- A breath we didn't realise we were holding in
- A prince who has to deal with the woes of being privileged and wealthy and Not Oppressed ™ x2
- A girl we all need to hate just because what better than a pointless female rivalry over men
- "That stranger I met last night ??!! turns out he's a prince !!!???" trope
- Living in your families shadows ™
- Being salty for no good reason
- dealing with the horrORS of the friendzone
- A "let me teach you ...more
- A special snowflake chosen one
- A breath we didn't realise we were holding in
- A prince who has to deal with the woes of being privileged and wealthy and Not Oppressed ™ x2
- A girl we all need to hate just because what better than a pointless female rivalry over men
- "That stranger I met last night ??!! turns out he's a prince !!!???" trope
- Living in your families shadows ™
- Being salty for no good reason
- dealing with the horrORS of the friendzone
- A "let me teach you ...more

Intense, dark, and rifled with so many betrayals and counter-betrayals that I lost count. The characters are complex and morally gray, each battling their own conflicting interests. Their journeys show the multifaceted sides to a war and how the line between those two sides often blur. No, the story isn't anything original, and yes, it has all the standard fantasy tropes that would make it generic - but this is a personal 5 for me, just because it made me gasp several times and mutter "damn" und
...more

Good lord in heaven! What in the name of Yves Saint Laurent was THAT?
You know how cigarette packets come with those white panels on the front that say SMOKING KILLS and SMOKING SERIOUSLY HARMS YOU AND OTHERS AROUND YOU? This book should carry one of those labels. It would say, THIS BOOK IS REALLY GENERIC.
It's not that it's bad. Well. Okay. Look, I'm trying to be diplomatic. This book was bad, but it's not the sort of thing that, if you're interested, you shouldn't read. There were some pretty co ...more
You know how cigarette packets come with those white panels on the front that say SMOKING KILLS and SMOKING SERIOUSLY HARMS YOU AND OTHERS AROUND YOU? This book should carry one of those labels. It would say, THIS BOOK IS REALLY GENERIC.
It's not that it's bad. Well. Okay. Look, I'm trying to be diplomatic. This book was bad, but it's not the sort of thing that, if you're interested, you shouldn't read. There were some pretty co ...more

This review might be mildly spoilerish.
I'm sort of sorry because I know if I read this book 5 or 6 years ago I would have loved it. I really wish this was published earlier and I also had time to read it right after it was published. Now? I'm mostly annoyed by it. Maybe because I wish I was stuck in time so I could still enjoy these? But I'm also a bit proud that I finally finished this one.
Also, this book just reminds me of too many other books. Selection (the marry the prince part), Divergent ...more
I'm sort of sorry because I know if I read this book 5 or 6 years ago I would have loved it. I really wish this was published earlier and I also had time to read it right after it was published. Now? I'm mostly annoyed by it. Maybe because I wish I was stuck in time so I could still enjoy these? But I'm also a bit proud that I finally finished this one.
Also, this book just reminds me of too many other books. Selection (the marry the prince part), Divergent ...more

A lot of people were mentioning that this was like a lot of different dystopian books and while I agree, I still think this is worth the read.
I enjoyed the world, the magic system... even with the romantic bits.
I definitely saw parts of the ending coming but it was still entertaining!
Will be continuing the series!
I enjoyed the world, the magic system... even with the romantic bits.
I definitely saw parts of the ending coming but it was still entertaining!
Will be continuing the series!


10% 1984 + 15% Hunger Games + 10% X-Men + 10% Games of Thrones + 15% Divergent..
That'd leave us with only 40% of Original Red Queen..

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it ,I may even held extra +rating till part 2 if it gets more of the Original Red Queen storyline..
What really bugs me here was the many Deja vus from HG and Divergent since I didn't like the latter's plot much.
But let's see step by step with The Red..

The Plot and the Setting
--------------------
1-10% of 1984
In an Orwellian atmosphere o ...more

Red Queen (Red Queen #1), Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen is a young adult fantasy novel written by American writer Victoria Aveyard. It was her first series and her first novel. It was published in February 2015. Its sequels are Glass Sword, King's Cage and War Storm.
Mare Barrow is a Red living with her parents and a younger sister, Gisa. Her three older brothers, Bree, Tramy, and Shade, serve in the front line of a war fought between the northern Kingdom the Lakelands and the Barrow's homeland, the ...more
Red Queen is a young adult fantasy novel written by American writer Victoria Aveyard. It was her first series and her first novel. It was published in February 2015. Its sequels are Glass Sword, King's Cage and War Storm.
Mare Barrow is a Red living with her parents and a younger sister, Gisa. Her three older brothers, Bree, Tramy, and Shade, serve in the front line of a war fought between the northern Kingdom the Lakelands and the Barrow's homeland, the ...more

It’s getting a little hot in here, isn’t it? That’s because Red Queen has unearthed what I never thought could occur: A mini Darkling. That’s right. Yet another morally ambiguous character and I am sold.
I’m a book pusher and I’m going to push this one right into your hearts. Red Queen is the fantasy that I’ve been searching for. You’ve probably all heard the comparisons before and honestly, they speak the truth. Red Queen took the best elements from all our favourites (and our not so much) ...more

4/5 stars.
This little review contains a little spoiler.
I loved Victoria's writing. The plot is really nice. I loved the idea that there's no I-would-die-for-you-even-tho-I-just-met-you love.
I really like Mare. She is a reliable character. She’s strong and yet she can be scared and make mistakes. I was really sad when I realised Maven's real face, I really liked him tho. And I hope Cal will catch my heart in the next book because I didn't felt anything for him yet. ...more
This little review contains a little spoiler.
I loved Victoria's writing. The plot is really nice. I loved the idea that there's no I-would-die-for-you-even-tho-I-just-met-you love.
I really like Mare. She is a reliable character. She’s strong and yet she can be scared and make mistakes. I was really sad when I realised Maven's real face, I really liked him tho. And I hope Cal will catch my heart in the next book because I didn't felt anything for him yet. ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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2022 Reading Chal...: Red Queen: Reviews by 2022 Reading Challengers | 4 | 32 | Jul 31, 2022 11:44AM | |
2022 Reading Chal...: Red Queen: Mid-Reading Discussion | 20 | 50 | Jul 25, 2022 07:47AM | |
Maven or Cal??? | 1257 | 4502 | Jul 22, 2022 11:32AM | |
Challenge Corner: Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard -> Restarting July 1st, 2022 | 252 | 68 | Jul 10, 2022 04:40AM | |
2022 Reading Chal...: Red Queen: Pre-Reading Discussion | 8 | 54 | Jul 01, 2022 03:23PM |
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I'm an author/screenwriter who likes books and lists. This site is the nexus of my universe.
I wrote the #1 NYT bestselling series RED QUEEN and my next series, REALM BREAKER, will be out in May 2021.
The genres I'm into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, I'm buying. ...more
I wrote the #1 NYT bestselling series RED QUEEN and my next series, REALM BREAKER, will be out in May 2021.
The genres I'm into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, I'm buying. ...more
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“Anyone can betray anyone.”
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