Brown, Pierce - Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy #1) - Informal Buddy Read; December 8, 2014; REVISIT ; Start June 1, 2018

[Drishti]

Yes, Chris. We're reading it in January. But, the date has to be finalised, yet. :D

[Chris]

Thank you! I'll join in.

[Rachel]

I'm in!

[Debbie (Doc)]

I'm in!

[Anna]

I'm in too!

[♛primadonna♛]

id like to join also! :)

[Stacey]

I've started this one twice, and keep getting distracted before I finish. Would love to join once the date is chosen.

[Michelle]

Maybe, depends on the date. I keep thinking I'll read it, but then get distracted with something else. I'd be interested in joining if the dates work.

[Khaoula E.]

I started it once but got distracted, so I'm in!

[Rachel]

Any word on a date? :)

[TerryJane]

This is on my TBR list. I may join you depending on the date.

[Chris]

Finished - enjoyed reading it, but it was too cynical and dark for 5* for me.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

*********THIS BUDDY READ IS BEING REVISITED!***********

Date to start reading June 1, 2018

This book was previously a BOM and you can find discussion questions here

[Jammin Jenny]

Looking forward to this buddy read!

[[deleted user]]

Me too!

[Lexi]

Hi all, this should be fun.

[Michelle]

In for this one!

[Eldarwen]

I might join for this one. Been meaning to read the book for ages.

[[deleted user]]

Are any of you who will be reading this participating in Tower Teams VI?

[Eldarwen]

I think most of us are, yes.

[Jammin Jenny]

Got my copy from the library today!

[Michelle]

I'll be ready on the 1st.

[Elize]

I'm joining in for this! :)

[Rayne]

I just got my copy from the library, so I'll be joining in! I've been wanting to read this book for a while now.

[Tahmina]

I'll be joining in this discussion as well tomorrow

[Eldarwen]

Read the first chapter on the bus this morning.

I am intrigued. I wasn't quite sure what to expect except for the setting being Mars and so far, I like it. The main character has an interesting voice.

And that mini prologue of one page. Makes me itch to know what is going to happen!

[ClaireB]

Been wanting to read it since it came out. It's time I do so !

Team Hermione

[Rayne]

Just started this morning. Can't wait to sink into it. Will be doing that in a bit after dinner.

[ClaireB]

I started the first two chapters.

I really like the preface/prologue of the book. It's powerful. It really sets the tone of what is to follow. It made me excited to read on.

Chapters 1-2

(view spoiler)[We learn a little bit about the world we are in. It seems just absolutely horrible. not sanitation, horrible work conditions, food issues, social inequalities, etc. etc. The only thing they have is dance and music, and even on that they are restricted. Obviously, I'd never want to live there. (hide spoiler)]

[Eldarwen]

Haha yes (view spoiler)[I definitely wouldn't want to live there either! It sounds dreadful. And always underground, never seeing stars... (hide spoiler)]

I'm going to try and get a decent chunk read today. On to chapter 3 now!

[Rayne]

I read thru chapter 9 yesterday. Wow!

(view spoiler)[
I wish Darrow'd listened closer to what Eo was trying to tell him. I hate that she had to die. I was really starting to like her.

That moment when he sees the life on the surface and falls to his knees. That was pretty powerful. To see that all that work they were slaving away doing was for a lie. I think I would have just totally fallen into complete despair. I can't wait to see how he takes action.
(hide spoiler)]

[Rayne]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "I started the first two chapters. "

(view spoiler)[But it's the only thing they know. They believe what they have is all there is. So I'm not sure they get just how awful it really is. (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Team Draco

I haven't started yet but will start sometime next week. Appreciate the spoilers so I don't figure out what's going on yet. Will respond to spoilers once I do!

[Eldarwen]

I just finished the first part - that is the first six chapters.

(view spoiler)[The most prominent thought in my mind just now is: if the main character just died, what is going to happen now?!

The other thought is: what on earth is going on and why is nobody telling Darrow about it? Unless he was too blind to see, or just didn't understand what people were telling him. Eo certainly dropped a lot of hints that seemed very obscure.

Eta: And omg, Eo, what on earth was she thinking? That was sacrifice for sure, but what for, I'm confused about (as is Darrow). I find the love between Eo and Darrow beautifully written though, as simple as it may be. There is no embellishing it, no ridiculousness, just simple fact. He loves her, she is his life. Nothing more, nothing less. It seems so pure somehow. And then that happens... (hide spoiler)]

I'm still a little confused on the set-up of the world but I'm enjoying the ride!

[ClaireB]

chapter 3

(view spoiler)[ I was really sad for them that they didn't get the Laurel. I wonder if the system is rigged. probably, I guess. edit: it was just confirmed at the very beginning of chapter 4. Why am I not surprised !

That copper man was so annoying. "oh poor me, I'm stuck in bureaucracy, so bored of the delicious food I eat every day, while you have to labour all day and are content to just have some bread to eat. " bah! I hate these kind of people. (hide spoiler)]

[Eldarwen]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 3"

Eurgh, yes, (view spoiler)[that pompous speech guy was terrible! I couldn't help but wonder why they're still putting on the farce when it's almost crystal clear that the system is rigged. But such an annoying man, that one! (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Eldarwen wrote: "I just finished the first part - that is the first six chapters.

The most prominent thought in my mind just now is: if the main character just died, what is going to happen now?!

The other though..."

(view spoiler)[Darrow must be really indoctrinated not to see how bad the situation is. In a way it is more horrible to see oppressed people not aware that they are and even finding it all normal, than oppressed people who know and just endure.

I agree with you that Eo and Darrow's love story is beautiful in its simplicity. But then...

Eo's sacrifice is stupid... Now I understand what a booktuber (LeeNichole if you care to know) meant when she said that the novel uses the trope of "women in refrigirator". If you are not familiar with that trope, it is when women are injured or murdered as a plot device to make the main male character act. It's very annoying. (hide spoiler)]

[Eldarwen]

Oh, ok (view spoiler)[I never heard of that trope before! That is an annoying thing though but luckily not one that pops up all too often in the books I'm reading. Does the opposite trope have such a cool name as well? Even if it probably happens more rarely.

I'm hoping that her death will have a bit more of a reason and make more sense once I read on in the book. Hope is what keeps me going a lot of times in books hahah ;-) (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Eldarwen wrote: "Oh, ok [Spoiler Removed]"

(view spoiler)[I don't think the reverse trope exists... sadly? haha. We can try and come up with a name. But right now I have no inspiration. lol

If wikipedia is right, the name comes from a Green Lantern comic issue in which the hero found his girlfriend dead in his fridge. From there, a group of feminists noticed that women were needlessly killed as plot devices all over in comic books and started making lists. They even have a website for it. (hide spoiler)]

[Eldarwen]

(view spoiler)[Hahahaha, that is kind of awesome, the way that name came about! I am not going to go look for that list or I think I'll end up depressed... (hide spoiler)]

[Rayne]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Eldarwen wrote: "I just finished the first part - that is the first six chapters.


..."
(view spoiler)[
Wow! I'd never heard of that trope before. But I think it definitely applies here. Especially as the story goes on and Dancer starts explaining things to Darrow.

I knew they wouldn't win the Laurel and it infuriates me. The way the Society goes on and on keeping up the whole act of them being the pioneers, making them think the surface is still uninhabitable. It's sick. It's been centuries! And it's so sad that these people are just blindly following along. (hide spoiler)]

[Susan]

I am so excited to start this book. So glad to have a others to read and chat about it

[Elize]

I am going to answer some of the DQ from when it was BOM because they look good!

DQs for Prologue - Chapter 6 -

(view spoiler)[

1.What do you think of our main character Darrow?

As someone who has recently married her high school sweetheart I see a lot of Darrow in my husband. Their love is written very sweetly and I love the insight into his love for his wife.

It makes me think that this could be because that is what the author feels or felt for his own wife and he is using that when he is writing this? I have no idea if that is true but wouldn't that be so sweet.

2.How were the clans formed? Was it solely based on hair colour?

I am questioning this too? As this is a dystopian novel I assume 'normal' earth existed at one point but then what made this system? I assume we will find out as the book progresses as usual with dystopian.

3.Darrow explains that in this society, the women typically get married at 13 14, but then men at 16. Or was that a special case for Darrow ? Do you have any ideas why this is?

I'm not sure about this. I wonder if it is relevant or just a part of world building.

4.Darrow 's society is made up of humans that have moved from Earth to Mars. I think we will definitely learn why this happened, but do you have any theories?

I assume something to do with global warming, pollution, earth being unsafe to live. But then that is conflicted by the fact that all the prominent members of society are still back on earth while Mars is being built up...?

5.Combined words "gravLift" and "horizonTram. What do you think of these types of terms?

Good world building.

6.What do you think about "The Laurel"? Was it designed by the Golds to pit the lower classes against each other and maybe distract from an uprising?

Yes to stop an uprising by making them work outrageously hard. Kinda doesn't work though when they fairly earn it for once and then do not get it.

7.I'm confused and intrigued by this "forbidden" song. Darrow's father and wife both sung it and were executed. Why are the Golds so angry and scared of it? Why does it ensure instant death?

Yes I am interested if this is just because it could instil hope for an uprising. Or is there some magical kind of element?

8.Oh my gosh!! That ending!! What the heck is going to happen next? Do they go somewhere special when they die? Or is he not really dead? I'm dying to know what happens!

I read straight onto the next chapter because I could not stop there :P

(hide spoiler)]

[Elize]

How far is everybody? I have been able to find time to read this recently so here are my thoughts on chapter 7-13 using the DQ's

(view spoiler)[ 9. Darrow rises from the grave and what everyone already predicted he is not dead. Darrow is going to be part of the resistance. What do you think of the people who pick him up and explain what is going to happen? Is Dancer to be trusted?

I was pretty shocked when he wasn’t actually dead. It seemed a little far fetched that he could be buried for who knows how long and survive despite the injuries he would have had.

10. Darrow finds out he and his people were lied to all these years. This story really makes me think of the Hunger Games. Have you read this book? If you did, do you see parallels?

Yes I am getting hunger games vibes

11. Darrow is going to join the Golds and live/study as one. What do you think of this plan? Is it smart?

I’ll be interested to see how that whole world is. And his reaction to being a part of it.

12. His transformation start and it feels cruel. I do like the descriptions the author gives about the steps he has to go through to become a Gold. What do you think of the style so far?

I think this part is written so well. The perfect mix between realistic and necessary. I think his reaction to being disgusted at himself is what you expect and it really enriches the character. Also how he still reminisces about Eo. (hide spoiler)]

[Eldarwen]

I also started another BR and it was a fluffier read, which was just what I needed lately since I didn't get a lot of reading time these past few days. I'll finish that one today most likely and then I'll jump back into Red Rising.

I still haven't started Part II :-/

[Elize]

Eldarwen wrote: "I also started another BR and it was a fluffier read, which was just what I needed lately since I didn't get a lot of reading time these past few days. I'll finish that one today most likely and th..."

Fair enough! :) I couldn't stop at the end of part I! Such suspense.

I have a really hard exam on Saturday so I think I am using this as my procrastination/study break. I also want to get it done before then (hopefully) because my weekend will be full with studying for my 2 other exams on Monday. :/

Here are my thoughts on Chapter 14-21

(view spoiler)[ 13. The moment of truth has come and Darrow is going to take his test of course he passes with flying colors and is going to the institute. Now he needs to say goodbye to the people who helped him get there. What do you think will he ever see them again?

I didn’t even think of that! I’m sure it has to come full circle for him to be able to fulfil their mission completely. Have they revealed everything to him yet? I don’t expect it to be smooth sailing either way.

15. Time for the Passage, at first I thought here we go again with the Harry Potter theme, but it turned out not to be anything like it at all. Why do you think they select them in this way? Is it just to select for the strongest and smartest as Rogue thinks or is there something more at play?

This was so shocking. I did not expect so many young people to collectively fall for that. Amazing what the power of society can have. It did kinda give me hunger games vibes though.

16. The school is not a school but seems to be there to make the “students” stronger mentally and crueler or maybe just coldhearted. This is not a fun society and I fear that in the end Darrow will not be able to keep is kindhearted soul whole, already he has had to kill someone. Do you think he will make it out of school and do what he is there for or will they train the “spirit” out of him?

I would argue that his kind hearted soul has already gone through its fair share of hardship. I think he is better prepared for this than anyone there. That’s why I think he will succeed. (hide spoiler)]

[Lexi]

I just read the first 50 pages and I’m dropping out. Enjoy the rest but it has annoyed me too much to continue.

[Michelle]

Lexi wrote: "I just read the first 50 pages and I’m dropping out. Enjoy the rest but it has annoyed me too much to continue."

What didn't you like about it, Lexi? I read it a long time ago and I remember not loving the beginning, but can't remember why.

[Lexi]

Michelle wrote: "Lexi wrote: "I just read the first 50 pages and I’m dropping out. Enjoy the rest but it has annoyed me too much to continue."

What didn't you like about it, Lexi? I read it a long time ago and I r..."

(view spoiler)[ I found the writing style really annoying, and the hero seemed like just another perfect, chosen one. I also found it sexist. (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

Lexi wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Lexi wrote: "I just read the first 50 pages and I’m dropping out. Enjoy the rest but it has annoyed me too much to continue."

What didn't you like about it, Lexi? I read it a long..."

Ah! I do remember that as well. Probably best you bailed. That definitely continues on.