by Victoria Aveyard (Orion Publishing Group, February 10, 2015)
The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.
To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.
Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.
But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?
Carolyn's thoughts on the book:
Red Queen is a lush and satisfying read. Described as "Graceling meets The Selection" (on the publisher's page), the book is at once a dystopian and a fantasy novel. The complex, developed setting, from the elaborate magic to the oppressive class system/government, adds a rich layer to an already well developed and powerful debut novel. Mare, the protagonist, has compelling (and realistic) motivations behind her elaborate charade, in addition to being instantly likable and charming. The plot is intricate, but not at the cost of good pacing. The complicated politics (of both the revolutionary group and of the royal family) is intriguing, and just one of the many facets of this jewel of a read.
Overall, Red Queen is a wonderful and engrossing start to the series. In addition to looking forward to the release of the next book (hopefully next year), I'm excited to see Victoria Aveyard speak at the Pasadena Teen Book Fest this May. Red Queen is an excellent and captivating read, perfect for fans of fantasy and dystopian alike.