If Hunger Games, Divergent and The Elite Ones had a baby, it would be Red Queen. For better or worse. A dystopian tale of uprising, Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen tells the tale Mare Barrow, a pick pocket/thief from the slums, defined by the color of her blood. A chance meeting and job opportunity begins a journey of discovery not only about herself, but also about the world in which she lives.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if dystopian fiction is your thing, this one has enough going for it to make it a good read.

What I liked about it:

• The characters! They’re likable and relatable which is one of the reasons I stuck with this one. Mare, the female protagonist, does what she does for the good and safety of her family, but she never dips into pity. She strong and smart and while misguided, she’s sympathetic.
• I love Cal, the prince and heir to the kingdom. He is a first born with all the issues and traits that come with being a first born. He’s obedient, brave, strong, confident. He does what is expected of him because he’s the oldest son. And yet, in the end, he lets his heart guide him which makes me think he will be a great leader one day.
• Julian – I just wanted to hug him.
• The genetic mutation – what a neat twist! Makes me wonder how it all came about…illicit affair thousands of years ago? Maybe!
• The underground train system, the Red population’s ability to pull the wool over the Silvers’ eyes – the underdogs are not to be taken for granted.
• The trip by boat from the vacation palace to the capital – what a cool way to show the differences in how people lived.
• The finale. It’s pretty awesome.

What distracted me:

• I wasn’t kidding when I said Red Queen seems to be the offspring of so many well done dystopian fiction stories before it. The similarities bugged me and I almost quit reading several times. The whole tournament deal and Stilts living conditions was Hunger Games, not to mention to the love triangle with the hometown boy and the prince. The labels put on the abilities of the Silvers reminded me of Divergent. Mare learning to use her new ability in the arena and the fact her ability felt a little like it bordered on the dark side reminded me of The Elite Ones.  That being said, the characters were so engaging I kept reading for them.
• The Queenstrial – Exactly how is this a good way to pick a ruler?

 What I would want to know before handing it to my kid:

•  It’s violent. War has been happening for a hundred years and the poor (Reds) are forced to fight by the ruling (Silver) class. Silvers use their power to torture prisoners.  6th grade on up.

 Final Thoughts:

• I remember reading (a lot) as a teen and craving books that had a set plot, a known outcome, a predictability that let me know I’d enjoy it. Red Queen has that which is why I have a feeling most YA readers out there will love it. As a non-traditional YA reader, while I found the hints of other stories distracting, the characters and plot kept me engaged and reading to the end. A good summer read indeed!