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

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen Trilogy #1
Published by Orion  on 12th February 2015
Pages: 400
Source: *Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A thrilling new fantasy trilogy for fans of DIVERGENT and THE HUNGER GAMES.

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living in the shadow 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.

Then Mare finds herself working at the Silver palace, in the midst 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.

I have been rendered speechless. Red Queen is an empowering, dangerous and emotionally-filled novel that will have you holding your breath til the very end. The cover is stunning, absolutely beautiful. I have to own a copy!

Mare Barrow is a Red, set to go to war on her eighteenth birthday. However, when Mare lands a job at the Silver Palace, she changes both everyones lives forever. Possessing the ability of a Silver, her true heritage must be hidden, but that is the last of Mare's worries with the threat of the Scarlett Guard upon them all.

"Anyone can betray anyone."

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, e-ARC page 236

Our main protagonist Mare was empowering, strong, fierce, quick, witty and astounding. She is everything you could ever want in a protagonist, she puts others lives before herself, not buckling when her life is in danger as she stood strong for what she believed in; her loyalties to those she cares about are stronger than anything else. Though the romance was a love triangle, this is a very rare book in which it did not take over the plot. It was subtle and was used with effectiveness making the romance shine bright when it was in the spotlight.

"You better hide that heart of yours, Lady Titanos. It won't lead you anywhere you want to go."

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, e-ARC page 150

The plot… oh the plot! Like nothing I have read before. It was filled-to-the-brim with action and danger, making you feel part of the world due to the astounding imagery. Every detail was intricately carved, with dark corridors and paths taking you places you never thought the plot would go. One aspect of the novel I appreciated was how Aveyard did not tone anything down, she made the action full on and definitely did not hold back; this enables the reader to be truly immersed into the world she has faultlessly created. A truly astounding and engaging plot that will leave you craving more, especially after that ending!

"'We will rise… Red as the dawn.'"

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, e-ARC page 173

Red Queen is a thrilling and edge-of-your-seat thriller that will cause you to gasp, shout-aloud, pull-at-your-heartstrings and make you shout with a warriors cry. Aveyard has certainly written an astonishing debut, and I cannot wait to read her future works.