11 Mar Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Dystopian fantasy meets high-stakes court intrigue in Red Queen, the first book in Victoria Aveyard’s series that blends class warfare, superhuman abilities, and revolution into a fast-paced, dramatic story. While it borrows elements from The Hunger Games, X-Men, and The Selection, it manages to carve out its own space in the genre, creating a world where power is quite literally in the blood.

What’s it about?

Mare Barrow has spent her entire life in poverty, living in the Stilts, a poor village where her kind—Reds—are treated as lesser beings. In Mare’s world, society is divided by blood. The Silvers, named for the color of their blood, are the ruling elite, possessing extraordinary abilities ranging from mind control to manipulating fire and metal. The Reds, on the other hand, have no powers. They’re considered weak, disposable, and destined to serve the Silvers—either in menial jobs or as soldiers in a seemingly endless war.

Mare knows her future is grim. With no skills to earn an apprenticeship, she is destined to be conscripted into the war, just like her older brothers. But a chance encounter with a stranger changes everything. This mysterious young man secures her a job at the Silver palace, where she will serve the elite rather than fight on the frontlines.

Everything changes when Mare, in a public display meant to humiliate the Reds, discovers that she has powers of her own—powers that should be impossible for a Red to possess. In a desperate attempt to hide the truth, the Silver royal family covers up her existence, claiming she is actually a long-lost Silver noblewoman and forcing her into an arranged engagement with Prince Maven, the second son of the king.

Thrown into the treacherous world of Silver politics, Mare is caught between two brothers: Maven, the quiet and intelligent prince who seems to support her cause, and Cal, the heir to the throne and a warrior who follows his father’s brutal rule but carries his own doubts.

As Mare navigates her new role as a Silver princess, she secretly becomes involved with the Scarlet Guard, a growing rebel movement aiming to overthrow the Silvers and free the Reds from oppression. But deception is everywhere, and trusting the wrong person could mean death.

The deeper she goes into the world of the Silvers, the more she realizes that power is a dangerous game, and she might just be a pawn in someone else’s plan.

What This Chick Thinks

The worldbuilding is strong, but familiar

The idea of a society divided by blood is intriguing, and Aveyard does a solid job creating a hierarchical system that feels oppressive and fully realized. The Silvers’ abilities add an X-Men-like twist, making them not just politically powerful but physically superior to the Reds in nearly every way.

That said, there are a lot of familiar dystopian elements here. The forced engagement to a prince, the hidden rebellion, the love triangle—all things we’ve seen before. But Aveyard’s writing is fast-paced, dramatic, and filled with enough twists to keep it engaging, even if the setup isn’t entirely unique.

Mare is a compelling but flawed heroine

Mare is tough, resourceful, and driven by her hatred of the Silvers, which makes her easy to root for. But she also makes some truly frustrating decisions, especially when it comes to trusting people. Her growth throughout the book is satisfying, but she definitely has moments where you just want to shake some sense into her.

Her dynamic with Cal and Maven adds an extra layer to the story. Cal is the classic warrior prince, torn between duty and morality, while Maven appears to be the underdog—softer, smarter, and more in tune with Mare’s rebellion. The relationships add tension, but they don’t overshadow the political intrigue or the larger rebellion storyline, which is a plus.

The plot twists are its strongest point

If there’s one thing Red Queen does well, it’s pulling the rug out from under you. The story sets up a predictable love triangle and a clear hero-villain dynamic, only to completely flip it on its head by the final act. The betrayal that happens near the end is legitimately shocking, and it adds a much-needed jolt of originality to the story.

Even if you see some of the twists coming, the way they play out still hits hard. The final chapters leave the story wide open for sequels, making it clear that this is only the beginning of something much bigger.

Some of the writing leans into tropes too much

While the pacing is great and the action keeps things moving, there are moments where the writing leans too heavily on typical YA dystopian cliches. Mare has a lot of internal monologues about how unfair the world is, and sometimes the dialogue feels a bit on the nose.

That being said, if you enjoy dramatic, high-stakes fantasy, the book is still entertaining and easy to binge.

Final Thoughts

Red Queen is a fun, fast-paced dystopian fantasy that doesn’t necessarily break new ground but still delivers a gripping story filled with betrayal, action, and romance. If you love court intrigue, hidden rebellions, and characters who don’t know who to trust, this is an enjoyable read that sets up a promising series.

Just be prepared for a dramatic, gut-punch of an ending—one that guarantees you’ll want to pick up the sequel.

Rating: 7.5/10

Try it if you like

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Features a strong female protagonist navigating a deadly game of politics and survival.
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – A similar ordinary-girl-discovers-she-has-extraordinary-powers setup with court politics and betrayal.
• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – Another high-stakes rebellion story where trust is a dangerous thing.