Beyond Believable: "Red Queen" Book Review

So I recently got a library card, and was incredibly excited about it because the card allows me access to a huge e-library, perfect for vacation or other times when it is inconvenient to carry around multiple books. The first book I decided to check out was Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, a book and an author I had never heard of. The book came recommended for those who enjoyed The Selection so I decided to give it a try. While the book was entertaining enough, I found it lacking in many aspects. First and foremost, the main character’s relationships seemed to be lacking with everyone around her. It was also hard to determine if some relationships were simply friendly or more romantic. Also, a lot of the plot twists in the story were too unrealistic. A character can only narrowly escape death and capture so many times in one book before it becomes excessive.

Despite these two major flaws, the storyline was well thought out. The plot, while similar to other fantasy and dystopian novels takes it a step further by introducing what are essentially two species of people, one with abilities and one without, causing a great divide. That plot is thickened by a third group, which appears to fall into the weaker group, but actually possesses greater abilities than the group in power. Many other aspects though, are stereotypical. Divided society, oppressive rulers, rebel groups, a world that exists far into the future, a downtrodden heroine who is raised up. Even though many of these aspects are found in other young adult novels, the plot was entertaining enough for me to read the entire book. Although this will be the first of a trilogy, I do not think I will read the sequel or the final book.

Stay tuned for my review of The Elite, the second book in The Selection series! Until then, happy reading!

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