Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard

Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy.

Number of books: 4 + (1 collection of novella)

Characters: (from left to right Mare Barrow, Cal Calore, Maven Calore, Evangeline Samos) cr. Morgana0anagrom

*kinda spoiler alert*

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1st Book – Red Queen

Goodreads Synopsis: This is a world divided by blood - red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

Personal rating: 4/5

Opinion: Because it is the first book and I was excited to read it, I gave it 4 ratings. It has a thrilling start (knowing it's 4-series part novel), the author introduced the main characters - Mare Barrow, Tiberias (Cal) Calore, Maven Calore, and some others. Finding out Mare has an ability no other human has, so it was a kick start for me.

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2nd Book – Glass Sword

Goodreads Synopsis: If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different. Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind. Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever? The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Personal rating: 2 ½ /5

Opinion: I got disappointed with this one, and ittook me 2 weeks to finish this book /le sigh/ why? Lemme tell you why. It's because in this entire book, all Mare does is whines about how Maven betrayed her and how her heart is broken by what he did, and kept reminding everyone as if the other characters doesn't know what it felt like to be betrayed. She's a self-centered girl who thinks she's so special when she's not. Okay, I get it, having a power of lightning is something, but if her character was written in a better light, then maybe she's something else.

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3rd Book – King’s Cage

Goodreads Synopsis: In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl's spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion? Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner. As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back. When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

Personal rating: 3 ½/5

Opinion: I kinda like this one out of the entire series because of Maven’s character development. And somehow, the readers get to understand Maven a little better.

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4th Book – War Storm

Goodreads Synopsis: Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all… starting with the crown on Maven’s head. But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path. War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced? In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power… for all will be tested, but not all will survive.

Personal rating: 2½/5

Opinion: I don’t know with those who have read this series (or maybe I’m the one who doesn’t understand their whole relationship dynamic), but I hate the ending. Period!

It doesn’t necessarily have to have a happy ending, and I would give the rating a full 5 if the ending has some sort of closure but no. The main characters decided to ‘take a break’ after all the promises and they say to each other, and the frustration for one another. And THey dECiDed tO TaKE A BREAK!? AFTER ALL THAT?! I wouldn't get so irritated if it has a decent ending.

Mare decides to focus on the main purpose of saving others like her and train, and find herself (when she could've done it in between series). And Cal wants to learn how to be a better king, find closure with the death of his half-brother’s death (one who his GF killed).

Bruh! They didn’t have that mindset before! So what changed? They were all for fixing their relationship, but once they’ve recovered from the ‘battle of the century’ they wanted to do what’s best for one another, and the country, and take some time apart.

Okay...

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Collection of Novella – Broken Throne

Synopsis:

Queen Song: Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary — how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Steel Scars: Captain Farley exchanges coded transmissions with the resistance as she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital. She was raised to be strong, but planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected — until she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation: Mare Barrow.

World Behind: On their keel, Ashe and his crew talk about rumours that they have heard on the waters and on the port. They've heard gossip about the Nortan royalty losing their status and power and that they have heard of a Red girl who has Silver powers who goes by the name of Mare Barrow. Gill, who is part of Ashe's keel crew, says that he heard that the king Maven Calore kidnapped her out of love and she managed to escape at the wedding of Iris Cygnet and Maven.

Iron Heart: Evangeline and Elane have been living in Ascendant, in the home of Premier Davidson, for over a month. There is increasing pressure to find a job for both of them, because they need to start pulling their own weight. Meanwhile, King Ptolemus of the Rift is abdicating his throne, leaving the ancestral lands of House Samos to the Nortan States. This is a move directly opposed by the old Silver nobility, his own house included. For it to have meaning, his sister the Queen Evangeline must abdicate alongside him. She does not want to, not because she is power-hungry, but because she does not want to return to Norta. There are too many ghosts there for her, especially after the death of King Volo of the Rift. Evangeline has been dreading this abdication and return to Norta for a while. Elane, Carmadon, and Ptolemus all attempt to sway her into going back. Carmadon finds her in his gardens, so she storms back to her rooms, where Elane is waiting. Both having failed to persuade Evangeline, Ptolemus finds her in Davidson's training grounds. They spar for a long time, Ptolemus eventually winning out. Evangeline eventually decides to return to Norta and abdicate alongside her brother. After her abdication, which is broadcast live to the entire continent, she finds Larentia Viper in the statuary garden of the Ridge House. Larentia disowns both her and Tolly, saying that they are dead to her. Evangeline finds the strength to turn away from her, knowing that she will never see her mother again. She returns to Ascendant with Elane.

+ 2 other short story: Fire Light (Mare and Cal's novella set after the war) & Fare Well (Cal's thoughts on Maven's death)

Personal rating: 3½/5

Opinion: I've read the Queen Song and Steel Scars, but couldn't bother to read the rest of the novellas.

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Overall - ★★

I said I wasn’t going to trash talk about books, but I think I just did. (sorry OTL) I told ya'll I'm not good at giving critique. But I am good at getting annoyed xD

It was an okay series (annoying at some places), it was bearable because of Maven. TBH Mare and Cal are a messy couple ٩(ఠ益ఠ)۶

I don’t know if it was just me, but the timeline wasn’t properly explained. We don’t know if the author meant the future because in some scenes, it’s said the date was in New Era. And in some scenes where they started adventuring out to find other mutants, there are places where the author mentioned 'highway' and roads and vehicle we're using at present. So, is it dated in historical or the post-apocalyptic future? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Even the silver / red blood thing wasn’t properly elaborated. It only mentioned because of the great war between such and such, these silver blood are born, and the mutant happened.

To be honest, in some scenes, it feels repetitive and a drag (mostly where mare and cal are in). And I realized that even the synopsis are repetitive.

If you read the book, in Glass Sword, they found Cameron (a mutant who has the ability to restrain other powers). I know each character has their own personality, but between Mare and Cameron, I like Cameron better because she's strong-willed (mental and emotionally), actually she's stronger than the main character. Sorry to say, but Mare is sort of a brat ( ` ω ´ ) she keeps ing about how she was betrayed by him/her, and she didn't think she could trust anyone else after that. I'm like 'sis! we get it! stop reminding everyone!'

Hell! Even one of the side characters, Captain Diana Farley, a member of The Scarlet Guard. She has no power whatsoever, yet she has to fight silver-blooded ability people with her wits and hands. She's more badass than Mare. I swear this series got me filled with rage (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ

I prefer The Hunger Games series better. They have a similar plot (minus the abilities and power part). And Katniss is a Queen.

I kind of regretted buying this series (ಥ﹏ಥ) but in all grand scheme of things, it was a part of a book experience I got to read. And the covers are pretty, so that's definitely my fault (⌒_⌒;)

You guys can give this book a read, if you'd like to, and if you want to understand what I'm ranting on about (⁀ᗢ⁀) (You don't necessarily have to buy it, you could just get an ebook form of it.)

Tell me what you guys think down below in the comment section! ^__^