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Red Queen #1-4
Red Queen 4-Book Collection: Books 1-4
Victoria aveyard red queen series 4 books collection set includes titles in this set :- red queen, glass sword, king's cage, war storm [hardcover]. Description:- Red Queen 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. Glass Sword If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.Mare's blood is red - the colour of common folk - but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court wants to control.Pursued by the vengeful Silver king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join the rebellion. King's Cage Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal.Now a king, Maven continues weaving his web in an attempt to maintain control over his country - and his prisoner.As Mare remains trapped in the palace, the remnants of the Red Rebellion continue organizing and expanding. As they prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows, Cal - the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart - will stop at nothing to bring her back. War Storm 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.
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About the author
Victoria Aveyard
29 books74.9k followersI'm an author/screenwriter who likes books and lists. This site is the nexus of my universe.
I wrote the #1 NYT bestselling series RED QUEEN the #1 NYT bestselling REALM BREAKER trilogy. Next up, my adult fantasy debut, TEMPEST, coming 2026.
The genres I'm into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, I'm buying.
I wrote the #1 NYT bestselling series RED QUEEN the #1 NYT bestselling REALM BREAKER trilogy. Next up, my adult fantasy debut, TEMPEST, coming 2026.
The genres I'm into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, I'm buying.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 14, 2020
3.5 is my true rating... Right passing the middle.
It's slow...
A lot of angry characters.
A lot of war.
Some love.
Some adventure.
But mostly coated with tragedy with an open happy ending.
Which is odd.
I also kept forgetting that these are teens... Because of all the political language and culture of war.
It changes perspective often.
Not smoothly either...
And there are chopping ’cut scenes’.
The transition in the timeline is confusing.
Some characters have great development.
But not the main character in my opinion.
I kept reading because I was curious about how the characters’ relationships develop... (Also there was a few mysterious predictions that caught my curiosity.)
Not so much because the storyline itself. I got bored during the war or when one of the characters would go on and on about their anger or betrayal.
I liked the supernatural abilities some characters have and the setting of the story. The writer paints their word in detail. The concept of fighting for cause vs accepting life as is-- nice overall message. Not everyone is going to agree; hint at the war.
But eh...
The storyline went in circles: main character cause trouble, she then is moody about it for three chapters, somehow becomes the anti-hero, only to cycle again with another troublesome events or tragedy... to then be the anti-hero of her story... Again.
The paragraphs are sometimes very cleverly written, but still a book for a patient reader. Slow.
Sorry if this sounds vague, I'm trying not to give too much spoilers.
Basically it has a historic-fictional vibe. There is clearly romance as well but the main character is to stubborn to accept it for three books worth! The fourth is when she wholeheartedly accepts it. Well. More like the mid of the third book but not openly. Her rivals are my favorite characters. Mostly because they developed to most interestingly.
It's slow...
A lot of angry characters.
A lot of war.
Some love.
Some adventure.
But mostly coated with tragedy with an open happy ending.
Which is odd.
I also kept forgetting that these are teens... Because of all the political language and culture of war.
It changes perspective often.
Not smoothly either...
And there are chopping ’cut scenes’.
The transition in the timeline is confusing.
Some characters have great development.
But not the main character in my opinion.
I kept reading because I was curious about how the characters’ relationships develop... (Also there was a few mysterious predictions that caught my curiosity.)
Not so much because the storyline itself. I got bored during the war or when one of the characters would go on and on about their anger or betrayal.
I liked the supernatural abilities some characters have and the setting of the story. The writer paints their word in detail. The concept of fighting for cause vs accepting life as is-- nice overall message. Not everyone is going to agree; hint at the war.
But eh...
The storyline went in circles: main character cause trouble, she then is moody about it for three chapters, somehow becomes the anti-hero, only to cycle again with another troublesome events or tragedy... to then be the anti-hero of her story... Again.
The paragraphs are sometimes very cleverly written, but still a book for a patient reader. Slow.
Sorry if this sounds vague, I'm trying not to give too much spoilers.
Basically it has a historic-fictional vibe. There is clearly romance as well but the main character is to stubborn to accept it for three books worth! The fourth is when she wholeheartedly accepts it. Well. More like the mid of the third book but not openly. Her rivals are my favorite characters. Mostly because they developed to most interestingly.
December 12, 2019
Really good series. Very intricate and detailed. Lots of interesting characters and pack with action and great plots.
Read
December 31, 2018One of my favorite action fantasy stories!
March 4, 2021
I hated Red Queen books it was not my thing. The world didn't build very well, and it was to draw out. The characters were weak in development. There were too many pages on social politicians, that is just not what I am looking for in books. Others will enjoy it for that reason.
June 4, 2018
(4+4+5+3)/4=4 star averaged.
September 6, 2020
This series was amazing! It was the series that made me more fond of books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2022
I am in love with CAL.
March 20, 2023
Alles in allem wars ganz gut, war stellenweise Spannung nur zieht es sich teilweise bissi, ist schon bisschen her, dass ich die alle gelesen habe aber den 1. Zeil lese ich gerade wieder.
Was mich stört, war die Lovestory, die war sehr, sagen weir, vorhersehbar und die Charaktere hatten zwar alle Charakter development, aber die Lovestory war ein bisschen stumpf...
Was mich stört, war die Lovestory, die war sehr, sagen weir, vorhersehbar und die Charaktere hatten zwar alle Charakter development, aber die Lovestory war ein bisschen stumpf...
dnf
August 29, 2024I got seven chapters in: several conflicts/twists that were important to the main character (and probably the plot) happened but wow, I did not care at all. You can’t make me care that bad things were happening if there’s no set up to care for the characters.
February 2, 2022
Review of the first book:
"Ugh. Such a promising start in the first quarter of the book - it felt like it had the potential to marry elements of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy and Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. But it ended up more like a bastard child of The Selection mixed with the boring court parts of Throne of Glass and...I dunno, some generic YA book about a revolution. I can’t be arsed to think of one specifically right now.
One thing that sets this apart from any of those I named is that I absolutely despise the protagonist. She’s a fairly awful, angry, hypocritically judgmental, recklessly impetuous, self-centered (while reveling in her supposed goodness), stupid person. I would get pissed off with her at least every page or two, and this is the biggest reason I went with 1 star rather than 2. I started to realize my hate for her when I saw that I was rooting for the people painted as villains for being nasty to her.
I wonder if Victoria showed the first few chapters of this and got a deal from that, because the writing itself becomes downright awful at many points and it feels like the only notable lines for hundreds of pages are a who’s who of awful cliches coming from every which way - every character, the heroine’s personal thoughts, the heroine’s description of others...Basically the only character I end up liking is poor Gisa, who has had to deal with this horror as a sibling her entire life, and she mostly is only in the beginning before Victoria decides that it’s okay to badly slap together a bunch of recycled plotlines, character types, and phrases and call it a book worthy of publication.
You know, now that I’m going over the first quarter, it actually starts to dip a bit with chapter five. But the momentum from the first four is enough that I still felt engaged, and then chapter seven has a nice display of magic. But the magic’s novelty fades really quickly after that, especially as unlike Brandon Sanderson, Victoria doesn’t yet even try to explain any part of it. I assume she will do that in later books, especially given that the premise hinges around how Silvers are not as everyone believes the only ones with magic. But I doubt I’ll read it. Maybe if Gisa narrates."
Alas, the lead and the two kings remain hateful for the whole series.
Thankfully Evangeline does her best to make the narration occasionally tolerable when she takes over. She's pretty much the only character I like; kind of the Margaery Tyrell of the series.
The series could definitely be cut by one book given the amount of plotless pages (filled mostly with mediocre writing at best), and chapters spent developing characters who then disappear because the author forgets about them so said development also feels pointless.
"Ugh. Such a promising start in the first quarter of the book - it felt like it had the potential to marry elements of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy and Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. But it ended up more like a bastard child of The Selection mixed with the boring court parts of Throne of Glass and...I dunno, some generic YA book about a revolution. I can’t be arsed to think of one specifically right now.
One thing that sets this apart from any of those I named is that I absolutely despise the protagonist. She’s a fairly awful, angry, hypocritically judgmental, recklessly impetuous, self-centered (while reveling in her supposed goodness), stupid person. I would get pissed off with her at least every page or two, and this is the biggest reason I went with 1 star rather than 2. I started to realize my hate for her when I saw that I was rooting for the people painted as villains for being nasty to her.
I wonder if Victoria showed the first few chapters of this and got a deal from that, because the writing itself becomes downright awful at many points and it feels like the only notable lines for hundreds of pages are a who’s who of awful cliches coming from every which way - every character, the heroine’s personal thoughts, the heroine’s description of others...Basically the only character I end up liking is poor Gisa, who has had to deal with this horror as a sibling her entire life, and she mostly is only in the beginning before Victoria decides that it’s okay to badly slap together a bunch of recycled plotlines, character types, and phrases and call it a book worthy of publication.
You know, now that I’m going over the first quarter, it actually starts to dip a bit with chapter five. But the momentum from the first four is enough that I still felt engaged, and then chapter seven has a nice display of magic. But the magic’s novelty fades really quickly after that, especially as unlike Brandon Sanderson, Victoria doesn’t yet even try to explain any part of it. I assume she will do that in later books, especially given that the premise hinges around how Silvers are not as everyone believes the only ones with magic. But I doubt I’ll read it. Maybe if Gisa narrates."
Alas, the lead and the two kings remain hateful for the whole series.
Thankfully Evangeline does her best to make the narration occasionally tolerable when she takes over. She's pretty much the only character I like; kind of the Margaery Tyrell of the series.
The series could definitely be cut by one book given the amount of plotless pages (filled mostly with mediocre writing at best), and chapters spent developing characters who then disappear because the author forgets about them so said development also feels pointless.
February 11, 2020
While I was on vacation, I had a lot of free time, so I decided to grab the “Red Queen Collection” again and give it a new chance. Originally I dropped the history on the second book, because I found it was a little bit predictable and boring and I used to jump pages until I quit. But, when I started the books al over again I tried to enjoy every little detail that Victoria offered us, and little by little you find yourself immersed in the plot and hungry for reading without stopping. 15 days later I finished the whole series.
The story it’s placed in a futuristic world product of the nuclear destruction of the society as we know it. Due to radiation, some humans mutated and acquired different abilities that gave them powers and turned their blood silver. This mutants or simply “Silvers” took the power and started to create a society where they became the ruling class, and the “Reds” or normal humans where oppressed and forced to live in misery, slavery or sent to war. The story start in a country named Norta, ruled by Tiberias the Sixth, with a young red girl named Mare Barrow, whose only skill was pickpocketing. Eventually, Mare is forced to work in the Royal Palace during the commemoration of “Queen’s trials”, a competition where the daughters of noble silver houses demonstrate their abilities and fight between them to be the winner and then, be betrothed to prince Tiberias de Seventh. This way, the royals family makes sure to always have the strongest heirs. While Mare was serving some Lords and Lady’s, she is exposed a life threatening situation that woke up her ability to control electricity (Unknown at the moment) . From this predictable plot, Victoria takes us forward the growing of a teenager into and adult woman, that plant the seeds for the biggest social revolution of their lifetime and take the power from the royal family. With each book you can see how Victoria improved her writing skills, not only by making descriptions smooth as silk. She also created a group of complex characters, rich in physical, mental and sexual diversity. I must say that every book gets darker and that I love the fact that topics as feminism, sexual diversity and female empowerment are essentials for the books. Her characters are imperfect as human can be, but they also can grow and change from the emir mistakes. Almost 95% of the chapters are from a female POV . I would be really happy to read them again.
The story it’s placed in a futuristic world product of the nuclear destruction of the society as we know it. Due to radiation, some humans mutated and acquired different abilities that gave them powers and turned their blood silver. This mutants or simply “Silvers” took the power and started to create a society where they became the ruling class, and the “Reds” or normal humans where oppressed and forced to live in misery, slavery or sent to war. The story start in a country named Norta, ruled by Tiberias the Sixth, with a young red girl named Mare Barrow, whose only skill was pickpocketing. Eventually, Mare is forced to work in the Royal Palace during the commemoration of “Queen’s trials”, a competition where the daughters of noble silver houses demonstrate their abilities and fight between them to be the winner and then, be betrothed to prince Tiberias de Seventh. This way, the royals family makes sure to always have the strongest heirs. While Mare was serving some Lords and Lady’s, she is exposed a life threatening situation that woke up her ability to control electricity (Unknown at the moment) . From this predictable plot, Victoria takes us forward the growing of a teenager into and adult woman, that plant the seeds for the biggest social revolution of their lifetime and take the power from the royal family. With each book you can see how Victoria improved her writing skills, not only by making descriptions smooth as silk. She also created a group of complex characters, rich in physical, mental and sexual diversity. I must say that every book gets darker and that I love the fact that topics as feminism, sexual diversity and female empowerment are essentials for the books. Her characters are imperfect as human can be, but they also can grow and change from the emir mistakes. Almost 95% of the chapters are from a female POV . I would be really happy to read them again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2019
Great series. TERRIBLE ending. The ending felt like It should have been the middle of the book.
February 7, 2026
Had a hard time getting into the series mostly because I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character and it was only her POV for most of the books. Enjoyed it more as POV changed, but had to wait until 80% through the series for a male perspective?? The romance was a let down. Enjoyed the ending until the very end and then I was disappointed. Not sure if this is a fair rating though because I read TOG beforehand and it is my favorite. Could be a good intro to fantasy despite being slow!
August 27, 2025
good series, kept me up a few nights reading.
November 4, 2024
Gut als Hörbuch beim putzen. Bin honestly bisschen zu alt dafür - eher für Jugendliche aber trz coole Storyline
March 2, 2019
*may be some spoilers* THE RED QUEEN BOOK SERIES BY VICTORIA AVEYARD
Definitley the best book series I've ever read. Personally, I didn't like any books involving fantasy elements previous to this series. Victoria Aveyard is brilliant in the development of the characters, especially Maven. Maven is a villian in this series, but it is extremely intresting when you get the psychology behind this villian, well what's going on his head. Mare is your typical underdog, but there is so much more to her character and what she goes through. And the conflict of Cal, choosing between love or the crown, is one of the best conflicts of the series. It's an edge of your seat series without any boring parts and you won't want to go out and socialize or leave your sofa when reading this. Beware of the cliffhangers, trust me when I say they are dangerously painful. Also beware, you might get quite emotionally attatched to the characters.
Definitley the best book series I've ever read. Personally, I didn't like any books involving fantasy elements previous to this series. Victoria Aveyard is brilliant in the development of the characters, especially Maven. Maven is a villian in this series, but it is extremely intresting when you get the psychology behind this villian, well what's going on his head. Mare is your typical underdog, but there is so much more to her character and what she goes through. And the conflict of Cal, choosing between love or the crown, is one of the best conflicts of the series. It's an edge of your seat series without any boring parts and you won't want to go out and socialize or leave your sofa when reading this. Beware of the cliffhangers, trust me when I say they are dangerously painful. Also beware, you might get quite emotionally attatched to the characters.
December 20, 2021
I loved the first 2 but the last 2 did not wrap up the way I thought it might, just became super repetitive and I felt there was a lack of character development.
July 26, 2019
If you are looking for a series that will have you on the edge of your seat from page one, this is the series for you. It is a well-crafted masterpiece that does not fall into some of the same tropes that most books in the YA series fall into. I very much appreciate this fact, as I am very tired of alpha males, love triangles, and god complexes.
This is a series that I definitely plan on rereading. There was just so much going on all at once that I know I didn’t catch anything.
Plus, it is a fantastic series that I would not mind reliving a few more times.
Full review: https://briannajean.blog/2019/06/21/r...
This is a series that I definitely plan on rereading. There was just so much going on all at once that I know I didn’t catch anything.
Plus, it is a fantastic series that I would not mind reliving a few more times.
Full review: https://briannajean.blog/2019/06/21/r...
April 23, 2021
Fun teen lit. I enjoyed the dystopian ideas and the characters developed. Along with addressing class systems, it argues for humanity’s proclivity for equality and peace. I appreciated the ways in which the storyline wasn’t cliche, but don’t expect it to be too far off the traditional story arc for this genre. The female protagonist is typically angry, maybe not as angry as Celaena Sardothian in the Throne of Glass series. I also appreciated that things didn’t wrap up as neatly. I probably wouldn’t read a break off series but maybe a jump in generation continuation.
August 22, 2018
Awesome!!! but i feel like she should write another mini story like Cruel Crown.... about how Mare and Cal finally get together....there is nothing better than a happy ending... it was an awesome series and am glad i read it.
April 27, 2022
I bought all of the books!!!
February 10, 2022
maven owns my heart.
May 14, 2022
i want know story line about red queen
March 16, 2025
Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen is a gripping dystopian fantasy that seamlessly blends political intrigue, rebellion, and a deeply compelling romance. As the first installment in a four-book series, it introduces us to a world divided by blood—where the elite, silver-blooded individuals wield supernatural abilities, while the red-blooded majority are oppressed, seen as nothing more than tools for labor and war. This stark division echoes real-world issues of systemic oppression, making the novel’s themes feel hauntingly relevant.
Symbolism and Social Commentary
One of the most striking aspects of Red Queen is its layered symbolism. While on the surface it tells a story of power struggles and rebellion, the deeper implications are impossible to ignore. The divide between Silvers and Reds can be seen as a metaphor for racial segregation, particularly historical (and ongoing) state-enforced separation of Black and white communities. Silvers live in privilege, believing themselves superior by birthright, while Reds are subjugated, forced into a life of suffering simply because of their blood. This mirrors the way oppressive systems have historically justified discrimination—by claiming intrinsic superiority and using that claim to deny rights, opportunities, and dignity.
Aveyard does not shy away from showing the brutality of this world. The Reds, despite their resilience and cleverness, are treated as disposable, much like marginalized communities throughout history. The existence of the Scarlet Guard, a revolutionary group fighting for equality, further strengthens the parallels to real-world resistance movements.
Mare and Cal: A Love Torn by Duty
Beyond the political themes, one of the most captivating aspects of the novel—and the series as a whole—is the dynamic between Mare Barrow and Prince Cal. Their relationship is steeped in tension, contradictions, and impossible choices. From the moment they meet, there is an undeniable pull between them, but the very nature of their world places them on opposite sides.
Cal is born into privilege but is not heartless. He is bound by duty, raised to believe in the Silver supremacy system, yet not entirely blind to its flaws. Mare, on the other hand, has spent her entire life suffering under that very system and has no illusions about its cruelty. Their relationship is not a simple romance—it is a collision of ideals, a test of loyalty, and ultimately, a tragedy of circumstances.
What makes their dynamic so powerful is that neither is fully right or wrong. Cal’s struggle between love and duty, between personal feelings and societal expectations, makes him a fascinating character. Meanwhile, Mare’s evolution from a girl simply trying to survive to a fierce revolutionary leader means that she cannot afford to love someone who refuses to fight for her people. Their relationship is filled with stolen moments, unspoken words, and the ever-present knowledge that in a war like this, love might not be enough.
Final Thoughts
Red Queen is not just another dystopian novel—it is a sharp, thought-provoking exploration of power, privilege, and resistance. Aveyard crafts a world that feels both fantastical and deeply real, with characters who are flawed, complex, and compelling. The tension between Mare and Cal keeps readers on edge, while the larger themes of social injustice and revolution make the story resonate beyond the page.
For those who love stories of rebellion, morally complex characters, and slow-burning, high-stakes romance, Red Queen is an unforgettable read.
Symbolism and Social Commentary
One of the most striking aspects of Red Queen is its layered symbolism. While on the surface it tells a story of power struggles and rebellion, the deeper implications are impossible to ignore. The divide between Silvers and Reds can be seen as a metaphor for racial segregation, particularly historical (and ongoing) state-enforced separation of Black and white communities. Silvers live in privilege, believing themselves superior by birthright, while Reds are subjugated, forced into a life of suffering simply because of their blood. This mirrors the way oppressive systems have historically justified discrimination—by claiming intrinsic superiority and using that claim to deny rights, opportunities, and dignity.
Aveyard does not shy away from showing the brutality of this world. The Reds, despite their resilience and cleverness, are treated as disposable, much like marginalized communities throughout history. The existence of the Scarlet Guard, a revolutionary group fighting for equality, further strengthens the parallels to real-world resistance movements.
Mare and Cal: A Love Torn by Duty
Beyond the political themes, one of the most captivating aspects of the novel—and the series as a whole—is the dynamic between Mare Barrow and Prince Cal. Their relationship is steeped in tension, contradictions, and impossible choices. From the moment they meet, there is an undeniable pull between them, but the very nature of their world places them on opposite sides.
Cal is born into privilege but is not heartless. He is bound by duty, raised to believe in the Silver supremacy system, yet not entirely blind to its flaws. Mare, on the other hand, has spent her entire life suffering under that very system and has no illusions about its cruelty. Their relationship is not a simple romance—it is a collision of ideals, a test of loyalty, and ultimately, a tragedy of circumstances.
What makes their dynamic so powerful is that neither is fully right or wrong. Cal’s struggle between love and duty, between personal feelings and societal expectations, makes him a fascinating character. Meanwhile, Mare’s evolution from a girl simply trying to survive to a fierce revolutionary leader means that she cannot afford to love someone who refuses to fight for her people. Their relationship is filled with stolen moments, unspoken words, and the ever-present knowledge that in a war like this, love might not be enough.
Final Thoughts
Red Queen is not just another dystopian novel—it is a sharp, thought-provoking exploration of power, privilege, and resistance. Aveyard crafts a world that feels both fantastical and deeply real, with characters who are flawed, complex, and compelling. The tension between Mare and Cal keeps readers on edge, while the larger themes of social injustice and revolution make the story resonate beyond the page.
For those who love stories of rebellion, morally complex characters, and slow-burning, high-stakes romance, Red Queen is an unforgettable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2024
I would like to say that I have not read this series all the way through, I just picked these books back up after starting them in middle school 8 years ago. I have read the first 2 books and I’m reading the 3rd now.
I love this series. If I’m being totally honest this is one of the books that really got me into reading (well reading books that weren’t on Wattpad). I fell in love with Mares entire personality from the first page. I feel like this book is why I loved the ACOTAR series because Mare reminds me a lot of Faeyra (I definitely spelled that wrong). I loved how strong of a character she is even if she is slightly insecure like everyone else. I definitely adopted some of the fight from her personality into mine when I first read this book. The plot was amazing and the world building was better than 99% of YA fiction books.
However reading this again at an older age, the characters, especially the men, in this series were a bit toxic in ways that I didn’t understand at 11 years old. I also (and I know it’s so wrong and I haven’t finished the series so my opinion could change) wish she would have ended up with Maven. I know he’s evil but my mind can’t get with loving the “slightly annoyingly perfect hero”, and I know he’s not perfect but it just goes against every fiber in my being after reading books where the villain gets the girl all these years.
Overall this will probably forever be one of my favorite YA book series of all time.
I love this series. If I’m being totally honest this is one of the books that really got me into reading (well reading books that weren’t on Wattpad). I fell in love with Mares entire personality from the first page. I feel like this book is why I loved the ACOTAR series because Mare reminds me a lot of Faeyra (I definitely spelled that wrong). I loved how strong of a character she is even if she is slightly insecure like everyone else. I definitely adopted some of the fight from her personality into mine when I first read this book. The plot was amazing and the world building was better than 99% of YA fiction books.
However reading this again at an older age, the characters, especially the men, in this series were a bit toxic in ways that I didn’t understand at 11 years old. I also (and I know it’s so wrong and I haven’t finished the series so my opinion could change) wish she would have ended up with Maven. I know he’s evil but my mind can’t get with loving the “slightly annoyingly perfect hero”, and I know he’s not perfect but it just goes against every fiber in my being after reading books where the villain gets the girl all these years.
Overall this will probably forever be one of my favorite YA book series of all time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2019
I felt like I was reading a less interesting and more poorly written version of The Hunger Games. Dystopian society between the haves and the have nots where one heroine (for lack of a better word) gets pushed into the haves society without wanting to and then gets made into a symbol to start a revolution for the have nots. Even then, I could have enjoyed the books had the character development not been quite so poor. Despite reading the entire series, I feel the characters are still very 2D and that I cannot think of them as real people. I think the author tried to make the main character complex and not a typical heroine but either did it poorly or just didn’t have a clear idea of what she wanted her to be. Even the love triangle was poorly done where I didn’t quite get any chemistry between characters (and not did I care). I would not recommend the series to anyone as it just got worse with every book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2025
gave the Red Queen series my best shot, but it just didn’t work for me. I made it halfway through Book 3 before finally putting it down — and this was the first time I’ve ever quit a series.
The story became bogged down in too much war and politics, and the main characters, especially Mare and Cal, had little to no chemistry. Their kiss and implied intimacy felt lackluster, more like checking off a box than something with real emotion behind it. Shade’s death was another breaking point for me — he was one of the few characters I truly enjoyed, and while there was a newblood introduced with the ability to revive the recently dead(or so I thought), Aveyard never followed through with that possibility. It just left me frustrated. ( or not that I finished)
In the end, instead of feeling invested, I felt drained. I wanted to care, but the pacing, politics, and lack of genuine connections between the characters made it impossible to finish.
The story became bogged down in too much war and politics, and the main characters, especially Mare and Cal, had little to no chemistry. Their kiss and implied intimacy felt lackluster, more like checking off a box than something with real emotion behind it. Shade’s death was another breaking point for me — he was one of the few characters I truly enjoyed, and while there was a newblood introduced with the ability to revive the recently dead(or so I thought), Aveyard never followed through with that possibility. It just left me frustrated. ( or not that I finished)
In the end, instead of feeling invested, I felt drained. I wanted to care, but the pacing, politics, and lack of genuine connections between the characters made it impossible to finish.
September 23, 2020
I adore this series and all of these characters. It's hard to know where to start.
The world building is fascinating and clever since it doesn't give you all of the information from the get-go. You have to piece some it together yourself which I enjoy a lot. The politics of this series are engaging and intricate but also not so complicated that it bogs down the reading.
The characters are incredibly fun to read about. I loved the progression of Maven and Evangeline especially. I can't think of any main character that I found to be two dimensional or dull to read about. Mare also thwarts a lot of YA tropes. She's bitter and hurt but also fiercely protective of her loved ones and not just plain stupid like a lot of main characters in YA fiction.
Anyone comparing it to Divergent or Selection is just plain wrong. It's much more engaging and much better written.
The world building is fascinating and clever since it doesn't give you all of the information from the get-go. You have to piece some it together yourself which I enjoy a lot. The politics of this series are engaging and intricate but also not so complicated that it bogs down the reading.
The characters are incredibly fun to read about. I loved the progression of Maven and Evangeline especially. I can't think of any main character that I found to be two dimensional or dull to read about. Mare also thwarts a lot of YA tropes. She's bitter and hurt but also fiercely protective of her loved ones and not just plain stupid like a lot of main characters in YA fiction.
Anyone comparing it to Divergent or Selection is just plain wrong. It's much more engaging and much better written.
June 20, 2022
The Hunger Games meets typical slum/poor girl finds herself a palace, love triangle with prices, and Rebels vs. the elite blah blah. Easy to read with familiar character arcs and storyline, sadly won't make it to my top shelf.
Some nice side character development, with shifting relationships. The subterfuge/betrayals, I found a little bit basic, the weird on again-off again relationship thing was at first annoying, then kinda nice, then straight back to annoying.
What I liked was the main characters narrative with 'not being ok' which is often glossed over in most books where they just seem to keep going without having a mental health break.
First book was an easy read, second and third book were strategic and had you wanting more, the 4th book was a bit of a struggle to get to the finish line: phew
Some nice side character development, with shifting relationships. The subterfuge/betrayals, I found a little bit basic, the weird on again-off again relationship thing was at first annoying, then kinda nice, then straight back to annoying.
What I liked was the main characters narrative with 'not being ok' which is often glossed over in most books where they just seem to keep going without having a mental health break.
First book was an easy read, second and third book were strategic and had you wanting more, the 4th book was a bit of a struggle to get to the finish line: phew
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2024
This series was sooooo slow for me and took forever to get through all four books. I feel like it focused way too much on the war and the love story was haphazardly thrown in as a second thought. For someone who prefers romantasy books, I needed a lot more to keep me reading than some social injustice and a war with lots of death and fighting scenes. I almost quit like 5 times, I even looked up the spark notes once before deciding not to spoil it for myself (that’s how much I hate not finishing a book once I’ve started). And the ENDING? So lame and entirely boring in my opinion. I can see the author was trying to be more realistic and mature with it but COME ON. I honestly rate this a 2.5/5 stars but gave it three instead of two just to be generous.
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