Red Queen

November 24, 2014
In the dystopian future of Aveyard’s debut, those who bleed red are the impoverished underclass, meant to serve silver-bloods who boast supernatural gifts that have helped them maintain control. But a rebellion is rising, and 17-year-old Red narrator Mare Barrow is the spark to ignite the Scarlet Guard’s cause after she discovers she can summon lightning from her fingertips. Aveyard is adept at describing Mare’s psychological struggle, forced to live as a captive among the royal family after her powers manifest ceremony to choose a future queen. Mare’s journey as reluctant poster child and mutant becomes as much about fighting for what is right as about untangling the deceit of the privileged upper echelons. There’s an unmistakable feeling of deja vu to this first installment in the Red Queen trilogy, which shares several plot points and similarities with the Hunger Games series, with more arenas for barbaric televised slaughter and honed survival skills swapped out for preternatural powers. Fortunately, Aveyard’s conclusion leaves the story poised to depart from this derivative setup. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media.

January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Mare Barrow lives in a world where one's lot in life is determined by the color of one's blood. She was born a Red and has to make a living by pickpocketing and trying to dodge "the conscription" and being sent off to fight an ongoing war. Mare's resigned herself to the fact that she'll always serve the Silver, a genetically gifted group of people with supernatural abilities. A chance encounter with the prince causes Mare to suddenly find herself at the royal palace as a servant, where she discovers in front of everyone that she also has a unique gift. She is Red and Silver, and could be just the spark the Reds need to rise up against the oppressive Silvers. The king and queen quickly cover up Mare's anomaly by presenting her to the rest of the Silvers as a long-lost princess and betroth her to their second-born son. Now Mare is torn between playing the part of a Silver, and helping out the Scarlet Guard rebellion. The story has touches of the usual dystopian suspects. However, it's formulaic elements are far outweighed by the breakneck pace and engaging characters. There's a bit of teen romance, but luckily the characters are self-aware enough to realize its frivolity among the story's more important plot points. A solid debut from Aveyard and a welcome addition to the plethora of speculative teen lit.-Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Hudson Library & Historical Society, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2014
Amid a war and rising civil unrest, a young thief discovers the shocking power within her that sparks a revolution.At 17, Mare knows that without an apprenticeship or job, her next birthday will bring a conscription to join the war. She contributes to her poor family's income the only way she can, stealing from the Silvers, who possess myriad powers and force her and her fellow Reds into servitude. The Silvers literally bleed silver, and they can manipulate metal, plants and animals, among many other talents. When Mare's best friend, Kilorn, loses his job and is doomed to conscription, she is determined to change his fate. She stumbles into a mysterious stranger after her plan goes awry and is pulled out of her village and into the world of Silver royalty. Once inside the palace walls, it isn't long before Mare learns that powers unknown to red-blooded humans lie within her, powers that could lead a revolution. Familiar tropes abound. Mare is revealed as a great catalyst for change among classes and is groomed from rags to riches, and of course, seemingly kind characters turn out to be foes. However, Aveyard weaves a compelling new world, and Mare and the two men in her life evolve intriguingly as class tension rises. Revolution supersedes romance, setting the stage for action-packed surprises. An inventive, character-driven twist breathes new life into tired fantasy trends. (Fantasy. 13 & up)

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January 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Mare Barrow is many things: a sister, a fighter, a thief. She is also a Red, a lower caste in a fantastical society split by blood color. Silvers are the elite ruling class whose blood gives them magical powers, while Red bloods are born to serve and are often conscripted to fight in a distant war. Mare resigns herself to the war, until a chance encounter lands her in front of the Silver court and she discovers she has powers of her own, an unheard-of phenomenon in a Red. To cover this up, the Silver monarchs claim Mare as a lost Silver princess, and she soon finds herself caught up in a world of politics, betrayal, and rebellion. First-time author Aveyard has created a volatile world with a dynamic heroine, and while there are moments of romance, they refreshingly take a backseat to the action. Anticipation is already high for this debut, and with the movie rights already acquired and two sequels to come, it will likely only grow.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
In a society in which people are divided by their blood color, supernatural-powered Silvers rule over those with red blood. When Mare, a Red, discovers a power of her own, she is drawn into the deadly world of the elite Silvers. Mare's realistic confusion and grief at her situation ground the action and political machinations. A promising debut for fans of dystopian fiction.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)