Reviewed by C. Breitbach, February 2024
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a novel of danger, magic, and power. Mare Barrow, a Red, lives in a world where the color of your blood determines your social status. Silvers, powerful officials and rulers, rule over Reds, impoverished commoners. She begins working in a Silver palace. But as events unfold, she learns shocking truths and is forced to take an unexpected role. Time goes on, and despite her efforts, things only become more convoluted and dangerous, as power roles shift and snap. I would recommend this book to middle school audiences and older, as it contains some mature themes, death, discrimination, murder, violence, and war. Readers who enjoyed books such as The Selection or Divergent are likely to enjoy this novel as well.