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The year is 352 in the New Era and
the country of Norta is a two-class autocratic society ruled by King Tiberias.
The Silvers are privileged and powerful with super-natural abilities, while the
Reds are oppressed outsiders who serve as manual laborers and front-line
soldiers in an endless, century-old war with neighboring countries. When the
royal family discovers that Mare Barrow, a seventeen year old Red, has the
power to control lightning, they entrap her into the royal court. They are
intent on manipulating Mare, using her as a pawn in a game of deceit and
treachery in order to maintain or gain control of the kingdom. On the other
hand, Mare plans to use her new position and ability to aid the Red-led Scarlet
Guard rebellion in overthrowing the government. Weeks of training sessions,
secret meetings and forged alliances culminates in a failed coup attempt. After
all, “…anyone can betray anyone” (p.225). As her execution seems imminent,
members of the Scarlet Guard rescue Mare and take her underground. They are
battered and beaten, but also defiant, determined to regroup and continue the
rebellion.
In
her debut novel, Victoria Aveyard creates an intriguing story that blends
together elements of fantasy, adventure, mystery and romance. Themes of trust,
acceptance, sacrifice, duty and loyalty are interwoven as each side plots its’
next move in the struggle for power. Adolescent readers will relate to Mare’s
emotional roller coaster as she experiences moments of self-doubt, fear,
jealousy, confidence and confusion. Along with Mare, we discover our perception
of events and people do not always match the reality of the situation. Life is
complicated and nothing is as simple as it seems. “This world is Silver, but it
is also gray. There is no black-and-white.” (p.215). The suspenseful ending leaves the reader
wanting more, and makes this story a first installment of what could be a
multi-volume series. The content and reading level of this book is suitable and
recommended for middle school students and beyond.
Bibliography:
Aveyard, V. (2015). Red queen.
New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Interested in reading more about Victoria Aveyard? Check out these links.
http://victoriaaveyard.blogspot.com/
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