Scan barcode
byrdies's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is the third time I've read this book, so there is some charm to it that keeps drawing me back. Some of that charm might be high school nostalgia, as many books I found myself reading in that time of my life I return to. So take what I'm about to say and know that I do enjoy this novel, and from what I remember of the rest of the series, I enjoy that too. That being said, I find some of the political tones in this book unsatisfying, and the prose to be rather simple and repetitive in a way that is sometimes effective but often somewhat annoying. There is a hefty serving of telling and not showing throughout the book, and a lot of what is told and not shown is intended to be taken at face value. This, in my opinion, weakens a lot of the character development and the political messaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Police brutality, Torture, and War
Minor: Excrement, Rape, Animal death, and Cannibalism
yasidiaz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As someone who enjoys Star Wars and considers the Luna Chronicles as one of my all-time favorite series, it's surprising I haven't read more Space Operas. But my good friend, Moe, recommended this series and I could clock the socialist/communist/marxist influences from a mile and I was intrigued.
The series was a whole lot more brutal than I expected and is one of the main contributors to this being a 4-star rating over a 5-star rating. We don't witness the most horrifying acts committed by the other characters, but it still happens way too much for my liking. Not enough to trigger me, but enough to dampen the book just a tad for me. I heavily advise reading the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up. It's not a book for everybody.
Another critique is the lack of diversity in this. At this point, most of the books I have read are incredibly diverse and when a book is not, it takes away some of the enjoyment. It also feels odd when this is obviously inspired by leftism, a movement that has, for many years, been led by BIPOC people. A part of me hopes that changes in later books, but from what I have seen so far, I don't think that will be the case.
Aside from that, the story was intriguing and the characters were complicated. It's interesting to read a story where the characters are sometimes hard to love, even our hero, but still able to enjoy. The set-up of the world and the political intrigue that I know will get stronger in the next book is the main selling point of this book. The Golds are ruthless and you want to hate them all, but you also slowly learn war is much more complicated than that.
Despite my early critiques of the book (which I still stand by) I am intrigued to see where this series will take me.
The series was a whole lot more brutal than I expected and is one of the main contributors to this being a 4-star rating over a 5-star rating. We don't witness the most horrifying acts committed by the other characters, but it still happens way too much for my liking. Not enough to trigger me, but enough to dampen the book just a tad for me. I heavily advise reading the trigger warnings for this book before picking it up. It's not a book for everybody.
Another critique is the lack of diversity in this. At this point, most of the books I have read are incredibly diverse and when a book is not, it takes away some of the enjoyment. It also feels odd when this is obviously inspired by leftism, a movement that has, for many years, been led by BIPOC people. A part of me hopes that changes in later books, but from what I have seen so far, I don't think that will be the case.
Aside from that, the story was intriguing and the characters were complicated. It's interesting to read a story where the characters are sometimes hard to love, even our hero, but still able to enjoy. The set-up of the world and the political intrigue that I know will get stronger in the next book is the main selling point of this book. The Golds are ruthless and you want to hate them all, but you also slowly learn war is much more complicated than that.
Despite my early critiques of the book (which I still stand by) I am intrigued to see where this series will take me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, War, Murder, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Rape, and Kidnapping
alainral's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, War, Death of parent, Slavery, Murder, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Excrement
Minor: Kidnapping
kermittothebit's review
I'm reading others' reviews and it's as if we were reading different novels. One star.
I had the overwhelming feeling that I was reading poorly-done fanfiction, even though I wasn't focused on its similarities with Hunger Games. The writing is atrocious. The main character is one-dimensional, arrogant, contradictory, and seemingly stupid. The plot is so lacking that it felt like I was missing entire portions of writing; that I was just jumping between someone's ideas for a plot without any of the fleshing-out that makes characters interesting, does world-building, or gets you invested in any character. The most complicated character was his uncle, and even that was confusing.
The world is poorly done: With barely any world-building done, you're asked to accept that a society that achieved widespread genetic engineering (capable of altering iris coloring and the NUMBER OF FINGERS ON HUMAN HANDS??? without any side-effects?) has not figured out how to use machinery to do tasks like mining, rather than using slavery. I only got 71 pages in, so hopefully there's some "it happened before and everyone was killed off, society restarted" explanation, but...the entire mining society is so dumb that they never explored the (apparently body-sized) ventilation system that dumps directly out into a park? Or a step back, they asked how their atmosphere inside Mars was being generated and maintained (i.e. not leaking out to the surface or being affected in any way by their expansive mining) without any visible machinery to do so? (How would they not know there were vents???) They never asked why they have televisions in the main commons but don't have any other engineering feats? Also, and maybe this one is on me, but I just didn't love the child labor or marriage-at-puberty points. Maybe they're there to make life seem extra horrible, but it's incredibly problematic that it's mentioned (unjust in itself) but then never challenged (the main character just loves his child wife, and there's no mention of WHY it's a problem, like a lack of maturity or choice or discomfort with sex or anything). An author would be crucified if they made slavery an inherent part of their world but then NEVER mentioned anything that indicated that slavery is in any way problematic.
The main character is poorly done: (And that's on me, I think I should have judged the book by the four-square-inch gloss-covered picture of the leather-clad author doing his #Smolder on the UPPER left corner of the back cover. And if you think I'm being too harsh, I'd like to note that the words Pierce and Brown were indeed used within the first 30 pages) He has NO REACTION to seeing the garden for the first time. He is entirely motivated for his love of his wife...who is described only as beautiful (way. too. many. times.) and rebellious...until after her death, when someone immediately shits on her for not actually being rebellious or strong ENOUGH. She's smart enough to find a vent that no one else has even thought to look for (or to explore after her entire workshop becomes aware of it???) but the world-saving is left to her (apparently also incredibly handsome, eye-roll) child husband, because he's....a Hell-diver? Is that supposed to mean Brave? Because it looked a whole lot like Stupid when he miscalculated his jump, burned his hand, and almost lost his foot out of a burning desire to buy into the social-manipulation of the productivity competition.
I have more complaints but this is starting to feel like playing with my food.
I literally had more fun and used more of my brain writing this review than reading this book. Life is too short and my shelves are too packed to try this one again.
I had the overwhelming feeling that I was reading poorly-done fanfiction, even though I wasn't focused on its similarities with Hunger Games. The writing is atrocious. The main character is one-dimensional, arrogant, contradictory, and seemingly stupid. The plot is so lacking that it felt like I was missing entire portions of writing; that I was just jumping between someone's ideas for a plot without any of the fleshing-out that makes characters interesting, does world-building, or gets you invested in any character. The most complicated character was his uncle, and even that was confusing.
The world is poorly done: With barely any world-building done, you're asked to accept that
The main character is poorly done: (And that's on me, I think I should have judged the book by the four-square-inch gloss-covered picture of the leather-clad author doing his #Smolder on the UPPER left corner of the back cover. And if you think I'm being too harsh, I'd like to note that the words Pierce and Brown were indeed used within the first 30 pages)
I have more complaints but this is starting to feel like playing with my food.
I literally had more fun and used more of my brain writing this review than reading this book. Life is too short and my shelves are too packed to try this one again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Slavery, and Classism
kazli's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i need darrow and virginia in a way that's concerning to feminism.
people weren't lying when they said this is like game of thrones in space.
people weren't lying when they said this is like game of thrones in space.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Classism, Murder, Death of parent, Gore, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
n0elle's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Blood, Rape, Animal death, Classism, Gore, Police brutality, Violence, War, Murder, Physical abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Excrement, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Racism, Slavery, and Torture
jayhall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a read! An incredible sci-fi adventure, and the beginning of what I hope will be a satisfying trilogy! Set in the distant future when humanity has colonised the solar system and separated itself into a rigid and insurmountable caste system, a protagonist rises from the lowest pits of despair to spark hope, only to fall continuously as he relentlessly climbs - hoping for change as much as revenge.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, War, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
sammykay25's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
So I really like where this is going and I like the writing a lot. I think the world is very interesting and I can tell the series is really going to pick up. I just really didn't love the war game plot line. It didn't really capture me and just wasn't for me. I'm still excited to continue though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Slavery, Police brutality, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism and Sexual violence
rubyroses's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Red Rising is marketed as a mix between the Hunger Games & Enders Game. Like the Hunger Games the society of this novel is fractioned into classes all with specific job and varying hierarchies. Meanwhile, like Enders Game it focus more on a battle arena type school then an all out Hunger Games killing fest. Yet, even with all this being said Red Rising is a unique novel. It’s premise is fresh and feels unheard off even in the vast sea of YA dystopian sci-fi that exists.
Our main character Darrow is an interesting one. The journey he goes on is long and never ending. He’s a smart boy who is always struggling to stay ahead and often is falling one step behind but when he wins he doesn’t it magnificently. It’s the struggle that makes him interesting. Like most characters he is not perfect at the beginning and he is not perfect at the end. He is overwhelmingly human (😉).
But, don’t read this book just for Darrow. Every character from Cassius to Servo (he’s my favourite) have their own brilliant moments. The writing is genuinely hilariously witty even in the most tense moments.
Our main character Darrow is an interesting one. The journey he goes on is long and never ending. He’s a smart boy who is always struggling to stay ahead and often is falling one step behind but when he wins he doesn’t it magnificently. It’s the struggle that makes him interesting. Like most characters he is not perfect at the beginning and he is not perfect at the end. He is overwhelmingly human (😉).
But, don’t read this book just for Darrow. Every character from Cassius to Servo (he’s my favourite) have their own brilliant moments. The writing is genuinely hilariously witty even in the most tense moments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Torture, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Death, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Medical content, Classism, War, Animal death, Colonisation, Police brutality, and Sexual assault
linneak's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Slavery, War, Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Medical content, Murder, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Animal death, Trafficking, Death of parent, Blood, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Bullying, Police brutality, Cursing, Rape, and Sexual content