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knlipke's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
This was a really good sequel. A lot of series suffer from “second book syndrome” of just being boring and not useful.
Holy hell this was not it. I was tense the entire time. It was brutal, it was violent, it was bloody. Loved it
Holy hell this was not it. I was tense the entire time. It was brutal, it was violent, it was bloody. Loved it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Child death
caelfind's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: War and Violence
hollymileham's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
on team cal like you would not believe
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, War, and Blood
itstruly_flower's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, War, Murder, and Death
Minor: Cursing
jos_books101's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and War
Minor: Blood
ashybear02's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, War, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Death
rdawnl's review
adventurous
dark
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, War, and Blood
angelofthetardis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The follow up to 'Red Queen', Mare has escaped the clutches of Queen Elara and her own fiance, and is now in the hands of the Scarlet Guard. Armed with the knowledge that she's not the only one of her kind, her mission now is to recruit 'newbloods' to her cause and to save them from certain death at the hands of the Silver King. But who exactly can she trust? And just who is going to trust her?
I know it's probably a lazy comparison, but throughout my reading I felt like this followed the same storyline as the first half of 'Mockingjay'. There are a lot of similarities - the hidden bases that 'normal' people believe are abandoned, the filming of a propaganda reel with the main protagonist going off script and so on. It's definitely not a bad thing as the story completely works, but a part of me had hoped for something a bit different.
However, I like it when action takes a back seat to character development and the deepening of a reader's emotional investment into the story, and thus book absolutely achieves that. The twists and turns of Mare's thoughts and feelings, the continual questioning of just who is trustworthy, who is safe, who is going to betray you... by the conclusion, you can totally understand Mare's psyche and her feeling of being totally lost. You know what you hope will happen and what you expect to happen, but there's definitely plenty of room for further surprises. Part of me wants everything to pan out in the 'traditional' way, but there is so much scope for alternatives the other half of me really wants to be surprised!
The author hasn't shied away from taking a darker tone in places to illustrate the change in Maven and the 'oncoming storm'. While not graphic, there are a couple of scenes that, if they made this into a TV show or film, I know I'd be hiding behind a pillow at. In those moments, you do suddenly remember that Mare is just a teenager and so the contrast with the death and destruction she is faced with is quite shocking.
Overall I enjoyed this deeper dive into Mare's head and heart, and I look forward to seeing things continue to play out. Fortunately I don't have to wait long to find out what happens next; the next book in the series is waiting for me at the library!
I know it's probably a lazy comparison, but throughout my reading I felt like this followed the same storyline as the first half of 'Mockingjay'. There are a lot of similarities - the hidden bases that 'normal' people believe are abandoned, the filming of a propaganda reel with the main protagonist going off script and so on. It's definitely not a bad thing as the story completely works, but a part of me had hoped for something a bit different.
However, I like it when action takes a back seat to character development and the deepening of a reader's emotional investment into the story, and thus book absolutely achieves that. The twists and turns of Mare's thoughts and feelings, the continual questioning of just who is trustworthy, who is safe, who is going to betray you... by the conclusion, you can totally understand Mare's psyche and her feeling of being totally lost. You know what you hope will happen and what you expect to happen, but there's definitely plenty of room for further surprises. Part of me wants everything to pan out in the 'traditional' way, but there is so much scope for alternatives the other half of me really wants to be surprised!
The author hasn't shied away from taking a darker tone in places to illustrate the change in Maven and the 'oncoming storm'. While not graphic, there are a couple of scenes that, if they made this into a TV show or film, I know I'd be hiding behind a pillow at. In those moments, you do suddenly remember that Mare is just a teenager and so the contrast with the death and destruction she is faced with is quite shocking.
Overall I enjoyed this deeper dive into Mare's head and heart, and I look forward to seeing things continue to play out. Fortunately I don't have to wait long to find out what happens next; the next book in the series is waiting for me at the library!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Child death, and Death
prashiie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
"I am a weapon made of flesh, a sword covered in skin. I was born to kill a king, to end a reign of terror before it can truly begin. Fire and lightning raised Maven up, and fire and lightning will bring him down."
The book starts with Mare and Cal running away with the Scarlet Guard. She is ready to go on a quest to find others like her before Maven hunts them all down. There are so many newbloods out there with amazing abilities.
"I could control it if I wanted. I could shut this whole thing down. I could drown us all."
In this book, Mare is very confident of herself and her powers. She realises that she is very powerful and dangerous.
"Lightning has no mercy."
But she is also very angry at the world, especially at the Silvers for the injustice that they bring upon Reds and the newbloods. She didn’t deem them worthy of her mercy which scared and infuriated Cal.
"Anyone can betray anyone."
Maven’s betrayals have really hurt her and now Mare finds it very difficult to trust the people around her. This very sentence haunts her throughout the story.
I did expect Mare and Call to renew their romantic interest in each other, but they are both so traumatised by recent events that this didn’t happen. Mare’s relationship with Kilorn also changed. She realises that they have both grown much since their time in the Stilts. He is a great friend to her!
And at the end, she managed to kill Queen Elara. I expected more of a fight between them - it seemed quite abrupt. At the same time, she also loses her beloved brother Shade. I really liked Shade and his powers, so his death was quite shocking. Unfortunately, Mare ends up in Maven’s hands again to save the people she cares about and he is not happy about his mother’s death.
Very excited to see how the next book plays out!
The book starts with Mare and Cal running away with the Scarlet Guard. She is ready to go on a quest to find others like her before Maven hunts them all down. There are so many newbloods out there with amazing abilities.
"I could control it if I wanted. I could shut this whole thing down. I could drown us all."
In this book, Mare is very confident of herself and her powers. She realises that she is very powerful and dangerous.
"Lightning has no mercy."
But she is also very angry at the world, especially at the Silvers for the injustice that they bring upon Reds and the newbloods. She didn’t deem them worthy of her mercy which scared and infuriated Cal.
"Anyone can betray anyone."
Maven’s betrayals have really hurt her and now Mare finds it very difficult to trust the people around her. This very sentence haunts her throughout the story.
And at the end, she managed to kill Queen Elara. I expected more of a fight between them - it seemed quite abrupt. At the same time, she also loses her beloved brother Shade. I really liked Shade and his powers, so his death was quite shocking. Unfortunately, Mare ends up in Maven’s hands again to save the people she cares about and he is not happy about his mother’s death.
Very excited to see how the next book plays out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Xenophobia, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Death
Minor: Violence, Stalking, and War
julienicole1106's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Torture, Vomit, War, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore