Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Red Rising

This book book did not hook me from the very beginning. It takes a but of time to get a feel for the setting and what is going on. I found myself thoroughly captivated during the second half.

This book is about 16 year old Darrow - a member of the Red's on Mars who beleiie they're slaving away in the planets mines for a higher purpose of terraforming the planet to get it ready for future generations. He lives with his family and wife, in terrible conditions. An act of disobedience triggers a series of events which shatter his entire world and he learns Mars is already terraformed and Mars is a bustling, fairly high tech civilization run by the Golds. His people, the Reds have been lied to in order to create an entire cast of people who are literal slaves. Darrow is then presented with the opportunity to infiltrate the Golds and must push himself beyond the limits to move up in society in order to reform the system.

So much happens in this book. The book takes place over the course of a couple years and it's fantastic. There's a ton of characters but they feel complex. The stakes feel super high in this book. I love feeling afraid for the main character. There's little twists and turns throughout the whole story. I loved not knowing how things would play out. The character growth is unreal. Darrow changes so much during the story and it's empowering to experience his growth - although he messes up quite a bit too.

I can see how some people may think of the Hunger Games or Lord of the Flies while reading this but it's definitely it's own story. I am not someone who enjoys series a lot, but I am really excited to keep reading this one.

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jenmarie11's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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sensorglitch's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Starts a bit slow, but really picks up

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zanazy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

This was the first male main character lead story and sci-fi fantasy I’ve ever read. The setting is a dystopian society sometime in the future. Earth is dying/has died, and humanity has found a home in other planets. Darrow the main protagonist is a strong and complicated character. The book takes a few early chapters to set the setting of the story and the "caste" like system, and then quickly introduces the conflict and sets Darrow up for his story arc. Very early on, you get a sense of how far humanity is willing to go to survive, at the cost of others, and how the governing leaders silence those who dare to speak up.

There is a mystery around the death of

Eo. Right away I want to know more about her song and what her last words were. The impact her death has on Darrow influences him and stay with hin throughout the story. I have a feeling we will learn more about Eo as the story continues.

The supporting characters in this story are all complicated and complex characters that add to the storyline and make you invest in their fates. Darrow finds himself in a world where everyone should be his enemy, and where despite his new status he is still a lower ranking than his peers, but he rises above and is a natural leader. He is a great example of someone who was born to lead. His leadership growth and the way he adapts and learns from his early mistakes in being a leader humanize him and make him relatable. No character in the story is without flaws.

There is very little romance in the story, which I thought I would miss, but it fits the setting. There are hints of characters becoming more, and the gradual build-up to this relationship is realistic, due to Darrow's early loss in the book. I look forward to seeing how this relationship evolves.

My favorite relationship is that of Sevro and Darrow. Brothers, loyalty, pride, and overcoming misconceptions and status. Sevro and the Howlers are the best, and their loyalty to Darrow, the Reaper is a highlight. I can't wait for Darrow to prove everyone wrong and show that loyalty was not just confined to their trial, some bonds truly cannot be broken and are for life.

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