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A review by leannarapier
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I asked readers for a character driven fantasy or scifi with emotional depth to the characters. Red Rising was the most recommended. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.
It started out interesting with the MC being part of a group (known as Reds) sent to live underground generations ago to mine materials needed to terraform Mars. What they didn’t realize is that their mission was complete long ago and the other Colors were living in luxury on Mars and other planets while they still slaved away thinking they were preparing Mars for their future children.
The MC, after discovering the truth, is disguised as a Gold (the elite group of people) and goes to a special training school. At this point, I felt like the novel was a redo of the Hunger Games only with more language and violence. Nor did I really get the emotional depth I was looking for. I wanted something heartfelt with action, and more than just the grief and violence this book became.
3.5 I would have given it 4 stars except for the bait and switch. I loved the beginning idea of an oppressed people rising up and was disappointed in the whole hunger game school survival setting it became.
It started out interesting with the MC being part of a group (known as Reds) sent to live underground generations ago to mine materials needed to terraform Mars. What they didn’t realize is that their mission was complete long ago and the other Colors were living in luxury on Mars and other planets while they still slaved away thinking they were preparing Mars for their future children.
The MC, after discovering the truth, is disguised as a Gold (the elite group of people) and goes to a special training school. At this point, I felt like the novel was a redo of the Hunger Games only with more language and violence. Nor did I really get the emotional depth I was looking for. I wanted something heartfelt with action, and more than just the grief and violence this book became.
3.5 I would have given it 4 stars except for the bait and switch. I loved the beginning idea of an oppressed people rising up and was disappointed in the whole hunger game school survival setting it became.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Gore, and Cursing