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A review by tinyelfarcanist
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was so close to giving up this one, but I’m glad I pulled through. Very entertaining YA novel full of tropey characters.
One of the most annoying things was the author’s LOVE for camelCase (You can click on the spoiler tag if you want to see examples, not actual spoilers)clawDrill, wedAge, holoCan, headTalk,scanCrew, slingBlade, haulBacks, gravLift, horizonTram, duroArmor, pulseBlade, torchShip, bioSilk, gravBoots, mineMagistrate, archGovernor, lowReds, drillBoy, ripWings, highReds, highColor, forceGenerator, highGrav, pulseShield, lowColors, offColor, fauxWar, schoolHouses, gravMixers, noiseBubbles, slangSmarts, floatChairs, genAlt, highLingo, midLingo, highDrafts, midDraft, highUps, medBots, godTrees, ionBlades, nightOptics, recoilPlate, ghostCloak, pulseFists, analyzerMod, jamField, ionArrows, deadHorses, commUnits, holoImmersion, holoTransmitter… , but I managed to get used to it somehow.
What bothered me, even more, was the blatant sexism: (I won’t bother hiding these)
“(…) bawled like a girl”, “She is a pretty little thing”, “(…) bested by a girl”, “Yet somehow he’s thinner than a woman”, “Now I’ll show them how a real man acts. I won’t jump up and down in victory. I’ll just smile and nod” (because men can't express happiness, you know), “Women are crying. Men wipe their eyes” (so… crying too?), “The men are freakishly muscular and tall. Their arms and chests bulge with artificial strength, and they flaunt their muscle like girls showing off new toys”, “(…) cut away anything that makes you a man” (Sanderson, is that you?), “Now toss me a smile like a good doll”, “Like a woman in heat”, “He’s a vile thing. A wretched womanish thing”, “(…) take me to whoever has the biggest balls”, “You sound like a girl. Thought martyrs were tough”, “(…) you little girl”…
At least rapists were called out.
The protagonist is insufferable but at least I actually cared what happened to him (hello, Kvothe and Clary!).
The novel is full of action and twists and when you think you know what it’s about, it will turn everything around. I really enjoyed it despite its huge flaws and I’m definitely continuing the series.
One of the most annoying things was the author’s LOVE for camelCase (You can click on the spoiler tag if you want to see examples, not actual spoilers)
What bothered me, even more, was the blatant sexism: (I won’t bother hiding these)
“(…) bawled like a girl”, “She is a pretty little thing”, “(…) bested by a girl”, “Yet somehow he’s thinner than a woman”, “Now I’ll show them how a real man acts. I won’t jump up and down in victory. I’ll just smile and nod” (because men can't express happiness, you know), “Women are crying. Men wipe their eyes” (so… crying too?), “The men are freakishly muscular and tall. Their arms and chests bulge with artificial strength, and they flaunt their muscle like girls showing off new toys”, “(…) cut away anything that makes you a man” (Sanderson, is that you?), “Now toss me a smile like a good doll”, “Like a woman in heat”, “He’s a vile thing. A wretched womanish thing”, “(…) take me to whoever has the biggest balls”, “You sound like a girl. Thought martyrs were tough”, “(…) you little girl”…
At least rapists were called out.
The protagonist is insufferable but at least I actually cared what happened to him (hello, Kvothe and Clary!).
The novel is full of action and twists and when you think you know what it’s about, it will turn everything around. I really enjoyed it despite its huge flaws and I’m definitely continuing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Violence, and Cannibalism