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A review by thebakersbooks
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
5.0
4.5/5 stars — a tightly plotted drama with excellent prose
I've heard praise for Casey McQuiston's debut since its release in June, but the parts I enjoyed most still took me by surprise. On one hand, this may be the death knell for my attempts to read romance, because if I was ever going to like a romantic drama plotline, it would have been this one. On the other hand, Red, White & Royal Blue impressed me from a craft standpoint, then piled on enough political humor, relatable moments, and forthright emotion that I loved it even though I'm not big on romance.
First off, let's talk about this book's smart humor. The main character, Alex, offsets what might otherwise be an annoyingly outgoing personality with jabs at U.S. politics, friendly banter with his loved ones, and classic early-twenties snark that's often directed inward. McQuiston's own humor shines through in her authorial voice, threading a few laughs into even the more serious third act. An early-book, spoiler-free example of the lighthearted phrasing I loved:
Next, I loved how much I could relate to Alex and his group of friends. Just because Alex is the president's son and his love interest, Henry, is British royalty doesn't mean they ignore their countries' checkered histories of imperialism and corruption. McQuiston didn't aim to be nonpartisan with Red, White & Royal Blue, and it doesn't stop short of calling out the Republican Party and even specifically horrible U.S. politicians. (Alex vandalizing Senator Mitch McConnell's office sign to read 'Bitch McConnell'? Legendary.) Alex is also a disaster at times; I particularly loved a part where, in trying to summarize himself as a person, he thought, "Alex is ... Ruining something because you wanted it too badly and still getting back up and trying again," which manages to be both relatable and inspiring.
Further, Alex is a bisexual man with one parent from Mexico and both parents hailing from poor families. Henry is gay and suffers from depression and Henry's sister is a recovering cocaine addict. I think a lot of readers might see an aspect of themselves in one or more of these characters as I did. (Side note: I'd love to see how this book was received by Americans of Mexican descent, so it might be review-browsing time.)
For the record, my half-star deduction came in part from a scene where Alex and his friends wore kimonos to a bar. The question of whether non-Japanese people wearing kimonos is cultural appreciation or appropriation is a gray area, but it felt tacky to me and also unnecessary to the scene.
This novel was trope-heavy, but in a good way. The premise and execution had the feel of well-polished fanfiction, which I mean as the highest compliment in this case. If you're craving an enemies-to-lovers mutual pining royal "AU" (not really an alternate universe since this is original fiction, but that would be the fic tag), this story will be your jam! I'd also like to applaud McQuiston's choice of only one POV character where lately this kind of narrative tends to have alternating points of view. Sticking to Alex's narration kept things tense and exciting.
I'd recommend this novel anyone who doesn't mind a plot focused on romantic drama, anyone who wants to see what the New Adult publishing category was meant to be, and most of all, anyone who finds themself rereading favorite fanfics while wishing there were published books with the same feel.
Content warnings: alcohol use, referenced drug abuse, strongly implied racism, homophobia, referenced sexual misconduct by an authority figure
I've heard praise for Casey McQuiston's debut since its release in June, but the parts I enjoyed most still took me by surprise. On one hand, this may be the death knell for my attempts to read romance, because if I was ever going to like a romantic drama plotline, it would have been this one. On the other hand, Red, White & Royal Blue impressed me from a craft standpoint, then piled on enough political humor, relatable moments, and forthright emotion that I loved it even though I'm not big on romance.
First off, let's talk about this book's smart humor. The main character, Alex, offsets what might otherwise be an annoyingly outgoing personality with jabs at U.S. politics, friendly banter with his loved ones, and classic early-twenties snark that's often directed inward. McQuiston's own humor shines through in her authorial voice, threading a few laughs into even the more serious third act. An early-book, spoiler-free example of the lighthearted phrasing I loved:
Alex keeps drinking, keeps alternating between thinking about it and forcing himself not to think about it, disappears into the crowd and dances with pretty European heiresses about it.
Next, I loved how much I could relate to Alex and his group of friends. Just because Alex is the president's son and his love interest, Henry, is British royalty doesn't mean they ignore their countries' checkered histories of imperialism and corruption. McQuiston didn't aim to be nonpartisan with Red, White & Royal Blue, and it doesn't stop short of calling out the Republican Party and even specifically horrible U.S. politicians. (Alex vandalizing Senator Mitch McConnell's office sign to read 'Bitch McConnell'? Legendary.) Alex is also a disaster at times; I particularly loved a part where, in trying to summarize himself as a person, he thought, "Alex is ... Ruining something because you wanted it too badly and still getting back up and trying again," which manages to be both relatable and inspiring.
Further, Alex is a bisexual man with one parent from Mexico and both parents hailing from poor families. Henry is gay and suffers from depression and Henry's sister is a recovering cocaine addict. I think a lot of readers might see an aspect of themselves in one or more of these characters as I did. (Side note: I'd love to see how this book was received by Americans of Mexican descent, so it might be review-browsing time.)
For the record, my half-star deduction came in part from a scene where Alex and his friends wore kimonos to a bar. The question of whether non-Japanese people wearing kimonos is cultural appreciation or appropriation is a gray area, but it felt tacky to me and also unnecessary to the scene.
This novel was trope-heavy, but in a good way. The premise and execution had the feel of well-polished fanfiction, which I mean as the highest compliment in this case. If you're craving an enemies-to-lovers mutual pining royal "AU" (not really an alternate universe since this is original fiction, but that would be the fic tag), this story will be your jam! I'd also like to applaud McQuiston's choice of only one POV character where lately this kind of narrative tends to have alternating points of view. Sticking to Alex's narration kept things tense and exciting.
I'd recommend this novel anyone who doesn't mind a plot focused on romantic drama, anyone who wants to see what the New Adult publishing category was meant to be, and most of all, anyone who finds themself rereading favorite fanfics while wishing there were published books with the same feel.
Content warnings: alcohol use, referenced drug abuse, strongly implied racism, homophobia, referenced sexual misconduct by an authority figure