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A review by daniella84
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
2.0
*spoilers*
I like the direction this took as a Red Riding Hood retelling - it was more paranormal/gritty which I think is more appealing for YA. But apart from that this didn't really do it for me
The whole thing of "we gotta attract the wolves by looking hot and ignorant but also afraid" didn't sit right with me, especially when Scarlett and Rosie would like compare themselves to other girls at the club and think they're superior cause they're only being seductive to draw the wolves in rather than being like that normally. One line in particular ("Do you really think they'd dress and act like that if they knew it was drawing wolves toward them?" p. 110) really wasn't the vibe and erred into victim blaming territory - I think overall a book which could have commented a lot on men being creeps and girls looking after girls failed to do this in a useful way, and instead fell into the "I'm not like other girls" kind of trope. I get that Scarlett is kind of jealous of these girls for their beauty, and Rosie is jealous of them for having normal lives, but idk it didn't vibe. I also think Scarlett's struggle with her appearance could have been pretty meaningful but it didn't quite get there (I think Crown of Coral and Pearl did this element better, especially in terms of comparison with a sister)
Silas and Rosie's relationship was not it either. Their awkward banter didn't work it was so cringe and I didn't really care about them at all. Also she's 16?? and he's?? 21??? "What does someone Silas' age want with a kid like me?" (p. 170) really says it all tbh. Also I HATED that he had a crush on Scarlett originally and then went for Rosie I feel that's so gross and unfair to Rosie cause she doesn't know about this, and then Silas kisses Scarlett after confessing this? Sis read the room. Tbh I wouldn't have been mad if he died rest in pieces trash bag
In terms of the story generally it was super predictable - the 7th son of a 7th son thing is such a big part of general magic lore, and they kept emphasising how big Silas' family is, that it wasn't a surprise when it turned out he was the Potential. Even without that it was pretty easy to guess what was going to happen - I hoped maybe it wouldn't be the big twist but a more minor thing but no it was pretty much the big moment in the book. I also think the ending would have had a lot more power if he had turned, or if it was left ambiguous - because the way it did end felt like all the turmoil they went through didn't matter, because everything worked out absolutely fine and nothing changed. It just didn't have the emotional weight it was intended to. The same thing in the battles - Scarlett or whoever would get bit/clawed and its a problem for like one second and then never again - it never had any tension cause it felt like even if they got hurt it wouldn't matter.
Instead of this, I would recommend Hold Back the Tide!
I like the direction this took as a Red Riding Hood retelling - it was more paranormal/gritty which I think is more appealing for YA. But apart from that this didn't really do it for me
The whole thing of "we gotta attract the wolves by looking hot and ignorant but also afraid" didn't sit right with me, especially when Scarlett and Rosie would like compare themselves to other girls at the club and think they're superior cause they're only being seductive to draw the wolves in rather than being like that normally. One line in particular ("Do you really think they'd dress and act like that if they knew it was drawing wolves toward them?" p. 110) really wasn't the vibe and erred into victim blaming territory - I think overall a book which could have commented a lot on men being creeps and girls looking after girls failed to do this in a useful way, and instead fell into the "I'm not like other girls" kind of trope. I get that Scarlett is kind of jealous of these girls for their beauty, and Rosie is jealous of them for having normal lives, but idk it didn't vibe. I also think Scarlett's struggle with her appearance could have been pretty meaningful but it didn't quite get there (I think Crown of Coral and Pearl did this element better, especially in terms of comparison with a sister)
Silas and Rosie's relationship was not it either. Their awkward banter didn't work it was so cringe and I didn't really care about them at all. Also she's 16?? and he's?? 21??? "What does someone Silas' age want with a kid like me?" (p. 170) really says it all tbh. Also I HATED that he had a crush on Scarlett originally and then went for Rosie I feel that's so gross and unfair to Rosie cause she doesn't know about this, and then Silas kisses Scarlett after confessing this? Sis read the room. Tbh I wouldn't have been mad if he died rest in pieces trash bag
In terms of the story generally it was super predictable - the 7th son of a 7th son thing is such a big part of general magic lore, and they kept emphasising how big Silas' family is, that it wasn't a surprise when it turned out he was the Potential. Even without that it was pretty easy to guess what was going to happen - I hoped maybe it wouldn't be the big twist but a more minor thing but no it was pretty much the big moment in the book. I also think the ending would have had a lot more power if he had turned, or if it was left ambiguous - because the way it did end felt like all the turmoil they went through didn't matter, because everything worked out absolutely fine and nothing changed. It just didn't have the emotional weight it was intended to. The same thing in the battles - Scarlett or whoever would get bit/clawed and its a problem for like one second and then never again - it never had any tension cause it felt like even if they got hurt it wouldn't matter.
Instead of this, I would recommend Hold Back the Tide!