A review by m_riaelle
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

dark funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I LOVE the comedy in this book. It had me laughing at a time everyone is sleeping at home. The Turkey Calamity is my favourite. Alex is a smart-ass with bad manners who fell in love with a prince. Henry is a must protect prince who has gone through a lot (Page 343). And as always, I'm shocked at sexually explicit scenes (I'm ace. Please don't hold that against me).

Though, I should have started with this book before reading One Last Stop because I can't help but compare Casey McQuiston's writing style at their debut novel to their second book. There are times that it feels too draggy and I just want the chapter or scene to end. But seriously, the comedy in this book is chef's kiss.

Straight people, he thinks, probably don't spend this much time convincing themselves they're straight.

^^^^^ My past self feeling attacked by that one sentence XD

Favourite scenes:
 
TWO
 
Page 48 - "I cannot believe even mortal peril will not prevent you from being the way you are." - Henry to Alex
 

THREE

 
Page 69 - Henry's retort comes two days later by way of a screenshot of a Daily Mail tweet that reads, Is Alex Claremont-Diaz going to be a father? The attached message says, But we were ever so careful, dear...
Page 73-74 - got me laughing at Alex and Henry's message
 

FOUR

 
Page 75-79 - The turkeys' chapter will kill me T-T XD HELP The gullible Alex and the prankster Henry XD (The Great Turkey Calamity)
Page 80 - "I thought you'd kill me in a more personal way. Silk pillow over my face, slow and gentle suffocation. Just you and me. Sensual." - Alex to Henry
Page 82 - Alex and Henry say 'go to sleep' to each other as if they're a couple... XD
Page 84 - SAME, HENRY. SAME. "I BEG YOU TO NOT" XD
 

FIVE

 
Page 112 - HELP. I FELT SO ATTACKED RIGHT NOW.
Straight people, he thinks, probably don't spend this much time convincing themselves they're straight.
 

SIX

 
Page 152-156 - THE EMAILS T-T XD
 

NINE

 
Page 256 - "Sometimes you just jump and hope it's not a cliff." - Oscar to Alex
 

TEN

 
Page 280 - When Alex was a kid, before anyone knew his name, he dreamed of love like it was a fairy tale, as if it would come sweeping into his life on the back of a dragon one day. When he got older, he learned about love as a strange thing that could fall apart no matter how badly you wanted it, a choice you make anyway.
 

Thirteen

 
Page 339 - "Wait. Zahra. Oh my God. I just realized. You're...my friend."
"No, I'm not."
"Zahra, you're my mean friend."
Page 339 - "...Do not even breathe in my direction." - Zahra to Alex
Page 343 - The way Bea explains about Henry is the best way to explain who I am T-T
Page 347 - "For what it's worth," he says to Philip, "that is the bravest son of a bitch I've ever met."
Page 353 - Henry looks Philip square in the face and says, "I've been gay as a maypole since the day I came out of Mum, Philip."
In the silence that follows, Alex had to bite down very hard on his tongue to suppress the urge to laugh hysterically.


TW: HP References, Pan*c Att*ck, Blackm*il, S*xual H*rassment by a Person in High Position, Forced Outing of Sexualities, St*lking, Depressi*n, Sleeping Dis*rder, H*mophobia, R*cism, Ped*philia, Pr*fanity, PTSD, De*th of Parent (search it up for more specifics or correct TW as mine is what I thought is TW while I read it)
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