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

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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? Yes

3.0

“Seventy-eight percent probability of latent bisexual tendencies”

I read this book in just over 4 straight (hehe) hours and absolutely did not regret a single minute. From the second we were introduced to Alex and Henry and thrown into their world of politics, diplomacy and rivalry, there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be a fun ride. 

The pacing of the book felt rather rushed to me, with no room for actual tension to build and the characters establishing a friendship/relationship rather quickly (so much for slow-burn enemies to lovers); however outside of that, and the very graphic sexual content — am I turning into a prude? what happened to my wattpad era self? — there was so much to love about this book. The camaraderie between the White House Trio — Alex, Nora and June — brought the perfect amount of comedic relief that had me outwardly laughing, and enough deep meaningful conversations to have me crying, and internally screaming at the characters to get their shit together and release themselves from the shackles of familial obligation! 

“That kind of love is rare, even if it was a complete disaster.” He sucks his teeth, considering. “Sometimes you just jump and hope it’s not a cliff.”

The conversations around sexuality and self exploration between all the characters in the midst of a fiery presidential election campaign allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of them, but also ourselves as a society (particularly those had between Alex and Nora, his father Oscar, and his mentor Rafael Luna). The comparisons between American and British culture, politics and history brought about many laughs and the integration of literature and historical love letters via email exchanges between Alex and Henry left my heart souring. Overall, I am glad the movie adaptation trailer convinced me to immediately start reading. 

I have closed this book with one simple takeaway. A concept that has changed history, changed lives and keeps me hopeful for all of us little queer hopefuls…
“Love is indomitable.”
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