YA Book Club :: RED QUEEN
This month's selection: RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard. The timing was perfect, because I got notification that my hold had arrived at the library the day I saw Tracey's announcement.
Let me preface this review by saying that I am horrible at writing reviews.
Or perhaps this: I probably wouldn't be horrible at writing reviews if I hadn't spent so much of my undergraduate and graduate career in the realm of literary and political theory analysis, which makes me want to not write reviews.
As I read now, I am constantly thinking of the elements of fiction, how the writer accomplishes (or doesn't) something, but reviews? Few and far between. Even on Goodreads, I'm more likely to give a rating than write paragraph after paragraph (although I've gotten better and now at least try to write a sentence or two).
So. RED QUEEN.
Another preface: I love Epic Reads and could watch Tea Time all day long. I suppose that's where I first heard about RED QUEEN. And then saw its gorgeous cover. I mean, the cover alone...
And while I heard a lot of good things about RED QUEEN, I also heard some not-so-good.
Okay, another preface: I don't read a lot of fantasy.
Okay, let me stop with the prefaces and get right to it.
I enjoyed this book. I liked it. I will probably read the next book to find out what happens. I enjoyed the world and the characters and the betrayal - ooh, especially the betrayal. It did remind me a lot of The Selection books by Keira Cass, which were not among my favorites. Like I said, I don't read a lot of fantasy.
But I didn't love it, I won't purchase a copy, and I won't rush out to buy the second book. I mean, this isn't RUBY RED, people. I will put my name on the library hold list mainly to find out what happens with the romantic elements of the story. But I do think that if you write fantasy, you should probably read this to see what all the fuss is about. And maybe to remind yourself that you are a great writer.
I'm sorry that I can't go into specifics because I returned the book to the library a couple of weeks ago and the details are a little hazy.
So, awesome review, huh?
What did you think of RED QUEEN?
You pretty much summed up my feelings :) I don't read a lot of fantasy, but I liked it enough to check out the next book.
ReplyDeleteI'm also "eh" about writing reviews because of all the analysis I did on books in college. Years later and my brain is still clogged with theory and techniques.
I'll pass this onto my daughter, who LOVED the "The Selection" series.(Should there be two "the's" in that sentence? I'm torn!) I read the series, too, and was kind of "meh" about it because I felt the love story wasn't very convincing. But I'm interested in Red Queen. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't think I'll be reading Book 2, which is a bummer. Also, if anything, your review sold me (even more!) on RUBY RED. Every time you mention that book I think, "Oh, must read SOON!"
ReplyDeleteI won't be reading Book 2 either and will be donating this book to the library or, like Katy, dropping it during Rock the Drop. As you probably already know, I'm a big fan of romance in books. I don't love books that have poorly executed romantic relationships. I'd put this one under that category, unfortunately. I was not convinced by ~any~ of the romance (plural) in this one. I was totally getting THE SELECTION vibes from it too. While I enjoyed those books (certainly not for their stellar writing), I didn't need to read another book in that same vein. At all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review! I hope this didn't turn you off of "fantasy". (I'm using that word very, very loosely because it's dystopian masquerading as fantasy.) ;-)
I think I'll pass on book two. But I'm glad you liked it. And maybe it'll get you reading more fantasy? Also, of course it's not RUBY RED. :)
ReplyDeleteI put aside SAPPHIRE BLUE to finish RED QUEEN on time for today, and now I kind of wish I'd stuck with it instead. I'm with you. Reviews are brutal to write, whether or not you like a book. While RQ wasn't really for me, I'm glad you enjoyed it enough to possibly read the sequel. :)
ReplyDelete"So, awesome review, huh?"
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up. And I'll be passing on this, too. Also, I need to read RUBY RED.