Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Addicts discussion

Here is where you can start chatting about Red Queen

This has been on my TBR for a while so im excited to see what its all about

Looks like another dystopian, upper class vs. lower class kind of thing. I'd love to hear from some people who have already read this. What are your thoughts?

This is also on my TBR! I don't know if I will get a change to pick it up, but maybe!

I've already read it. I don't remember much (other than it copied Hunger Games as much as possible) but it wasn't all that great. You are right though, Kiersten, it's definitely an upper class silvers vs lower class reds story. I found it to be very predictable and boring tbh, and I don't even have the desire to finish the series. That's bad because I definitely like to finish them out if I can. It has a very high average rating so you might all feel completely different about it.

Oh yeah, I did hear that this will be a movie, directed by Elizabeth Banks. Probably because it's just like the Hunger Games. Sounds like everyone chose a good time to vote for this one if that's the case.

Dystopians tend to follow a similar theme.

I really liked it. You're right about the upper class silvers v lower class reds. I liked Mare as a main character, and enjoyed discovering the worlds of the silvers & reds.

I have been looking forward to reading this book.. Is it really similar to hunger games? Dont catch me wrong, i loved the hunger games- but i wish that authors can create their own unique idea. I read some books that are really similar to the series, and you know it right away

Stine wrote: "I have been looking forward to reading this book.. Is it really similar to hunger games? Dont catch me wrong, i loved the hunger games- but i wish that authors can create their own unique idea. I r..."

It's like the Hunger Games in that it's dystopian and there is a ruling class of people that lives in luxury while everyone else suffers. Now those two things have ramifications throughout the book that are very similar to Hunger Games, so I can definitely see why people would say that. However, the abilities of the characters and the biological differences between the two (as opposed to just what district you were born in) create enough intrigue to let it stand on its own.

As for my opinion of the book, I already read it just recently, and while I'll be continuing with the series, I can't say that it knocked my socks off, though I did like it. I think it had the potential to be great, it just didn't get there. The story itself was just...so....cookie cutter. Everything you expect to happen when you pick up the book does; nothing was mind-blowing. The author could and should have gone into a lot more detail about the world and how the red/silver split happened, but she didn't (though maybe this will come later); the characters didn't have to be so one dimensional; and she could've made life inside the castle more dark and a lot more complicated than she did. It felt more like high school melodrama than a real "the world is at a tipping point and there will be dangerous consequences" crisis. I think shallow is a good word for this. It felt like the author went the easy route. You can look back at all the twists and say "yeah, I figured something like that'd happen" (assuming you hadn't predicted them already).
The last 15 pages or so are the reason I'll be continuing. I'm also hoping that the author will pick up the slack in the next books in terms of action and world building since she left herself plenty of room to do so. The first book in a series usually is the slowest, so I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt.

Sidenote: Does anyone else just love the title/cover? So good.

Kelli wrote: "Stine wrote: "I have been looking forward to reading this book.. Is it really similar to hunger games? Dont catch me wrong, i loved the hunger games- but i wish that authors can create their own un..."

Thank you for answering :) I really love the cover - that is what catched my eye in the bookstore. It was really different

Just finished Red Queen. I actually liked it, despite it starting off very slowly.

It definitely used some cliché dystopian themes, but I did not get a strong Hunger Games vibe. Ok, maybe slightly, with the clear division of classes and discrepancies of living conditions. It kind of felt like a hybrid of Talented (Sophie Davis), The Selection (Keira Cass), with maybe some type of feudal X-Men story thrown in? ;)

What did you all think of the love interests? I just didn't buy into any of them. They seemed to be born from proximity with no real spark.

I think the caste system and the fact that they fight publicly for entertainment made me think of Hunger Games, only in this story it's the silvers that fight instead of the reds. Probably more to rub in their faces how much more powerful they are than the reds.

I agree on the love interest aspect. I couldn't take this as a love triangle because to me it was clear that Maven (I think that's his name) was playing her, and the other guy (I can't remember a name even close lol) liked her but just wasn't willing to do anything about it. And she was just dumb =P

These covers are nice for being simple. I actually like the black covers for the prequels myself.

I read this a few months back. I enjoyed it and I will read the next one but its in no way a favorite of mine. I have read better dystopia and fantasy books

Chrissy wrote: "Just finished Red Queen. I actually liked it, despite it starting off very slowly.

It definitely used some cliché dystopian themes, but I did not get a strong Hunger Games vibe. Ok, maybe slightl..."

I agree about the love interests. Cal and her barely spoke, and when they did he somehow drummed up some kind of weird attachment (though they'd only met once before she came to the castle) and she was short with him the whole time. What interactions they had weren't noteworthy, let alone swoon-inducing. Other than that she didn't even really think about him unless looking right at him, which also didn't sell it.
And with Maven, she was perpetually saying how she didn't trust him, until towards the end when it was more convenient and she was pissed at Cal for not going against his entire family and everything he was ever taught (?). Then all of a sudden she declared she loved him. Really, the only reason I considered it a love triangle is because the author so clearly was trying to hint at it, not because it felt in any way like that. Definitely a fail.

After finishing this book, I really liked it. I already said in my review that I sort of saw the ending coming, but that wasn't a bad thing as I really like being right. Haha.

It is similar, as others have said, in that there's a split between the classes, but it didn't feel much more like Hunger Games than that to me. I suppose there is the dreaded Love Triangle similarity there, too and I can agree that it didn't feel like there was much time or reason to actually 'fall in love'. Cal did several things that I could see sparking genuine affection, and Maven .. well. Maven'd. But love is a bit of a strong word. The only character I could possibly believe Mare cares about is Kilorn, and even that seemed kind of tossed aside as a brotherly thing. Or a friend-zoned thing.

I felt like the world building was very curious and interesting and I do think I'll pick up further books in the series to read. Mare was very likable and very, very fallible, and I love that. Characters with flaws who stick to those flaws feel so much more realistic to me than those who don't, so I also liked the Princes outside of the 'romance'. Also, holy cow - the supporting cast! Julian, who I very much hope to see again? I wish there had been more of him in the books and more of his history, and his sister's story revealed. The political intrigue there was way interesting to me.

I would love to see revealed in future books just how the Silvers came to be so powerful. I have a suspicion about the aftermath of the big war that was hinted at, but I'd like to know what the author came up with for that.

Overall it was enjoyable for me.

Like it, not love it.
Like others said nothing stands out here as a whoa this is awesome or stands out as original. Makes everything predictable.
So far I would call it YA dystopian, fluff. Overall enjoyable and easy to read through though. Enjoyable enough to pick up more in the series and see where it goes and how deep it delves into the character and world building.