Hello Rad Readers!!
I know that every review lately kind of has to do with one another, but I just have to marathon the rest of this series because I took too great of a gap between the first and second book (flashback to my Red Queen review in July... for shame!) and now I am fully invested in it and cannot and will not put it down. Sorry, not sorry ;)
If you couldn't already tell by the title, this book is it. What you may be asking is "it?" It's all of it. Everything. Allow me to explain-- this book is so so so so good. It's exciting, gripping, and intense from --seriously-- the first sentence and we must begin talking about it immediately!
In the third addition to the Red Queen series, we start right where we left off, Mare in enemy hands, powerless without her lightning, her gift, and at the hands of the evil Maven Calore who is trying to make sense of his messed up brain his mother tampered with through her gift and also trying to keep his country from falling to Mare's cause, what she started. As Mare trudges through her life as a prisoner of war the rest of her band of newbloods continue their rebellion, trying to not let Mare's capture waiver their efforts. They even wonder --because Mare is so deep in enemy hands-- if she is even worth an attempt to save. If it is even a possibility, and that if they go in there, will it just be a suicide mission? So, they organize, train, and expand their group without Mare. Mare deals with the pressure of the silent stone, smothering her lightning physically, and her mind and heart mentally. Cal deals... rather, tries to deal without Mare by his side and won't give up on trying to get her back. With the stakes of war rising, the newbloods no longer in the shadows, and personal issues complicating the guidelines of regular battle, it is a question as to whether or not there will be anything but fire and lightning left in the end.
Being that this is the third book in the series, unfortunately, there is not much I can say that isn't a spoiler besides this: this is probably my favorite addition to the series thus far. I said in my previous review on Glass Sword that the first half of the second novel was pretty slow, but because of the epic cliff hanger that Glass Sword did leave off on, that was not the case with this book at all. Genuinely the very first sentence was even exciting. Once I picked it up I didn't put it down for four hours. This was truly a standout novel.
Okay, brace yourself, for we have spoilers on the horizons!
Ahhhhh I called it in my Glass Sword review about Maven... Kind of... because although I did know that there was more to him, I thought he would end up a good guy. Clearly, that ship has sailed but I still knew that there was more than just an evil king without a cause. He is by a long shot the character I have the most to say about because boy oh boy what a journey we have been on with him. I do not think that there is a single redeeming chance in this man any longer. I think that either he or Mare will die at the end of the series because if one of them doesn't then that is a hugeeeee cop out from the author. I really do feel so bad for Maven though and I wish that wasn't the case because this is not the way he truly is, not the way that he wanted to be, not by a long shot. It is what his mother made him into through her whispering powers and for that, I am both very happy that Elara is dead but still sooooo conflicted over Maven. He sucks soooo hard but I still feel bad for him? When we found out that his mother's powers were still in his head I was honestly like thank the godssss because now I know I have a reason for liking this seemingly evil character. There is no redeeming him though, I know that if things will ever get better for Mare and Cal and the cause for Red equality as a whole, he has to die because of all that he symbolizes, as well as all that he has done, and honestly the finale of this story needs a big death. That is just the way it's got to be. I don't make the rules. I am genuinely and truly shocked about how great of a writer Victoria Aveyard is. Maven has done all the bad things. Every single one of them. Betrayed Mare, tormented her, killed people, children, ugh! But STILL, I wish that he wasn't like this, and I think that is because the reader knows that he wishes that he wasn't like this too. He hates that he can't feel the love that he has towards his brother or the love that he had towards his father. He wishes that his mother hadn't removed that from his mind. Such a well written and developed character!
Mare is an animal. Straight up the definition of a boss lady. Homie is a prisoner of war and although inside she is crumbling, literally tortured, on the outside she is cool as a cucumber. She is messing with Maven's emotions, getting inside his head, messing with Evangeline... which by the way... I cannot even believe the twist we had with Evangeline in the end. NEVER would I ever think that she'd be the one to help Mare escape? Anyways, I love that Mare is so devoid of feeling and sympathy. She looks at Maven and for a split second feels pity for all that he had to go through with his mother, but then reminds herself that he is the one that is keeping her imprisoned under silent stone, that he is the reason for so many deaths, that he is the reason her life will never be normal again, that her brother is dead. She reminds herself of this and then puts on the most convincing mask a homie has ever seen. She reads people like a book, body language, words, in between the lines, just a flash of anything on someone's face and out girl Mare throws that into her arsenal. Aveyard wrote Mare in a very specific way and that is the way that I love. Strong, determined. In all of her time in prison, there was never a woe is me moment. She doesn't care that messing with Maven in the way that she does is cruel because she knows that he is the truly cruel one. I also like that she is headstrong in knowing how she should be treated. In the end, when Cal chooses the crown again she firmly and totally is done with him. She has had about enough and when she realizes that she has had enough she empties herself once again, devoid of emotions, and steps back into the throne room like a freaking animal. MYYYY DOGGGGG. Homie is like I know that anyone can betray anyone and guess what losersss you all have betrayed me so much, look who doesn't care? Me. Ya girl Mare? She's done with it. Over it. To quote Beyoncé, "boy bye."
Cal... the definition of a drama queen. Moody and mopey and ugh. There is this point in the story when Mare is still a prisoner and she is thinking to herself "I hope Cal is being helpful" or something along those lines and it seriously made me laugh out loud in the airport as I was reading this because he was just being pouty and lame the whole time Mare was gone. Big dog didn't lift a finger. The award for the character that communicates his inner dialogue the worst goes toooooo, yours truly. Big dawg chose the crown over Mare and that ladies and gentlemen is a world class failure and a half. I do like him and Mare together a lot though, I mean how could I not. However, Mare is making the right choice leaving him if he is going to continuously chose a path that hates everything that Mare is. He has no backbone whatsoever, never stands up for what he wants. He doesn't seem to think that any of his needs or wants are important because he grew up following stupidly false guidelines on ruling a country and now if he feels in any way at all he writes it off as being selfish which simply is just not the case. If he continuously chooses silver society that berates and shames Mare for what she is, something she has no control over. Cal made a mistake but I KNOW that he will redeem himself because if he doesn't I just don't know what I am going to do with myself.
As far as the ending, I like that Mare is going to be on her own for a while. She needs to do some thinking. I didn't like Cameron's point of view at all. I thought she was capital B BORINGGGG but I really did like Evangeline's point of view. Aveyard turned these girls who used to be somewhat of a rival I guess to Mare and made them into real people that didn't exist solely for the purpose to make Mare look better and I really appreciated that. I liked getting to know Evangeline, knowing that she is not this untouchable silver and that all she really wants is to be free JUST LIKE MARE! I loved that! So sweet!
So yes reader dudes, that is all I have to say. I am already reading War Storm (the next book in the series) and I am already loving it!
- C8 ;)