Book Review: The Red Queen Trilogy by Victoria Aveyard

“Anyone can betray anyone.”

— Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Sadly, 2017 is the year that will bring an ends to many of may favourite series’ and the Red Queen Trilogy is one.

*I started writing this before I read King’s Cage, when, for whatever reason, I thought this was a trilogy. It’s a quartet. But here’s my review for the first three books anyway!*

** Also, please be careful because although they are reviewed individually, there will be spoilers. For spoiler free reviews check out my February Wrap-Up.**

Book 1: Red Queen 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[SPOILERS for Red Queen]

I’m not going to lie, I had no intentions of reading this book when it first came out. Then, I saw how pretty the cover was, but I still wasn’t sold. It wasn’t until a friend of mine was raving about it, that I bought it, and boy, I definitely wasn’t sorry. Even though I do things that it takes a little while to get into, maybe that was because there are some YA tropes at play here, I got some Selection vibes, and some Hunger Games vibes, but ultimately this story is it’s own. I love the way that Victoria Aveyard, worked with those tropes, but made them work for her story rather than the story working for the tropes.

I can’t imagine that saying I really liked Mare and Cal is going to surprise anyone, however, let’s talk about Maven. What a sark horse! What a plot twist! I always claim that this book had one of the best plot twists and I still stand by that. I can remember reading it the first time and telling my sister that something was off, but I couldn’t quote put my finger on what it was. And while we had some working theories, I, in not way whatsoever saw this one coming. And I fell for him, I fell for him so hard. I love him before, but more like you pet a sad puppy, the ‘shadow to Cal’s flame’ thing is so accuarate and Victoria did an excellent job of portraying that.Even just thinking about it as I read this, I’m almost in awe of how she pulled the wool over my eyes. Even the little things like his kiss, they way he seems to care for Mare, and especially when he admits that his bother is in love with her, seem like nothing, or not nothing but make him seem like a sad boy.

Book 2: Glass Sword 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[SPOILERS for Red Queen and Glass Sword]

Now, although it’s clear from the timeline within the plot that this books picks up right where Red Queen left off, I love how that’s translated in Mare’s behaviour. Maven burned her, and she is not about to let that happen again, which is why she doesn’t trust a single person. This remind me so much of Dorian form the Throne of Glass series, where you just want them to tell somebody, that they do have friends, people they can trust. But, like I said, you can see where she’s coming from, which is why I don’t quite understand why she trust some random dude who can tell the future. I guess there’s an argument in here somewhere about trusting in abilities, in science but not in people. But, that dd not really affect me when I was reading, it was just more of a nit-picking afterthought.

Of course, I still want to talk about Maven, because… it’s Maven. And yes, the notes, were creepy, the brand was wrong, and the baby was sick, but I love reading about it. He’s just such a great villain, an it kills me that I don’t get to talk about this more, because it’s such a spoiler. One of the most heartbreaking moment was during a conversation between Cal and Mare where they (finally) open up and admit that they miss him, or at least, they miss the Maven that they thought they knew. There is also some great Cal x Mare moments, for all those shippers, and even I have to admit that I do see them being endgame in this situation. Really, it had something for everyone.

Book 3: King’s Cage, aka not the final book. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[SPOILERS for King’s Cage, Glass Sword and Red Queen]

Maven broke me. Let’s just get the Maven parts out for he way first because those were killers. While reading this books, I had a bit of a revelation where it dawned on my why I love reading the Maven x Mare scenes, and that’s because they have such a Joker x Harley relationship, something Im obsessed with at the moment. It is a healthy relationship? No. Should it be #RelationshipGoals? Hell, no. But, It’s so much fun, and super interested to read about, or to see on screen.  I have always, and always will, have a soft spot for kind of extreme bordering on obsessive relationships, but I just love them. The scene where Maven is in the bath…

“How much of it was you?”

“Enough.”

Did you hear that? That was the sound of Maven plunging a dagger through my heart. This gave me the ammunition I so badly needed to defend Maven. Oh, happy days. Not so much for Maven, obviously, but for me. I mean, a tragic backstory, what more can this book possible have given me?

Of course, this wasn’t just the Maven and Mare show and there were some other characters. Initially I was disappointed that the extra POV wasn’t Cal, I mean, I say disappointed, in reality I saw Cameron’s name and put the book down for a while because I really didn’t like her in Glass Sword. But now? Now I am Team Cameron because she was so funny and so perceptive. She embodied all the people who hate Mare, and her relationship drama, and I just thought that was hilarious. It was also great to be able to see what Mare, Cal and Maven are like outside her POV. Sometimes it’s a little too easy to forget that this is more than just that sort-of love triangle. Victoria also managed to make me to a complete 180 on Evangeline, another person who I now love, even though I did see her betrayal of Maven coming.

King’s Cage finally gave me that little extra that I knew this series had in in, hence the 5 star rating. I always find it hard when I’m re-reading books, especially such a great series, not to cave and change the previous books’ rating to 5 stars, but I’m standing by my guns and I think that waiting paid off with this book.

Book 4

What do I want to see in Book 4? I’m not usually one to speculate but I really, really, really, really want a Maven POV. I love Maven, he is my fave and I just want more Maven. All Maven, all the time. I already admitted that much to my disappointment, I don’t think hat this relationship can be endgame. I guess this has to set a good example to the kids or something, however, with Cal’s decision… who knows. I’d love to see Mare run back to Maven, but that’s just me championing their twisted relationship.  On the more realistic side, I do see a redemption arc on the horizon, and I think that could work out quite nicely.

Well, that’s all folks. I hope you liked this Maven rant, or review, depending on who you ask. What did you think of the series so far? What’s your favourite book? Who are you shipping? What are your predictions? Also, I haven’t read the short stories. Should I?

If you love this series and want to check out my favourite quotes, they’re already on my tumblr page and you can check them out Here!

As always, thanks for reading!

Victoria