This series has gotten some flack for cobbling together elements of The Hunger Games and A Song of Ice and Fire. While Red Queen certainly wears its influences on its sleeve, I think Aveyard manages to take the dystopian setting of THG and the political games of ASoIaF and put her own spin on them without treading into rip-off territory. (Admittedly, my knowledge of ASoIaF comes from Pop Culture Osmosis, so take that statement with a grain of salt.)
While it doesn't do anything all that different from other YA dystopia- it's a pretty typical "the oppressed rise up" tale- I do think the setting is unique enough to satisfy readers who aren't completely sick of the genre. The world building could've been thought out more, but you can still feel just how much history Aveyard isn't showing.
The plot is executed well and most of the characters are likable, sympathetic, and usually have some depth to them. Aveyard doesn't pull any punches when it comes to death, the gritty, unforgiving landscape of war, and how being a figurehead of hope can wear down even the most determined of souls. Unfortunately, a not insignificant portion of the books are dedicated to a couple of clumsily executed romance subplots. It didn't bother me all that much, but I would've preferred it if Aveyard had left them on the cutting room floor.
Really, the biggest flaw this series has is its prose. Aveyard's got a bad habit of belaboring just how crappy the Red's situation is, and her attempts at being clever are usually undercut by her less-than-subtle winks to the audience. Since the series is in first person, you could argue that the first point is because the characters are teenagers, but that explanation only goes so far. I also can't think of a good reason why this series is written in first person anyway aside from "other YA were doing it at the time." For example, Mare admits in the beginning that she's barely literate, but she's able to come up with poetic turns of phrases at the drop of a hat? Yeah, not buying it.
All in all, I am giving this series a recommendation. It's one of those stories that manages to overcome its flaws, and I'm willing to give a debut series some leeway. (Not everyone can hit it out of the park right off the bat, after all.) If YA dystopia with fantasy elements is your thing, I'd say give this a shot. Just don't go into it expecting something groundbreaking.
A Solid Debut with a Major Hurdle
This series has gotten some flack for cobbling together elements of The Hunger Games and A Song of Ice and Fire. While Red Queen certainly wears its influences on its sleeve, I think Aveyard manages to take the dystopian setting of THG and the political games of ASoIaF and put her own spin on them without treading into rip-off territory. (Admittedly, my knowledge of ASoIaF comes from Pop Culture Osmosis, so take that statement with a grain of salt.)
While it doesn't do anything all that different from other YA dystopia- it's a pretty typical "the oppressed rise up" tale- I do think the setting is unique enough to satisfy readers who aren't completely sick of the genre. The world building could've been thought out more, but you can still feel just how much history Aveyard isn't showing.
The plot is executed well and most of the characters are likable, sympathetic, and usually have some depth to them. Aveyard doesn't pull any punches when it comes to death, the gritty, unforgiving landscape of war, and how being a figurehead of hope can wear down even the most determined of souls. Unfortunately, a not insignificant portion of the books are dedicated to a couple of clumsily executed romance subplots. It didn't bother me all that much, but I would've preferred it if Aveyard had left them on the cutting room floor.
Really, the biggest flaw this series has is its prose. Aveyard's got a bad habit of belaboring just how crappy the Red's situation is, and her attempts at being clever are usually undercut by her less-than-subtle winks to the audience. Since the series is in first person, you could argue that the first point is because the characters are teenagers, but that explanation only goes so far. I also can't think of a good reason why this series is written in first person anyway aside from "other YA were doing it at the time." For example, Mare admits in the beginning that she's barely literate, but she's able to come up with poetic turns of phrases at the drop of a hat? Yeah, not buying it.
All in all, I am giving this series a recommendation. It's one of those stories that manages to overcome its flaws, and I'm willing to give a debut series some leeway. (Not everyone can hit it out of the park right off the bat, after all.) If YA dystopia with fantasy elements is your thing, I'd say give this a shot. Just don't go into it expecting something groundbreaking.