Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (review)

Like all other Reds, seventeen-year-old Mare Barrow leads a life of poverty and destitution, picking pockets and barely making ends meet for her family, while the Silvers—people with stunning supernatural abilities—flaunt their power and wealth. A chance encounter with a mysterious stranger lands her the sweet gig of a servant’s position in the royal house, until another chance reveals latent superhuman powers of her own, to the horror of both Mare and the royal family. Now the royals are trying to pass her off as a misplaced Silver, betrothing her to their second son to keep an eye on her and perhaps use her as a force to quell a budding Red rebellion. Mare has no plans to obey quietly, however, especially after she learns of the death of her brother at Silver hands, and she finds a surprising ally in the prince as she joins the revolutionary forces as a spy. Readers will be familiar with many of the elements here, from the oppressive government to the reluctant heroine to the stirrings of rebellion, but Aveyard uses this conventionality to her advantage, setting her audience up for a gaspworthy twist that reconfigures nearly every character’s role and leaves Mare with no one to trust but herself. The plot turn also provides nuance to characters that initially seem two-dimensional and casts their previous actions in a more complex light. This blend of fantasy and dystopia will be an unexpected and worthy addition to many genre fans’ reading list.