Paige Moran

Staff Writer

I love the kind of books that have their own unique world and the world of Silvers and Reds is where you’ll end up if you decide to read the book, “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard.

Mare Barrow lives in a society that is divided by people who have Silver blood and those who have Red blood.

The Silvers are the people of higher class, who own nice houses, those who live near the castle, and they even have magical powers. There are Strongarms, Greenwardens, Whispers, and a whole slew of others.

Reds, on the other hand, are the scum of the Earth, or that is what the Slivers believe. The Reds live in the Stilts, named for the houses which sit atop of high stilts protecting them from the rivers and mud.

All three of Mare’s brothers were sent to war, and it is almost time for Mare to be taken away, along with her best friend Kilron Warren, to fight alongside them.

Unlike Mare’s younger sister Gisa, she doesn’t have a job and tries to provide for her and her family by going into town and pickpocketing unsuspecting Reds.

One night, after Mare’s sister breaks her hand and might not be able to work anymore, Mare goes off to a bar in town and tries to steal from drunken neighbors.

Usually, Mare is too swift for people to notice she is stealing from them, and definitely too fast for the reaction speed of a drunken fool to notice. She swiftly sticks her fingers in the pocket of the next customer that strolls out of the bar, but her mind is too clouded in thought to realize he isn’t drunk.   

Before her eyes, the man grabs her wrist and pulls her in front of him. She is so upset she hopes he punishes her so she can forget about what happened to Gisa.

But instead of reprimanding her, the man, Cal gives her money, the most she has ever had at once. After walking her home and listening about Mare’s home life, he gives more money. She asks how he makes so much money, and all Cal tells her is it’s because he has a good job.

The next morning, guards from the castle come to search the Marrow’s house. They are used to this because it happens quite often, but this time instead of searching their house, they are there to take Mare.

She thinks it is because of her criminal record, but it is because someone from the kingdom has a job for her. Mare realizes right away that Cal has sent for her.

Mare is to be a servant for the Queen’s trial. The king is hosting to find a suitable wife — and queen — for his sons Maven and Tiberius II, or commonly known as Cal!   

After all the suitable princesses show off their power, it is time for the last princess to show off her skills. Evangeline Samos is able to control metal. To show off her powers, she tilts the top room on its side which makes Mare fall to the ground.

On her way down, Mare starts falling through an electrical dome put there by another princess. She doesn’t die, even though her clothes burn. How in the world is Mare not dead?

Once she makes is to the ground, Evangeline takes metal and throws it at Mare, and as Mare throws her hands in front of her face to hopefully stop the metal, lightning comes from her and almost kills Evangeline.

The king has never seen anything like this before, especially from a Red! In order to keep Mare safe, or more likely keep the kingdom safe from her powers, the king tells Mare she is going to marry his younger son Maven.   

Now Mare has to learn how to live like a Silver, has to hide her past as a Red, and how to manage her new powers.

I would like to tell you this book has a great ending, or that it is an amazing serious, but I’m only a third of the way through the book!

So far, I’m loving it and read 100 pages in the span of a few hours. I have heard mixed reviews on the book and on the series as a whole.

If you’re into books like “Six of Crows”, or “Throne of Glass” I think you would enjoy “Red Queen” as much as I am!

Email Paige at:

pmoran9@live.esu.edu