“He holds my gaze, as if his eyes alone could set me on fire. A waste. There is nothing in me left to burn.”
We join Mare and Cal as they make their escape with the Scarlet Gaurd. Running from Maven, Mare has discovered she isn’t the only Red with a Silver’s power. There are many others like her, and she’s got a list. Determined to save them and potentially start a rebellion, Mare begins searching. There’s only one problem. Maven has the list too, and he’s ready to do anything it takes to protect the image of the throne. Who will get to them first? Can Mare save even one person from a horrible fate?
This story was gut-wrenching. The first half had shocking enough reveals to keep my head spinning. The plot development was rather slow in the beginning, though. The action really picks up in the second half. The time lapses were done well, and the suspense building is phenomenal.
Mare’s character development was outstanding. Her mental struggles are age appropriate, and she appears to age quickly in a believable way. Seeing her refer to people only two years younger than her as “kids” is strange, but given her social standing, it’s easy to understand why she’s setting herself apart. You can feel the way the world is weighing on her shoulders.
Cal’s inner turmoil as he struggles to find his alliances tears you apart. When they stand on different moral high grounds, you feel ripped between his world and Mare’s, between what’s right and wrong. Are Silver deaths worth it? How many Red’s do they have to lose? He once stated “I’m not part of your rebellion.” Will that stand?
I enjoyed this one, but it wasn’t as mind blowing as the first. I felt a lot of build-up without a satisfactory conclusion. I’ll give it four out of four stars, and I look forward to reading the next one.
About Victoria Aveyard:
Victoria Aveyard is an author and screenwriter, born and raised in a small town in Western Massachusetts. She has a BFA in Writing for Film & Television from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling and USA Today bestselling series, Red Queen, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Realm Breaker. The next installment in the Realm Breaker series, Blade Breaker, publishes June 28th.
She lives in Los Angeles with her partner and her dog, Indy.
Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and counting.
marcisbookmark 
I love thrillers and mystery stories. I would like to have a copy of this one.
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I like the cover art & this sounds like a great read. I will add this to my “to read” list, thanks for sharing this.
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I don’t know Victoria aveyard but she seems awesome! I will get her book, seems very interesting.
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I’m hooked from just reading the first paragraph haha. This seems so cool and would love to read more of it. I’m not sure about head spinning for me though lol. Thank you for the review!
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