Clipper Crit: Red Queen

Red Queen is a dystopian novel about Panem, but wait! This is a different dystopian world, created after nuclear destruction, where a quasi-Roman society of corrupted elites rule over different regions. These regions are forced to hand over “tributes,” conscripted soldiers, to the government once they turn 18, while also throwing lavish parties, wearing ridiculous clothes and putting on gladiator shows. This behavior unsurprisingly causes a lot of resentment from the technologically and economically deficient lower classes, who form an extremist revolutionary society, led by the heroine. Oh, and there's a love triangle too. And that nuked-out wasteland that's apparently uninhabitable? Guess who's been making the machines to test the radiation? Not the resentful revolutionaries of the slums, right? Okay, I’m making a big deal about the stereotypical similarities, but the book is actually reasonably enjoyable to read. The overseeing aristocrats and royalty are “Silvers,” meaning their blood has been mutated to become a different color, and they have a bunch of special abilities which enable them to rule over the “Reds,” who are essentially common people. The heroine, Mare, discovers that although she is a Red, she has an ability. Can Mare hide what she is? The royal family claims she is a lost Silver noble and promise her to one son, while the other son’s interest grows for her. Anyone else seeing the love triangle? She has to learn to survive in the Silver court, help the revolutionary group and deal with a ridiculous amount of personal drama. The best thing about this book is probably the plot twist, depending on whether or not it breaks your heart. All I can say about that is, as Mare herself says, "anyone can betray anyone"...