Unexpected Powers: A Review of Red Queen

“Red Queen” is a fantasy novel by Victoria Aveyard, which follows how seventeen-year-old Mare Barrow’s discovery that she, a peasant-born Red, has the special powers of the elite ruling Silvers and changes her country’s future. When the novel begins, Mare is just a pickpocket of the Red-blooded class in the country of Norta. The Reds are ruled over by the Silver-blooded humans with special powers and ability. Mare hates the Silvers.
Mare and her family, like most Reds, barely manage to scrape by. Her three brothers are off at war. Her sister, Gisa is an apprentice of a seamstress and makes the money for her family. Mare assists with money made from pickpocketed items. Her father is a disabled war veteran. Mare’s best friend, Kilorn, is nearing the age when he must go off to fight. This breaks Mare’s heart. Mare, having been arrested numerous times for crimes, decides to meet with Will Whistle, a member of the underground black market to see if he can offer help.
Will introduces Mare to Farley, the leader of an underground group called the Scarlet Guard. Farley says she will help Mare and Kilorn escape conscription, helping them get to safety, for the price of two thousand Crowns. Mare has limited time to obtain the money. She accompanies her sister, Gisa, to work

Mare tries to use Cal’s feelings for her to get him to turn against his father, but he does not agree. He orders troops after the Scarlet Guard instead. Cal’s troops capture Mare and Maven, and bring them to the king and queen. The king says that they both must be killed, but the queen will not allow this. She uses her powers to force Cal to kill his own father. Maven reveals himself as a traitor, having used Mare to help him destroy the Scarlet Guard and become king on his own. Mare and Cal are then sentenced to death, but manage to escape when they are helped by the Scarlet Guard. As the novel ends, Mare vows to kill