Finally we are starting to see a mix of intrigue and action which I’m glad to see. The politics in Red Queen is fascinating, but this is also in the face of revolution, something has to happen when we are interacted with the major players in the game. That being said, the politics has been well written in my opinion and building up the different layers and opinions has really set the scene for the world we’re immersing ourselves into.
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Cal’s mother. “No one seems to say anything about her. Not to me, anyways.”
“People don’t like to talk about dead queens,” he snaps, turning away from me in a smooth motion. “But they talked when she was alive. Coriane Jacos, the Singer Queen.”
There isn’t much mention of Queen Coriane, both from the characters, which is unsurprising given this interaction, but also as a narrative standpoint. Not even as rumours throughout the Reds, so delving inter her history could be interesting
“I thought you wanted to change things, Julian.”
“I do indeed. But these things take time, planning, and too much luck to count on.” He stares me up and down, like somehow he knows I’ve already taken the first step down a dark path. “I don’t want you getting in over your head.”
Too late.
We’ve seen two different people talking about change now, both Cal and Julian and they both seem to think that change is too much effort. Or, if not too much effort, well out of their hands. I’d be excited to see if anyone else has a different opinion. Is this a little bit of foreshadowing? Maybe.
“His name was Thomas, and I watched him die. I could’ve saved him, but my guards held me back. His life wasn’t worth mine, they said.” Then the tears are gone, replaced by clenched fists and an iron will. “Cal calls this the balance, Silver over Red. He’s a good person, and he’ll be a just ruler, but he doesn’t think change is worth the cost,” he says. “I’m trying to tell you that I’m not the same as the rest of them. I think my life is worth yours, and I’ll give it gladly, if it means change.”
Would you look at that, I definitely didn’t foreshadow this, at all! I love the difference between the two princes, it’s been well illustrated. The crown prince, Cal, who doesn’t believe that change is worth the cost, but is willing to invent and make other changes to hopefully turn the tide in the war. Then there is the spare prince, Maven, who despite his privileged upbringing and terrifying mother, wants to pay the price that change will cost because he has seen what happens when he doesn’t. At this point, I’m favouring Maven. He may even be the Silver King to our Red Queen!
“Revolution needs a spark,” I murmur, repeating what Julian would say in our lessons. “And even sparks burn.”
This has the same feel to it that The Hunger Games had with it’s multiple quotes about revolution and rebellion. This is a good one!
Cal takes Maven’s place at my side, his movements quick and silent. “They won’t hurt each other,” he explains. “Arven stops us before anyone can do real damage, and there are healers on hand.”
“Comforting,” I choke out
To think that the Silvers have such extraordinary powers and to not expect them to fight, or at least spar, with one another, is ignorant. They’re prideful and egotistical for the most part, of course they are going to want to fight each other.
She looks like a living statue, made of solid rock rather than flesh, but Cal’s stronger. His blows splinter her rocky skin, sending spider cracks through her body with every punch.
She’s stone! By this description, she looks like a living statue, not a bunch of rocks like Thing from the Fantastic Four. There is no punch that a burner should be able to land that would defeat solid stone and I find this to be kind of ridiculous. I get that Cal has been thoroughly trained, but he’s not a strongarm. He should not be able to do this.
“I challenge Mareena Titanos.”
And with any luck, Mareena Titanos may be able to elbow you in the face like she wanted to earlier in the book!
Oliver answers for Cal, smiling much too wide for a boy going off to war. “Going?” he says. “Cal’s leading us! His own legion, all the way to the front.”
For all Cal’s bluster about not being willing to pay the cost of change, he’s already doing more than he had indicated that he would.
This world is Silver, but it is also gray. There is no black and white.
Nothing is ever black and white, not in fantasy and not in reality. Perspective plays a really big part in how you see someone and their allegiances
It’s our nature, Julian would say. We destroy. It’s the constant of our kind. No matter the color of blood, man will always fall.
Julian is wise. Pessimistic, but wise and he tells no lies here. Human kind will always be made to destroy itself in the pursuit of power.
Anyone can betray anyone.
Which includes you, not excludes, Mare. Maven could turn on you, Cal could turn on you… Even Kilorn could turn on you. But you can also turn on them.
Conclusion
Chapters 17 and 18 were thin of quotes because a lot happened that was spoilery and I didn’t want to ruin it for you! This block of chapters was highly quoteable though, especially in regards to revolution and rebellion. Only10 more chapters left and then Red Queen is done and I have exciting news about what is next… I’ll be reading my first ARC! For the uninitiated, an ARC is an Advanced Reader Copy which is a copy of the book before it is released to the public. I was lucky enough to get a hold of THREE of them. I’ll be reading Shaedes of Power by Jenny Grimes. So get excited for the next couple of days because I sure am!
If you’d like to follow along or fill in the gaps, you can get the book here!
And if you’d like to read the previous reviews, you can find them here!
Bookish Mumma 
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