prashiie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoiler
Also, WHY AREN’T MARE AND CAL TOGETHER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK?! They need a happy ending!! This seriously is the only part where I felt betrayed. I mean it makes sense and it’s good that they take a break to recover from everything. It’s a healthy choice, but I need some closure….Graphic: Grief, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Murder, Homophobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Classism, Death, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
readers_sea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I will admit that the ending wasn't my favorite, because it felt like I was rooting for nothing throughout the last books but it is what it is.
Solid conclusion to a solid series.
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
kingspite618's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, War, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, and Violence
anniereads221's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Homophobia, War, and Torture
PTSDvereadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
“Love can be exploited, I guess, used to manipulate. It's leverage. But I would never call loving someone else a weakness. I think living without love at all, any kind of love, is weakness. And the worst kind of darkness.”
Reading War Storm is reading the previous books but in a different setting. Victoria Aveyard found the formula for this series and never let it go. I don't judge it, but it's repetitive reading the same plot over and over again with some changes.
“Cal is built from his father’s dreams, and Maven from his mother’s nightmares.”
I liked Red Queen, but the series is declining in a spiral of filler and repetition of betrayals and conspiracies. All the characters seem to have their own agenda. They are plotting and conspiring against each other all the time. At this point, I feel like everyone is conspiring to bring down the other person. It's exhausting and annoying to read the same thing all the time.
“I don't like being your chess piece."
"Everyone is someone else's pawn, Mare. whether we know it or not.”
“I walked away from his offer. From him. I was torn apart by another betrayal—Cal’s betrayal, but also mine. I love you is a promise we both made, and we both broke. It should mean I choose you above all else. I want you more. I need you always. I cannot live without you. I will do anything to keep our lives from parting.
But he wouldn’t. And I won’t.”
The book has several points of view, and they all sound similar. I had to check who was narrating the chapter because I was confused by who was who.
“But there's always something left to be broken.”
I haven't been able to connect to any characters. They all lack development. The book tells you rather than shows you. I feel like I'm looking at one of those showhouses. It looks good at first, but when you pay close attention, you realize that everything is fake.
“I will not be a red queen”
I will not continue with Broken Throne because it would be a waste of my money and time.
Red Queen series
Red Queen ★★★ ½
Glass Sword ★★★☆☆
King's Cage ★ ½
War Storm ★☆☆☆☆
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, War, Blood, Death, Murder, Homophobia, and Grief
letiross's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, and Lesbophobia
sarahthenerd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
First of all, omg this book took me a whole week to finish. NGL, it was a very draggy in my opinion. So I had to give it 4.25 star for this reason.
[𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗕𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦. 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗞]
Another reason is that I'm not very satisfied with the ending of this book. I under there's a continuation book, Broken Throne but I just think that it's better to end the series properly in this book. I understand Broken Throne has 5 short story of the aftermath, but I just think that Mare and Cal's story in that book should only be them in 10 years or them in New Norta. I haven't read Broken Throne yet, so yes I have no judge for it nor I know the contains in it. I only know the blurb of the book and the general information of what consists in Broken Throne. And the add Mare said she needs time to figure herself out is what makes me more frustrated because the whole book is just her getting angry at Cal and longing for him.
Also, I feel like the beginning and the ending of the book, especially when Lakelands is attacking Norta for the second time are the most interesting part. The middle part of the book is kinda boring to me and kinda drag the whole book.
And as I said in my review for King's Cage, there's literally no point for Cal, Volo and other Silvers to rebuild their own throne again. They're literally putting a target on their forehead by doing it. Honestly they're very stupid to think that Reds will come back to them and kiss their feet. So so stupid. Even we can see that after Cal made his decree, Reds still don't want to come back because a Silver still rules over them.
In this book, we can truly see the ruling of King Cal and it's very different. As I said when it comes to Maven's ruling, he was driven by his obsession towards Mare while Cal's ruling was driven by his love towards Mare. We can see it when he plans an attack at New Town and made a decree of fair wages, no more conscription, etc for the Reds. But even though he can win a few favor from Reds, its still wasn't enough. Honestly he's truly is the opposite of Maven.
“𝘾𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙙𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙩, 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨.” –Evangeline Samos
I also want to add that omg I hate the way Silvers talk about Red. Especially when reading Evangeline and Iris' POVs. But I do relate to what Evangeline feels toward her father.
And when I was reading Maven's POVs, I was like, "Omg he's gone. There's no way to save him.". In his POVs, he really is a change person from when he was in Red Queen. My theory is that the moment Maven become a toxic person and his mom whispers her way into her head was when he saw Mare and Cal dancing and kissing in the security camera in Red Queen. In his POVs, we can also see that he was traumatized by his mother's whisper because he's getting crazy a bit.
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
anskutiti's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, War, Toxic friendship, and Violence
bryelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood and War
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content
morgankailackerman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Homophobia, and Death