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A review by blueeyes
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
My mom had been telling me to read this book for a while but I was very hesitant. For one it is written by a man, and I tend to read more books written by women. I was afraid that this book would have poorly written women (and it kinda did). Also, it just didn't seem like a book I would like. It is set on Mars and I have no interest in Mars, and I do not read a ton of dystopian books. But this book surprised me.
My biggest qualm with this book is that in the first half a lot of the women where presented as tits that walk around. Like it seemed to be over sexual when it came to women. This might have been on purpose to show how the society values it women, but I think that can be shown through the actions of people, rather then what occurs in the characters head or around him (and Darrow does not view women like this so it feels unnecessary). I do not find this in the last half of the book though. The women became very fleshed out characters.
This book reminds me of the hunger games, from the game where children fight each other to music and how it can impact a revolution. This book does not shy away from what people will when they are desperate. I love how names (or rather nicknames) create a persona of someone who is larger then life. The Jackal, Reaper, and Mustang create a myth instead of a person, and I love how the nicknames relate perfectly to the characters.
I love the proctor for Hermes. They just seem so fun. Also seemed weird that the Minerva proctor did not care what happened to Mustang at the end of the book. Also love Severo. He might be my favorite.
I also liked the narrator for this book quite a bit. He used a Irish accent, which just seemed to fit the accents for the Red perfectly, and it contrasted with the accents the Gold's use so well. The end of the audio played Eo's song with music and it was really cool. I've never had an audio book do that before.
Their where so many shocking part in this book. I gasped when it was revealed Titus was a red before. Shocked when Leah was killed and Roque went missing (but I knew he wasn't dead). When Cassian stabbed Darrow. Pax's death made me gasp and cover my mouth on my bus. Like I can still hear him screaming his name while fighting people. Mustang being the Jackal's brother was shocking. But I knew she wouldn't betray Darrow cause she wants the world to change too.
I love that Darrow won the game by beating the system. He won by breaking the system and playing by his own rules. That is what is going to happen in the revolution, and I think this book does a good job at showing what could happen in the rest of the series.
Darrow and Mickeys relationship is so weird. The book has Darrow come to like him, maybe something more, but its so gross. In the end Darrow knows that Mickey is bad, but it still feels icky while listening to it.
I really did not like how women where presented in the first half of this book (like walking tits), but it surprised me as the book when on and had well rounded female characters. Mustang, Leah, Quinn, Antonia. However, this book does focus on men but I found it handed actions men can and do complete very well. Rape is a topic that comes up a lot in this book, but I think it is handed very well, which was surprising to me as I had not expected that.
My biggest qualm with this book is that in the first half a lot of the women where presented as tits that walk around. Like it seemed to be over sexual when it came to women. This might have been on purpose to show how the society values it women, but I think that can be shown through the actions of people, rather then what occurs in the characters head or around him (and Darrow does not view women like this so it feels unnecessary). I do not find this in the last half of the book though. The women became very fleshed out characters.
This book reminds me of the hunger games, from the game where children fight each other to music and how it can impact a revolution. This book does not shy away from what people will when they are desperate. I love how names (or rather nicknames) create a persona of someone who is larger then life. The Jackal, Reaper, and Mustang create a myth instead of a person, and I love how the nicknames relate perfectly to the characters.
I love the proctor for Hermes. They just seem so fun. Also seemed weird that the Minerva proctor did not care what happened to Mustang at the end of the book. Also love Severo. He might be my favorite.
I also liked the narrator for this book quite a bit. He used a Irish accent, which just seemed to fit the accents for the Red perfectly, and it contrasted with the accents the Gold's use so well. The end of the audio played Eo's song with music and it was really cool. I've never had an audio book do that before.
Their where so many shocking part in this book. I gasped when it was revealed Titus was a red before. Shocked when Leah was killed and Roque went missing (but I knew he wasn't dead). When Cassian stabbed Darrow. Pax's death made me gasp and cover my mouth on my bus. Like I can still hear him screaming his name while fighting people. Mustang being the Jackal's brother was shocking. But I knew she wouldn't betray Darrow cause she wants the world to change too.
I love that Darrow won the game by beating the system. He won by breaking the system and playing by his own rules. That is what is going to happen in the revolution, and I think this book does a good job at showing what could happen in the rest of the series.
Darrow and Mickeys relationship is so weird. The book has Darrow come to like him, maybe something more, but its so gross. In the end Darrow knows that Mickey is bad, but it still feels icky while listening to it.
I really did not like how women where presented in the first half of this book (like walking tits), but it surprised me as the book when on and had well rounded female characters. Mustang, Leah, Quinn, Antonia. However, this book does focus on men but I found it handed actions men can and do complete very well. Rape is a topic that comes up a lot in this book, but I think it is handed very well, which was surprising to me as I had not expected that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail