Tag Archives: red queen

[Retrospective] – A Rewind Of: Feb 2016

Retrospective is a monthly post to rewind all of the happenings, thoughts, and discussions here at thoughts and afterthoughts. 

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A Rewind Of:
Feb // 2016


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[Review] Glass Sword — Victoria Aveyard

Book Title:       Glass Sword (Red Queen #02)
Author:           Victoria Aveyard
Number of pages:  448

Synopsis:

glass-sword-victoria-aveyard-book-coverMare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

(re: Goodreads @ Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard)


Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– The cover screams: “why fix what isn’t broke?”
– World building veers toward Sci-Fi introducing a wealth of technology; lack of explanation for caste-defining blood distinctions
– Plot is “recruitment to the cause“-centric similar to X-Men: First Class
– Lacking threat and presence of villains throughout (Maven basically gets Darkling’d a la Grisha Trilogy)
– New characters share similarities to those in the X-Men, but more importantly, they read as token shields and plot pushers with limited charisma other than their utility
– Mare remains Mare; continued repetition of old-and-new quotes
– Recommended to have the map of Norta handy as it isn’t provided (see below)

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Initial Thoughts

Oh look, the bringer of negativity is back. Glass Sword didn’t redeem the shortcomings of Red Queen (2/5 review here). I seriously wanted to like this book, okay?

Fine print #1: You probably shouldn’t read the review unless you’ve read Red Queen. There aren’t any Glass Sword spoilers.

Fine print #2: Disregard my opinions below and read Glass Sword if you’d like to. (Then come back to me and we can talk about it.)

Full disclosure: I received an ARC courtesy of a giveaway from Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles. Thanks Britt (and sorry Britt :(!)


Continue reading [Review] Glass Sword — Victoria Aveyard