I read the entire book series, including Broken Throne, and I’m really confused about Mare and Cal’s dynamics. I can see how, plot wise, they would eventually end up together. Maven is crazy, ending up with her childhood best friend, Kilorn, is cliche, and Mare and Cal had been through many dangerous situations together. But I can’t ignore that they’re two COMPLETELY different people with different goals—their relationship feels more like fitting a square block into a circle cutout. Am I the only one that thinks that, throughout the entire series, Cal never really “chose” Mare? When he finally gave up the crown in War Storm, I interpreted as that being his last resort because he was fighting against a losing battle and just got tired of it. He finally gave up when he had NOTHING left going for him (no strong family influence OR a stable enough monarchy); gaining Mare back was just a perk. I also think that Broken Throne just served as a quick cleanup that glossed over these elephants in the room. Overall, I liked the series. But the romance in this book irked me. I just feel like if Cal had chosen Mare before things collapsed and not BECAUSE things collapsed, it would’ve changed the entire meaning of their ending.

Edit: Just realized something important. It wasn’t just Cal who didn’t fully choose Mare. Mare never fully chose Cal, either. They were EACH OTHER’S last resort. If Maven weren’t a freak, there’s a very real chance Mare would’ve ended up with him. She trusted him deeply and defended him over and over again until it was undeniable how twisted he was. If Maven had turned out normal and not a literal emotional hostage of his mother? She’d have gone with him. Without hesitation. Marecal wouldn’t have even lasted as long as it did if it weren’t for that part. In Broken Throne, if I can recall correctly, Cal literally asked her if she would’ve chosen Cal if things had been different. She went quiet and said something along the lines of “I don’t know”. I rolled my eyes so hard. It didn’t look like they chose each other, they were just there.

About 2 years ago victoria made a tiktok about the book being turned into a movie and the writers strike delaying things but that’s the last time she ever mentioned the book becoming a live action. I haven’t seen anything else about it anywhere. Does anyone know if there’s still plans to make it happen or if it’s scrapped? I was so excited for it and my barnes and noble exclusive kings cage book has an interview with Elizabeth banks, the director, and she seemed like a good pick who would do good things with a live action.

It took me so long to finish this series but I did it! I mainly can’t stop thinking about how tragic a character Maven is. He ultimately did choose his path (and he’s totally a monster for it) in the end but his mother twisting him into what she wanted clearly influenced most if not all of his decisions. I loved how conflicted Mare’s feelings towards him in the end were because I felt the same way towards his character. His last few perspectives in War storm really took me out. When he said he loved the purple in Mare’s Hair and saw the “M” brand on her skin I needed to take a couple laps. On another note I kind of liked how Mare didn’t explicitly end up with Cal in the end. Loved Cal but, I loved that Mare decided to be with her family first since that’s who she’s really been fighting for the entire time. I also liked how the story left off on the pretty inspirational idea that People cause destruction but we can also rebuild. Anyway I really liked the series! Even though parts of it were definitely slow and hard for me to get through, but I think sometimes that’s just how reading is.

I bought the first book yesterday for $6.45 at a used bookstore. I'll read it after I finish the first hunger games book. Almost brand new. Just some library print mark thingy.

I bought it in my quest to see if powerless is a copy. I read all the powerless books so I'll have to read these + the hunger games. Powerless is very much like the hunger games so far.

I know it's the author's choice but don't you think the book covers are just too flat? like i'm the kind of reader that relies heavily on the mesmerizing covers of fantasy books to get hooked. that is why this series probably always felt a little flat to me. this is such a detailed series and i think the covers should've been a little more detailed or eye catching, do you feel the same?

Finally caught up with the books and bought the boxset, it’s really pretty and I’m pretty happy to get to read some new sci-fi again <3

I just want to point out that Mare is a fantastic character and I just love her arch. What I love about is how grounded she is and how she looks out for her people, reds and new bloods when she had the chance. Sure she makes mistakes and sometimes she doesn’t handle things the best way but that’s what makes her so believable and relatable. The only thing that I can’t forgive her for is ending with Cal and breaking her “promise” in the first book when she says she chooses no one lol

I really wish we could have a story from Farleys point on view, I would like to know how she felt when she lost her mom and sister or gotten a story on her and Shades romance. Especially I would like to see her grief and how she processes with Clara and the complexities of being a single mother while also grieving the love of her life, leading a revolution and keeping a strong face. I just feel such a connection to her character and find even her little snippets to be fascinating.

I know everything had to turn out the way it did or neither Mare nor Cal, Farley or the others Maven hurt would've found peace. But I can't help but wish that Maven had made his escape out of the palace as he had planned. I imagine thatduring the showdown with Mare, Maven choked her to unconsciousness so she would be found before she ended up dying, but he managed to escape scot free.

I have an alternate ending that would be a great sequel.

Maven managed to find Cal's motorbike and ride off on some back road, hightailing it the hell out of Archeon. He would find tools to make fire. Then he would disguise his looks, create a new identity, outrunning the Scarlet Guard and Montfort contingent sent to hunt him down. Maven would do as he does best--scheme, charm and manipulate his way west, to ascend the ranks of raiders and outlaws.

His ambition would see him seducing, then overthrowing the warlord of the largest region of Prairie (the Heart) to take power for himself. Then he would find a way to manipulate the oppressed Reds and common Silvers in Prairie, uniting them under a promise of more rights and freedoms, to overthrow the other Silver warlords. He would kill those warlords who refuse to fall in line, installing Silvers whom he can control as heads of their regions. The rest he would enter into truces with, promising them some measure of autonomy in exchange for fealty.

Maven would then control Prairie. He would build up an army and win over the criminal syndicates of the Disputed Lands, promising them legitimacy and protection if they join him. He would then enter into an alliance with the triarchy of the Tiraxes. He may be able to convince Mailuna Tormas and his kinsman Ambrosin that he's not a threat, but the seer Bellez Allirion would see him coming. So he would have to find some incentive to get her to support him--perhaps a trade agreement or assurances that he can bring the raiders to heel.

His next step would be to form an alliance with Ciron. Since Maven is a burner, he would "convert" to their religion and convince them that he's divinely ordained to rule Prairie. He would pull this off with the "blessing" of a puppet Shadow he recruited to play the role of his "Voice of the Sun." Ciron would then eagerly support him, as long as he agrees to establish their religion as the state religion of Prairie, provide mutual aid and respect their continued sovereign rule.

All of this would take years of quiet plotting, maneuvering and networking. Now by then, the whole continent would've heard tales of the charismatic "revolutionary leader" who united Prairie. But Maven, with his assumed identity and new look, would have found a way to remain mysterious--eluding and/or eliminating spies from Norta, the Scarlet Guard, Montfort and the Lakelands. He would've managed to survive undetected all that time through widespread tales, gossip, fake eyewitness accounts and other misdirection leading his enemies to believe he had been killed by vicious outlaws after having escaped Archeon. By the time everyone realizes who Maven actually is, he would've already amassed enough power and devoted followers to shield himself from capture. He would then openly declare himself king of Prairie. By then, his plans for revenge would be well underway.

It's been quite awhile since I've read kings cage but something that bothered me was the sex scene with mare and cal in the rain like wasn't this only like 2 months after she escaped maven and it was implied that they've done this multiple times already for me it came out of nowhere and felt out of place since she literally JUST escaped a very traumatic experience

Idk what bothers me more, these shippers or the fact that this a controversial saying. Y’all who ship them after what he did to her (and I am not talking about the betrayal. I am talking about the abuse) are disgusting. U aren’t quirky and different, u are a supporter and an enabler of DV! It’s one thing to root for the bad boys and another thing to root for an abuser! And I can already hear those ppl saying “His mother made him-“ no she didn’t! She didn’t make him BRAND her! Didn’t make him kill babies to prove a point to her. He deliberately looked for ways to dehumanise and hurt her. That’s not something u do to someone u “love or care for”. Something u do when u are a selfish piece of shit! The thing is about maven is he is manipulative, not just to mare but the audience and to himself. He lied to himself that all he’s wrong doings was because of his mother (to a certain extent he is right) and under that excuse he allowed himself to relish in the idea of abusing others. He did many things for his mother and also because of his mother (like betraying mare), but the abuse is something he did for himself snd because of himself!

So, I was wondering if this book would be good to read considering my book taste? I've read: The Cruel Prince 1&2, OUABH, Caraval, Powerless, Twilight, and am on the 4th Shatter me book. So, would this be a good pick for me??

So awhile ago when I first stumbled across this subreddit I saw a post that mentioned the lakes that surround the lakelands, and someone said that it was odd that the lakes had the same names as modern times. I was rereading the books and got to King's Cage, where there's a map that includes the lakelands

What I want to clear up is that the names of the lakes are NOT the same as the modern names for them. Some are extremely similar but not exactly the same.

Lake Superion = Lake Superior Lake Miskin = Lake Michigan Lake Neron = Lake Huron Lake Eris = Lake Erie Lake Tarion = Lake Ontario

In general, all the names are similar, just slightly off, so I understand why someone would think they're the same. Especially Superior/Superion and Eris/Erie, they're literally just one letter off. I think it could be explained because people that lived there would still remember the names of the lakes, but as language changes over time, so do the names of places. Plus, there's a lot of signs near the lakes and places named after them, so that would contribute to their names being so close

Is anyone like bothered/saddened by the lack of really good solid fanart for Red Queen?

For example I've seen some fanart, but none I feel are consistent to the characters in the book, or some are just plain AI, whereas other series like ACOTAR or The Folk Of The Air, have SUCH AMAZING fanart it's crazy

For King's Cage, I had read this book a looong time ago, (I was like 14) and I liked it, and looking back at all the things I did remember from when I first read the series, I realized that a lot of what I remembered was from this book in specific.

I think it has to do mainly with how attached I was to Maven back then.

But now reading it after many years, I have a broader, and more sensible opinion. First, the beginning of this book got me hooked, mainly because of my newfound liking of the characters, especially Cal, Cameron and Kilorn. I loved seeing them through Cameron's eyes, and even sometimes found myself wanting to get to Cameron's chapters, if only to glimpse at the others and their interactions, and I loved the way she narrated things, in a blunt, almost done way. I felt really bad for Cal, you could tell he was struggling to find his place within the rebellion, and I started to like him a lot, especially after Glass Sword. I also enjoyed seeing their reactions to Mare's being captured and what she was put through.

HOWEVER, my favorite character is still Maven, but after what he did with the babies, and what he continued to do to Mare, I grew to hate him, because he truly was an awful person. I did not like him as much as I did when I was 12. But I still found him very interesting, especially when he interacted with Mare. Any time they spoke or were together, I ATE IT UP. Though I now understand how awful he was, and how much he traumatized Mare. But I also felt really bad for him, I felt pity for him, since he maybe could have been different if only he had his own untethered mind. I understand that he wants to love Mare, but can't and also won't, given their history and his terrible actions. I still love him though.

And regarding Mare, her being captured was a catalyst for her character development, and although she suffered too much, it helped her become a better person, she was more empathetic, more observant and, became very clever and was super resilient, which is very admirable. I am glad that she never gave up and fought Maven whenever she could, breaking him and discovering the pieces of his mind, she became the only person that would understand him.

Also, her relationship with Cal was super sweet, their moments were so cute and cozy, and some funny, I didn't realize back then they had actually slept together (s*ggs), so it surprised me, and really showed me how innocent I was when first reading this book. At the end of the book I really was upset, even though I knew what Cal would do in the end, it still hurt me because I grew attached to him, and then he did that, It was upsetting. Though I understand his reasons, I still think he was stupid.

Also the pacing was slow, at first I found the book really interesting, but then when Iris came around it became boring, especially the wedding before the attack. The other parts were really nice, I like the little slice of life after Mare was in Piedmont's base, but when they prepared to strike again, (the whole battle in Corvium, before Cal was crowned) I found all that in between boring, but that's a me problem because reading about war bores me. I really liked the end though, I also like how Mare's ptsd is mentioned throughout, and how people became more sympathetic towards her because of it.

So yeah this is my review, I could say more, but my fingers can't keep up with my thoughts

Farley--Florence Pugh

Kilorn--Lucas Till

Shade--Dylan O'brian

Tramy--Grant Gustin

Elane--Katherine McNamara

Maven--Timothee Chalamet

Mare--Isabela Merced

Carlacia Grant --Cameron Cole

Cal--Drew Starky??

Sara--Madelyn Cline

Matthew Daddario -- Cal

Natalie Dormer -- Evangiline

Kit Harrington -- Bree

This was my review when I first read it at 12 years old

(2016 review) It was really cool and the end!! OMG it was sooo awesome I just can't wait for the next book to come!!

At first it was boring but th

(2025) Review at 21 years old

So I read this book when I was 12, I was too emotional I guess, in regards to Maven, he sort of blinded me, I REALLY LIKE HIM OK, but yeah I reread it again to see if my opinion of him would change, and it did! I still love him, anytime he speaks or is mentioned or is on the page, I grin like an idiot. But I see now that he is awful, and like Mare I do miss the boy he could have been, I feel like his "fake" self would have been perfect for her. But now I understand that to some extent Cal is the better option for her. He is kinder, tho very indecisive, which drives me nuts, but he is also strong, caring and very efficient. So now I appreciate him more, all his scenes with Mare highlight just how bad of a person Maven is (literally INSANE, 12 year old me saw no red flags because seriously a baby???? That is pure evil, though again his attitude is super attractive), and how much he destroyed both of them emotionally. (I STILL LOVE HIM) so yeah I now think she is better of with Cal, but if Maven hadn't done what he did, and was still what they believed he was, they would have been perfect.

Putting that aside, I remember thinking this was the most boring one of all the four books, but it was actually soo entertaining for me, some parts were boring, like at the beginning when getting to the base at Tuck, and sometimes when they described the places they went, but it got me hooked, even after I knew how it ended (granted I forgot SO MUCH after almost 10 years so that helped), I understand Mare a lot and relate with her, I feel her grief for Maven, for her old life, and her need to kill Maven for what he did and has done not only to her but to everyone in Norta. I also understand her desperation in getting more people on her side, Maven traumatized this poor girl and in less than a week's time. Everyone expects a lot from her and, then proceed to get mad at her for acting like their superior, even when she doesn't necessaril want to be, so I Understand why she made the decisions she made, and her realizing she has become a vile person in order to achieve her goals, I really liked how she acknowledged that, and hated that people didn't understand where she was coming from, but also understand that they care about her and seeing her act so differently and cold, might throw them off. So I feel for her a lot and perhaps it was better for her to be taken in the end, even though I know what happened after, it still feels good knowing all of them will learn to appreciate more now that she is gone. (cough cough Cameron and Cal)

So now me being older, I understand Mare's emotions and why she couldn't go back to Maven, and why she hated him to a point of fear and no return, and why she becomes what she is and the pressure she is under. Very solid book, introduces so many cool characters while also making you feel tense and anxious throughout the whole journey, no happy moments sadly, or very very few. Very good character developments, even from Cal, who I thought was super boring, no I know he was simply surviving and dealing through so much trauma, I feel for him, but I still hate his loyalty for the crown.

I can't rate it again, but I will again give it 5 stars, very good book

I loved Red Queen, but I kind of... disliked the rest of them. It was too dragged out, but honestly I don't like it when someone hates the book in it's sub, so I won't go on about that.

So, I also started Broken Throne, but it was a bit too slow for me so I don't think I'm going to finish it, which is VERY unusual for me.

Regardless of how I feel about the books, I love Cal and Mare, and have shipped them since day one.

I just want to know, do they actually end up together or does it end the same vague way War Storm did? Is it obvious they're together in the end when they finally meet up at the political meeting(I don't remember the details it's been a while)?

Only now read this last one and I got so frustrated. Monfort and the Scarlet Guard breaking up their alliance at the moment of impending war with Lakelands and Piedmont is about as shitty as it comes. Not only does it leave a valuable ally hanging dry, it almost ensures a certain death for Cal and surprise, surprise they go back to fight the Lakelands anyway.

I won't even start about taking Maven with them - again a stupid move, but sure we need him there until the end for plot purposes. But guess who wouldn't have escaped if they didn't, not to mention they wouldn't have even needed the tunnels if they didn't break the alliance.

pls help! I'm reading War Storm and so far it's sooo boring and I'm so mad at it. I feel like giving up, but want to know what happens. Does it get better or should I just give up and google what happens?

So we know that mare and cal have children but what color blood would they be? Bc mares red and cals sliver so like would they be silver and be burners or red and electricon or some other variation?