Summary
In the novel Red Rising the main character Darrow is born to the lowest caste of society, the Reds. The caste system is based off eye color, and after his wife is hung he goes through surgery to change himself to be a Gold, the ruling elite in an attempt to change the balance of power
Context
This is author Pierce Brown's first book. This is the first of a series, and as far as I know it is not tied to anything in the news.
Which parts of the plot worked and which didn’t?
Some parts of The Institute part worked while for the most part it was only used to flesh out some characters while not advancing the plot much
Which scenes(events, characters’ actions, characters’ decisions) help reinforce your opinion?
Characters
Which characters were strongest? Which were weakest?
I think the strongest characters were: Darrow the protagonist (obviously), Mustang, and Sevro, weakest I think were: The Proctors (with the exception of house mars).
Which scenes or quotations help reinforce your opinion?
The story centers around the choices Darrow, Mustang, and Sevro make (M/S because they are Darrow’s best friends)
The Proctors were some of the least fleshed out and one dimensional characters
Themes
What are the big ideas your book is wrestling with? (example: revenge, loss, family, etc.)
Revenge, Loss, Family, Acceptance, Forgiveness
Then, craft a sentence that combines the big idea with your author’s stance on that topic. These should not be clichés or obvious statements like “family is important.” (example: Revenge ultimately destroys the victim and the avenger.)
Violence is not the answer because it leads to ultimate destruction and the instigators are always left weak after everything is destroyed while others are able to recover and overpower the aggressors
Did the writer successfully prove this theme during the course of the book? How or why not?
Yes, because those who initiated violence fall from power at various times throughout the book, leaving you wondering if they will fall or not but in the end they are all fallen leaving the ones who did not want violence standing
Find 1-2 short quotations that help establish the big ideas.
“They don’t understand. Golds don’t do this. Golds don’t sacrifice for one another. Leaders take; they do not give.”
Writing Style
Which genre or subgenre would describe the book?
Sci-fy
Which of the following terms could be used to describe the writing style:
first person narration
formal diction
informal diction
use of dialects
colloquial diction (slang, swearing, etc.)
Which of the following terms could be used to describe the tone of the writing:
disdainful
disgusted
bitter
scornful
pessimistic
satiric
optimistic
hopeful
Find 1 good example to quote that shows the writer’s style/voice.
“Titus is what Dancer did not want me to become. He is like Harmony. He is a creature of vengeance. A rebellion with Titus at the help would fail in weeks.”
Conclusion
What final rating would you give the book?
9/10
Why?
I felt I immediately had to go out and get the next book in the series, which I did.
