Red Rising

So here’s the thing: I read Red Rising a few years ago and DNF’d it after the first chapter because 1) I didn’t find it gripping and 2) there was an influx of made up terminology that made it feel like Pierce Brown was trying too hard.

Since then I’ve had a number of friends recommend this series to me and when an opportunity came up for a buddy read, I shrugged and thought why the heck not? Personally, I’ve had my fill of dystopian books and I’ve sort of lost interest in them. While sci-fi is a genre I’d like to read more of, it’s still a hit or miss for me. I’m also not the biggest YA reader sooo… the odds of Red Rising working out for me was not the greatest.

This book ticks off things that usually don’t work for me as a reader: a dump of terminology, dramatic lines, unconvincing romance, and the ‘chosen one’ trope. But you know what? It didn’t irk me as much as it should because I enjoyed Red Rising for the things it did well.

1. Red Rising reminded me of a grittier, violent, and more mature version of The Hunger Games but I also like that it went beyond THG. This book explores themes of power, slavery, propaganda, anarchy, and revenge in one action-packed-sometimes-humorous-and-heartbreaking story.

2. There are schemes on schemes on schemes and I absolutely love that you can’t trust ANYONE. If you don’t like a book that keeps you guessing… well… that’s fair.

3. The struggle is real. If you’re a fan of character development/regression and internal conflicts, this book is for you. The characters went through A LOT in this book which either made them better/worse or a mix between the two. Since I’m a sucker for anything that explores human behaviour, I was hooked.

Red Rising seems to be a hit or miss book but I encourage you to give it a chance. I can see how the worldbuilding can be confusing but if you push through that, it gets better. I’m also more of a character-driven vs. plot-driven type of reader so the fact that I still enjoyed it without feeling any attachment to the characters is both an interesting experience and a notable feat for this debut novel that packed more punch than I initially judged it for.