Red Rising by Pierce Brown

I had a few reservations about certain portions of this book, but overall, I really loved the story and the messages it carried.

The storytelling gave me major Ender’s Game vibes, which I haven’t read in ages but absolutely loved. Red Rising evokes a lot of the same emotions, with its blend of high-stakes strategy, raw intensity, and brutal character arcs.

Now, personal preference, but I’m really not a fan of books with sexual relationships between minors. Even fade-to-black scenes. I just don’t want that in my books. The whole concept of Darrow’s wife being 14 when they married was a big ick for me. That said, I do understand the broader message the book was trying to convey with it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

That aside, the general storytelling was phenomenal. Experiencing this brutal environment and the cutthroat atmosphere of the high-stakes war games through Darrow’s eyes was gripping. The survival, the deception, and the desperate gambits kept me glued to the pages.

There’s a lot of social commentary woven throughout, some subtle, some glaringly obvious, but it’s all effective. The layered exploration of power, oppression, and rebellion gives the book a lot of depth, making it more than just another dystopian sci-fi.

If you’re down for a YA-leaning dystopian with a blend of sci-fi, political scheming, and social engineering through the eyes of a young male lead, this is absolutely worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and will definitely be continuing the trilogy.