"Silver and Red, but stronger than both" 
 3.5 stars 
 "Anyone can betray anyone" THIS BOOK IS THE REASON WHY I HAVE TRUST ISSUES 
 Since Red Queen came out and I head the premise for this book, I have been greatly anticipating getting my hands on it, and now that I have I was pleasantly enjoyed. For me it wasn't the plot that really interested me, but the characters that saved this book. The first portion of the book was a little slow and my interest waned, however as we got into the story and the Mare began her training, the story picked up. I wish the direction of the novel went a different way at the end, but I am still eager to read the next book. 
 "The truth is what I make it. I could set this world on fire and call it rain." 
 Mare: Mare is our protagonist, the girl from the oppressed society of Reds with the power of a Silver (the elite of this society). At the beginning, her abrasiveness was annoying and I didn't like her at first, but she grew on me. She is immensely loyal to her family, and I absolutely adored her dynamic with her brothers and sister. (view spoiler)[ I knew her brother Shade wasn't dead, it was just a feeling, especially when we find out she was just like Mare. I love how Gisa and Mare's relationship and circumstance (the situation being, Mare living in the shadow and being constantly compared to her talented younger sister) paralleled what transpired between Cal and Maven. I thought it was so sweet how when each of her brothers left for the war, they each gave their sisters a earring to remember them, and at the end Kilorn, who is like Mare's 4th brother, gave her a green earring to Mare, in the way her brothers do. I loved the friendship between Kilorn and Mare, and hope to see more of it. (hide spoiler)] 
 Cal and Maven: These two brothers are princes and burners, meaning they have control over fire. Cal, the eldest, was raised as the crown prince and primed to rule; he's a soldier, a warrior and loyal to his country and to his crown. Maven, as second born, always lived in the shadow of his older brother, but was made to be a prince, as the people's prince, better skilled with talking his way to his advantage, and to make alliances with the politically powerful. I loved their unique friendships with Mare. (view spoiler)[ Now to my rant: I shipped Mare and Maven so much! I was so heartbroken by Maven's betrayal. I WAS SO MAD HOW HE THREW MARE INTO THE DIRT! HE WENT ON SO MUCH ABOUT EQUALITY BUT EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS A LIE! The thing that made this plot twist so unbelievable and aggravating was that it was if Maven was acting throughout the whole book, and that he had become a totally different character. Maven was my favourite character, he is very intelligent, and what he says is very easy to accept. I will not forgive the author for absolutely destroying his character. I can't believe this kind, thoughtful, open-minded kid, was really a jealous, merciless killer. He killed Lucas without a second thought, and Lucas and Mare were never able to reconcile. I'm not sure I will enjoy the next books because I don't have Maven to attach to. I can't believe he would help with the murder of his father and downfall of his brother, what sort of person does that. Betraying someone you recently met is one thing, but to betray his blood is tenfold worse. As for Cal, he has been brainwashed into his way of thinking all his life, and is so passionate about justice, so if he would have given everything up for Mare, who he has known for a month, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIVID, I WOULD HAVE RIOTED. But, luckily he didn't. (hide spoiler)] 
 Evangeline: She was the typical mean girl and I found her character pretty 2-dimensional. I was hoping towards the end that we would see some more development or that she might be on out side, but that didn't happen. I will be very disappointed if we don't get more to her character in the subsequent books. 
 To finish this review and quote the Scarlet Guard: "Rise, red as the dawn."