War Storm - Book Review

This review contains spoilers for War Storm and the rest of the preceding books in the Red Queen series. 

Ok. Ok. The series is finished. Yeah, I might still have novellas to go, but still. I don’t know what to say. 

I think this series as a whole was pretty good, although I feel like I wasn’t as attached to it as I usually am to books. 

I actually only read this series now because my friend, S, is reading it. Unfortunately she’s only onto Glass Sword now. If you’re reading this, S, CONGRATULATIONS FOR FINISHING!! Anyway, if it wasn’t for S, Red Queen would probably still be sitting in my bookshelf for another two years. 

Ok. Maven. Maven. Maven. I still don’t know how to feel about him. Yes, he’s dead now. I never truly wanted him to die, even after the twist in Red Queen. I don’t know why. But I kinda liked him. Maybe I could sympathise with him — which was one of Victoria Aveyard’s goals in his creation. Especially in some parts of King’s Cage, I started to like him. And I felt so bad for him, but could also relate to him I guess — on a lower level. Having a not-very-nice mum and trying to fight that. The assumption that you have to love your mother and that everything she does for you is meant to be something good. But mixed with the fear of her, and realising how she makes you feel. If that made any sense. Also how trauma can change your personality. 

Evangeline. Yes, I was strongly opposed to her in earlier books. But I like her now. Again, she’s a good person twisted by her family’s and society’s expectations. I liked how her ending was a bit ambiguous, and I think the last line from her perspective, “It’s going to be a long walk to Montfort” (or something) was really powerful. I really liked how, as the series went on, Evangeline realised what she really wanted. She had some serious character development — going from “yay marrying Cal for my family” to “I do not wanna marry Cal and I will run away with Elane now”. I really did like Evangeline and Elane’s relationship and I think Elane would actually be a character who would be interesting to further explore. Plus she has a really cool name in my opinion. Elane Haven. 

I’m not sure how I feel about Cal. It was heartbreaking at the start of the book to see Mare calling him “Tiberius” and how she corrected and got annoyed at herself when she called him “Cal”. I just think it was a bit weird that Mare loved him so much again. I don’t know why. The part in the book when he appeared out of the fog and was like “I’m not being a king now” was very dramatic but also very satisfying though. And I think that it was written well in the way that Mare didn’t fall straight head over heels for him again. She was still kinda healing from his betrayal at the end of the book, and her whole life wasn’t going to revolve around Cal. 

I also think that the fact Cal got to read his mum’s diary was kinda heartbreaking but good. I read Queen Song and wow the diary is intense. Clap for Cal for reading it. I really liked how reading it really changed Cal’s perspective and goals. I think it was nice how he managed to connect to his mum even though he didn’t remember her. 

The ending/epilogue scene where Mare revealed that she had Cal’s earring though, was nice. And powerful as well. I think the fact the earring Cal gave Mare was red was also really powerful, because in my opinion it kinda showed his acceptance and how he embraced the fact she is Red. I dunno. I just liked it. And wowww Mare has a lot of ear piercings AND purple hair! She’s the type of person appearance-wise that old people on the street would death glare and say “kids these days”. Haha. That wasn’t that funny. 

Kilorn! Didn’t! Die! That one part in New Town when he nearly did almost broke me oh my goodness. I was ready to take away all leftover pizza from Victoria. But luckily he did not die. In my opinion Kilorn is the Sunshine Character™️. At one point Mare was commenting on how not-innocent Kilorn was surprised. I guess with everything going on in the last couple of books he didn’t really have the chance to make weird jokes and I kinda forgot about that side of him. So I see him as the Sunshine Character™️. Please Kilorn, come into existence and be my friend please. I really liked how loyal he was to Mare and her family.

And also, I guess Shade was kinda overlooked in this book. I’m sure that’s good since it might mean that people were recovering from his death, but still. He was a great character. I miss him. 

Davidson was iconic. I found his Monarchy VS Democracy Jokes a bit too funny. And also Carmadon was a great character. I award him the Most Genuinely Nice Character In The Series award. 

Tyton was also great. I don’t know why, but he gives off good vibes. 

So yeah. This series was pretty good but also kinda not exceptional? I feel bad saying that I think it was kinda stereotypical. Maybe it’s just that I was craving a different type of book and this wasn’t it. I don’t know. 

I feel like there’s gonna be another book, and that this isn’t the end. Which is kinda true since I have novellas left to read. But usually when I finish the last book in a series I feel a surge of emotion. I guess I didn’t with this series. Which doesn’t make it “bad” or anything. I guess I’m just not as connected to it. I’m sure that’ll change once I get into the fandom. It usually does haha. 

I guess Darth Sidious and The Sneetches will still hold a place in my heart. 

(For context, when I was explaining the plot/world to my dad after finishing Red Queen, he said it sounded like The Sneetches by Dr Seuss. I think “Darth Sidious” is self-explanatory. I can’t take Mare seriously.)

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard, 13+* ★★★.5

*This age recommendation is only my opinion. Some younger people might feel comfortable reading this book, and some older people might not. That's fine, either way. Warning for potentially upsetting themes, medium-level violence, swearing, sexual references, gore and weird kissing stuff.