My dear friend was next in line to nominate a title for our book club’s monthly read, and she opted for one she had read a little while ago and rather enjoyed – Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I had never heard of the book prior to my friend choosing it for our book club pick, so I really had no clue what to expect.
Red Rising tells the story of Darrow, a young man who is fiercely produly about the work he does beneath the planet Mars; he’s a helldiver, meaning he aids in mining for a type of gas to sustain life above ground on Mars. Darrow is a Red, meaning he ranks lower than most in the social hierarchy of this dystopian world, and he and his wife aren’t entirely satisfied with what their life and future apparently have to offer.
I don’t wish to ruin the plot for anyone who would like to read this text, but allow me to say that a tragic event somewhat forces Darrow to take his fate into his own hands and mould it for a better future not only for himself and his family, but for all fellow Reds.
I’m a bit conflicted in my feelings about this book. I didn’t terribly enjoy the first half – it’s dry, boring, and an information overload. The latter half of the novel, however, is batshit fucking crazy in all of the best ways possible, packed with action and plot twists that had me gaping and gasping at times.
Red Rising is the first in a series of four, and based on how the first book ended, I imagine I will continue reading the rest to learn of Darrow’s fate.
Despite not loving the first half, I do consider this book to be a read and not a rid. If there is one book I have already read that is comparable to Red Rising in the context of tropes and central themes, it’s Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
Photo by Planet Volumes on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 