Synopsis: Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.
To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.
Who may enjoy this book? Readers who enjoy dystopian future, action/adventure novels with government resistance and good battles evil.
What did Mrs. O'Malley think? Fast-paced and action-packed. I thought the book was a mix of Hunger Games (by Suzanne Collins) with downtrodden commoners who want to overthrow the entitled government and The Other Boleyn Girl (by Philippa Gregory) with ambitious characters scheming for control of the royal court with a bit of X-Men supernatural powers thrown in for fun. Loads of betrayal will keep the reader guessing how the story will end.
Mrs. O'Malley's Favorite Quote from book: "I used to think Silvers were untouchable gods who were never threatened, never scared. Now I know the opposite is true. They've spent so long at the top, protected and isolated, that they've forgotten they can fall. Their strength has become their weakness."
