Red Queen

Red Queen

• Genre: Fiction; young adult dystopian/fantasy
• Originally Published: 2015
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile HL740L; grades 7-12
• Structure/Length: 28 chapters and epilogue; approximately 416 pages; approximately 12 hours, 39 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Red Queen is a young adult fantasy novel set in a dystopian world divided by blood color and supernatural abilities. The central conflict revolves around Mare Barrow, a Red-blooded commoner who discovers she possesses unique powers despite her blood color. She becomes entangled in the dangerous world of the Silvers, the elite ruling class with silver blood and supernatural abilities. As Mare navigates this treacherous world, she becomes involved in a web of political intrigue and rebellion. The novel explores social inequality, power, and the consequences of challenging authority.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Social inequality; discrimination; suicide; violence; torture; death, including murder

Victoria Aveyard, Author

• Bio: Born 1990; American author known for her contributions to young adult literature including the Red Queen series and her skillful blending of fantasy and dystopian elements; moved from Massachusetts to California at age 18 to study screenwriting; earned a BFA from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts; wrote Red Queen the year after college graduation and sold the novel to a publisher the following year  
• Other Works: Glass Sword (2016); King’s Cage (2017); War Storm (2018); Realm Breaker (2021)
• Awards: Goodreads Choice Award: Best Debut Goodreads Author (2015)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Appearance Versus Reality
• Similarity and Difference
• The Influence of Parents on Children

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the dystopian fiction genre; increase comprehension of socioeconomic contexts with regard to the concerns (e.g., social stratification) that incite Mare’s conflict.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Appearance Versus Reality, Similarity and Difference, and The Influence of Parents on Children.
• Plan, design, and construct visual media to draw comparisons between Red Queen and other dystopian literature based on textual details.
• Analyze and evaluate plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the character of Evangeline, similarities between Reds and Silvers, and other topics.