Victoria Aveyard is a multiple Goodreads Choice Award nominee and the author of The New York Times-bestselling young adult fantasy series Red Queen. This month, she'll be releasing War Storm, the series' fourth and final installment. Here, Aveyard bids a heartfelt farewell to the series' fierce heroine, Mare Barrow, and gives longtime fans reading recommendations for the inevitable book hangover to come.
It’s odd to count the days, the months, and eventually years to realize exactly how long I’ve spent in the world of Red Queen—and in the head of Mare Barrow. She started as an image, a flash in my mind during my senior year of college. In the late spring of 2012, I saw a girl in an arena, about to be executed. I didn’t know what she did to get there or why she was about to be killed. I only know that instead of dying, she electrocuted her executioner. I was intrigued. I wanted to know more.
The rest of Red Queen sprouted from this thought. I asked questions: Who was this girl? How could she exist? What kind of world needed to exist around her for this to be possible? Questions bloomed from questions, and pieces slowly locked into place. A story grew, and now, six years later, that story has ended. Mare Barrow is finished with me, and I am finished with her.
I would be lying if I said I’m not excited to move on to new worlds, new characters, and new stories. That’s a natural impulse for any writer, no matter the work. Even so, it’s always difficult to leave behind the familiar. I’ve been writing in Mare’s head for so many years, blending pieces of me with pieces of her. I’ll never say she’s easy to write, but I will absolutely miss writing a character I know so well that they can take over, so to speak.
And it’s true, with Mare I’ve had the strange and weird experience of having a character take over the writing, saying things and making choices I never planned for, even if my fingers are typing the words. So far, it happens with Mare more than any other character. I think I’ve given her the send-off she would want, because I know if I hadn’t, she would certainly have stopped me from doing it. I can only hope I’m able to find new characters who speak to me as clearly as she does.
I’ll also say to my readers, please do not read anything into this “farewell” to Mare and to Red Queen. I’m trying to do this without any kind of spoilers for the end of the series, and hopefully I’ve succeeded. So to anyone grooming this for clues: You're out of luck, my dears.
I do have some tips in case you’re struggling to move on after Red Queen. Personally, anytime I finish reading a fantasy series I love, I find myself starving for more. I think I still have a book hangover from Harry Potter, if we’re being totally honest.
As for young adult fantasy, I almost don’t want to give recommendations because I don’t want to induce more hangovers! But I do want the rest of you to suffer with me as we wait for sequels.
So without further ado, some of my favorites from the past few years: I’ve ranted and raved about how much I love The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. The ranting and raving will continue until I get my hands on the sequel, The Wicked King. I’m also enamored of the Witchland series by Susan Dennard. The world-building in these books is staggering, and I love a series rooted in a female friendship that I actually believe. And, of course, I will continue to recommend An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir until the end of time.
These books are downright gripping, from characters to world to plot. They’re brutal and beautiful in equal measure. I also cannot wait for the next installment in the Grishaverse series, starring none other than one of my favorite characters, Nikolai Lantsov. Leigh Bardugo, if you’re reading this, I’m coming to steal King of Scars out of your brain. Inception-style.
That’s it for me, and thank you so much for joining me on this journey! I hope everyone enjoys War Storm and the end of Red Queen!
War Storm will be available on May 15. Don't forget to add it to your Want to Read shelf!
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posted by Marie on May, 03
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