War Storm by Victoria Aveyard Review

Title: War Storm

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Series: Red Queen, book four

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I’ve had War Storm on my list since before it came out; I was a little late to the party, concerning Red Queen, but I really enjoyed it, and after King’s Cage, I was desperate to finish the series. It’s been sitting in my library stack for a few weeks, and I pushed it to the top of my stack after I finished Dread Nation; I dived in immediately and finished it on Thursday. This review is kind of late, but I had so many feelings that I needed the weekend to process just how I felt. First of all, I just can’t believe that it’s all over; I’m so sad. But I’m also angry, confused, and more than a little upset. I mean… Just ugh! Even now, three days later, I’m still not sure how to put my feelings into words. But here we go. I’ll try not to say too much about the plot, for my readers that haven’t read it yet.

Mare has at last achieved victory, but it comes at a steep price. Cal has walked away from her, feeling that his calling lies with taking the throne of the broken country of Norta. Meanwhile, Maven is ripping the country apart with an ill-conceived civil war. Mare is resolute in her cause: she will overthrow the King of Norta, no matter who holds the crown. But unfortunately for her, a war cannot be won alone, and Mare must side with the man who broke her heart to finally defeat the one who almost broke her completely. Forced to join forces with Cal and his Silver allies, they all present a powerful force. But Maven’s obsession with Mare is so deep and driving that he will stop at nothing to have her, even if it means destroying everything. War is on the horizon, and everything Mare has risked hangs in the balance. Will she win the war at last? Or be silenced by her own demons forever?

This book was, in a word, intense. The pacing was breakneck, the political intrigue breathtaking, and I couldn’t put it down. Granted, there were a few times that I simply had to, because it got too intense and emotional. The book was also narrated from several people’s points of view: Mare, her archenemy Evangeline, Cal, Maven, and Maven’s wife, Iris. It was a little hard to follow at first because of it, the pacing tended to stutter and I had a hard time keeping everything straight. But I will say that the multiple points of view, once I got the pacing down, was a really nice touch: I really got a good feel for what everyone was feeling. The twists and turns were numerous, and I was either gasping, crying, or screaming in frustration as the book went on. As far as last books go, this one was really satisfying: all the loose ends were tied up, and the ending was shocking, heartbreaking, exciting, and more than a little bit terrifying. The large cast of characters was hard to keep track of; I almost wish Aveyard had put an index in the back so it was easier to keep track of. But one thing is for certain: I will never forget Mare, Maven, and Cal, and what they all went through, and I’m so sad that it’s all over. Red Queen is one of my favorite series of recent years, and I’m so sad that it’s all gone! I can’t wait to see what Victoria Aveyard has up her sleeve next! The bottom line: The final book in the bestselling Red Queen series, I loved War Storm: shocking, scary, heartbreaking, and unforgettable! I’m so upset that it’s all over! Next on deck: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin!