Red, White, & Royal Blue
This book is incredible.
I am obsessed.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston is a masterpiece. It’s funny, intelligent, witty, romantic, spicy, and it has all the good feels of a guilty pleasure novel without the bad writing bringing it down.
How many people have fantasized about marrying a prince? Becoming a princess? Being royal? So many of us, even the ones who say they never have (like myself). This book takes that cliched plot and wraps so many unique and genuine feelings around it that this age old idea is fresh and new and exciting.
The story revolves around the main character Alex, son of the first female president of the United States. He’s twenty-one-years-old and many things, including: sassy, intelligent, driven, self-absorbed, genuine, and caring. He dreams of an aspiring job in politics, following in both his mother and father’s footsteps, and chronicles the fast and glittery and gritty life of being in the political limelight.
And then he falls for royalty.
Specifically Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, youngest and most charming of the royal family.
It’s a classic hate-to-love romance which OWNS ME, that trope never, ever ever gets old. Prince Henry and Alex slowly fall in love over the course of the novel, bringing with them the hilarity of being world leaders, sneaking around secret agents and Henry’s security, sending the most sappy, romantic emails back and forth, and some genuine, true emotions that bely the depth, chemistry, and love between these two characters.
But this novel doesn’t stop there.
It could have, very easily. It could have been a shallow romance with sexy scenes and some amusing conversations and it would have been good. Good and forgettable, entertainment for a couple of hours before I put it on my shelf and largely forgot about it.
But it doesn’t and oh boy, am I thankful.
It goes other routes and explores other avenues rather than just romance. It delves into politics, the quagmire of the American electoral college and elections, campaigns and filibustering and gerrymandering. It goes into biases and prejudices, bringing up issues like immigration, racism, homelessness, sexism, sexual assault, and especially LGBTQ rights. It goes into the idea of legacy and tradition versus change and morality.
It centers around family and friendship and goals like bettering yourself and education and knowledge.
If this book was just romance, it would be a book among thousands just like it. I’m pretty sure you can find at least seven movies with the same plot on Netflix, minus the gay twist of course.
But no. This book goes into those deeper, more complex, more emotional segues that make this a thrilling novel I devoured in three days and can’t stop thinking about. It makes the characters real and complex and flawed and beautiful. It makes the world interesting and large and real.
It makes this book truly amazing and well worth the read.
Recommendation: This book does not have a new concept, but it does everything right. The characters, the plot, the action, the romance, the writing, the relationships, the lessons. You have the time right now, you know you do. If you told yourself that you were going to read more during this quarantine season, this is it. I enjoyed every second of reading this piece and you will too. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Score: 9/10
