Rött, vitt och kungligt blått
Red, White & Royal Blue
Bok av Casey McQuiston
Boken som har tagit världen med storm! Utsedd till ÅRETS BÄSTA ROMANCE och ÅRETS BÄSTA DEBUT i Goodreads Choice Awards.
Alex Claremont-Diaz är son till USA:s första kvinnliga president. Tillsammans med sin syster och deras bästa kompis utgör de Vita huset-trion, en social influencer-makt att räkna med, och som Vita huset inte är sena att utnyttja.
Problemet är bara att Alex har en ärkefiende, prins Henry av Wales. När ett bråk mellan dem hamnar på hela världens löpsedlar måste de ofrivilligt låtsas vara vänner tills stormen har blåst över. Men ju mer Alex lär känna prins Henry, desto mer ser han vad som döljer sig under hans drömprinsyta. Snart är de vänner på riktigt, men vänskapen djupnar till något mer. Något som kan hota Alex mammas planer på att bli omvald som president.
"En enastående debut." The New York Times Book Review
Okey first of all, can we please stop romanticize toxic relationships?! Saying “fuck you”, “I hate you”, “you’re the worst” is NEVER cute or romantic. This was basically the only things Alex and Henry said to each other when they came up for air after making out constantly for 150 pages. I would have loved 150 pages of character (and relationship) development but instead I was supposed to believe that this shallow and emotionless relationship is the love story of the ages?? I don’t think so.
I also think it’s funny how the author tried to fit every marginalised group in the story, which felt more like a checklist and not like genuine representation, but still managed to write the most stereotypical characters ever?? June and Nora are basically the same person. Alex is a rude, condescending ass but “in a funny way” so we’re supposed to like him even if he’s a dick to other people. When he said he wanted to make the world a better place I actually laughed out loud. Henry is just... boring?? I think I’m supposed to like them because “omg they’re referencing pop culture and communicate through ironic banter that’s sooo relatable” but I don’t. I’ve never cared less about two main characters and their relationship actually.
The politics!! I was actually looking forward to a fictional story where politics play a big part of it. However, like with everything else in this book, it was disappointing. It’s just not realistic in any way. The Democrats are made out to be super woke and flawless and as long as they rule the country everything will be covered in pink fluff, rainbows and unicorn glitter while We shall overcome is playing in the background. The Republicans on the other hand are horrible homophobic racists and sexual predators, who might be directly related to Satan himself. “But it’s fictional”. Sure, but here’s the thing - the majority of the American people are literally *afraid* of the opposing party and this story is pushing the narrative that republicans are bad people that you should hate. Don’t tell me “it’s just a romance without political impact” bc I will fight you.
Okey end of rant: This book was just way too long! If you can delete 200 pages at random without any impact on the story then you’ve done something wrong. It feels like someone just wrote a lot of fan fiction short stories, put them together and added something vaguely resembling a plot and somehow managed to get it published as a book.
And also Texas??? I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I was reading fantasy...
I also think it’s funny how the author tried to fit every marginalised group in the story, which felt more like a checklist and not like genuine representation, but still managed to write the most stereotypical characters ever?? June and Nora are basically the same person. Alex is a rude, condescending ass but “in a funny way” so we’re supposed to like him even if he’s a dick to other people. When he said he wanted to make the world a better place I actually laughed out loud. Henry is just... boring?? I think I’m supposed to like them because “omg they’re referencing pop culture and communicate through ironic banter that’s sooo relatable” but I don’t. I’ve never cared less about two main characters and their relationship actually.
The politics!! I was actually looking forward to a fictional story where politics play a big part of it. However, like with everything else in this book, it was disappointing. It’s just not realistic in any way. The Democrats are made out to be super woke and flawless and as long as they rule the country everything will be covered in pink fluff, rainbows and unicorn glitter while We shall overcome is playing in the background. The Republicans on the other hand are horrible homophobic racists and sexual predators, who might be directly related to Satan himself. “But it’s fictional”. Sure, but here’s the thing - the majority of the American people are literally *afraid* of the opposing party and this story is pushing the narrative that republicans are bad people that you should hate. Don’t tell me “it’s just a romance without political impact” bc I will fight you.
Okey end of rant: This book was just way too long! If you can delete 200 pages at random without any impact on the story then you’ve done something wrong. It feels like someone just wrote a lot of fan fiction short stories, put them together and added something vaguely resembling a plot and somehow managed to get it published as a book.
And also Texas??? I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I was reading fantasy...