Review by Prateek Sachdeva, BAJMC 2nd Year
“Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some.”
In 2021, I discovered ‘The Song of Achilles’ (thanks to Jack Edwards’ YouTube channel) and the book shattered my heart into million little pieces, and I loved every second of it. This was essentially the first book with good LGBTQ+ representation that I had read. But this also made me realize how little the community was represented in mainstream books and films, and how interesting queer stories are. So, in 2022, I promised myself to read more Achillean and Sapphic books and novels. However, I also got into a reading slump and I wasn’t able to finish any books I started this year until I discovered ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston (thanks to Jack Edwards again), and I finished the whole book in less than 24 hours.
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ is a beautiful, hilarious, wholesome, and charming story about Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the first female US president, falling in love with Prince Henry of Whales. Alex, who was promptly cast as the American equivalent of the young royal, has a beef with him. After Alex gets drunk and accidentally destroys a $75,000 wedding cake at a royal wedding, Alex and Henry have to pretend to like each other by going to press conferences and public charity events for damage control. This fake, Instagramable friendship soon turns into something deeper, something that can prove to be dangerous, not only for the reputation of the monarchy but also the US elections.
This is a book I didn’t know I wanted to read. It’s the sort of representation that the LGBTQ+ community craves but rarely gets. Something that does not involve the trauma of coming out, where the main character(s) don’t die in the end, and genuinely focuses on queer romance rather than focusing entirely on the hardships the characters have to endure throughout the story. The characters are diverse, usually likable, and are three-dimensional. That said, I am also wary of some of the problems it tried to tackle. The plot entirely revolved around political figures who are immensely privileged. Almost all the members of the Royal family were anti-colonial, which needless to say, is a stretch. The world it imagines is idealistic to the point it almost seems unrealistic. All of the events that could cause an actual international crisis are treated like small inconveniences that are resolved quickly. Also, the plot is predictable, which I don’t mind, but would be a deal-breaker for readers who enjoy plot twists. Despite all these issues, I deeply enjoyed this book.
This is a light-hearted and fairly fast-paced book that you may read to get you out of a reading slump. I would advise only people above the age of 18 to read this book because it tends to contain very strong language along with adult sections. All things considered; I would give this book a solid 4-out-of-5 star.
Gen en Voyage 