Leaving a turkey in your own room overnight, doing constant political analysis for the upcoming elections and hiding a warm romance are definitely three things that are not easy to handle. Especially when you’re in love with the prince of England and vehemently swear how much you can’t stand him – though deep down you know how much you’ve always loved him. This is the life of Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the president of the United States, who after causing a great scandal in a royal wedding along Prince Henry, is forced to become his best friend in the eyes of the media to avoid a diplomatic disaster.
Filled with Star Wars references, humor, reflective moments and self-knowledge, the new adult novel Red, White and Royal Blue shows the development of an unlikely romance in the good enemies-to-lovers style in a thought-provoking and light-hearted way, making the reader eager to know more about the story in each reading page. It is a book that undoubtedly deserves to be highlighted in this month of LGBTQIA+ pride for carrying a beautiful representativity and touching the heart of so many people.
- The story: important discussions and great character developments
-
Although the book’s focus is more on the romance between Alex and Henry, it addresses very important themes such as politics, Mexican descent, female empowerment, the matter of online privacy, the relationship of the British crown with the legacy and mainly: the LGBTQIA+ representation. Casey McQuiston knew how to work well with each of these characters, even secondary ones like Nora and Rafael Luna. Both characters are very well developed and essential for the narrative, once they are responsible for helping the protagonist in political matters and even regarding his sexuality, playing a fundamental role in a better understanding of himself.
- The relevance: LGBTQIA+ representativity in literature
-
Since it is a book aimed at a young audience, this affair of representation becomes extremely necessary since, like Alex, the readers are also going through a phase of self-knowledge. The author knew how to express the development of the romance in a very natural and charming way, especially when the protagonist recognizes himself as bisexual. There is a special focus on this part of the story, bringing Alex closer to the readers and making the identification with him more present than ever. His vulnerability, confusion and doubts realistically reflect how it is this revolutionary process to know yourself.
Red, White and Royal Blue is a story about love, struggle, acceptance and essentially: about having hope. Hope for a better world where every form of love is accepted and respected. The love story in this book has been written emotionally and vividly, giving exclusive attention to details and streams of thoughts that make it impossible not to laugh at some of Alex’s sarcastic comments, or not be touched by the difficult dilemmas that are so present in Henry’s life. They would be happy to know that they really made history in many people’s lives, including mine.
—————————————
The article above was edited by Isadora Noronha Pereira.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Casper Libero home page for more!