Four fairytale retellings in a futuristic world where cyborgs exist.
I first came across The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer when I was a new mom with an infant that didn’t sleep. I loved the series then, and I still love it today. One thing that sets Meyer’s retellings apart is how she gives just enough of the original story to let you know which one you’re in. But then she weaves her own spellbinding story that makes it hard to put down because you don’t know what’s going to happen next.
***Please Note***
In this post, you’ll find reviews for the series as a whole, plus each book individually. I do my best not to give away spoilers, but some details are necessary for subsequent reviews.
Before we dive in to the review on the book, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):
- Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
- Character Development: Level of growth a character achieves and how well the author makes them feel “real.”
- Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
- Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
- Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.
Disclaimer: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.
Book Descriptions:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of Marissa Meyer’s bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison–even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.
In this third book in Marissa Meyer’s bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.
My Reviews:
Cinder:
Cinder is one of the most unique Cinderella retellings I have come across. I love how Meyers gave this classic new life through a futuristic plot line, along with the high points from the original to keep you grounded in the story. It was a delightful blend of sci-fi with a touch of magic through the “lunar gift.” Cinder is a character you find yourself rooting for and can align yourself with what she desires: love, family, and friendship.
Something I enjoyed that differs from the original tale is that Cinder is not a helpless girl waiting to be saved. She takes matters into her own hands and sets off to make her dreams come true, just after she relays a warning to the Prince that he’s in danger.
The classic story is also heavy on the romance and “love at first sight.” Cinder, while still geared toward a heavy romance theme, is a “let’s be friends first, and see where it goes.” This feels more like a realistic relationship expectation and one I appreciate.
One thing that felt different after reading this novel a second time was the “Blue Plague” that wipes out much of Earth’s population. Cinder was published in 2012, but reading it post 2020, a plague wiping out the people of Earth felt a little too close to home. For other readers who dealt with the loss of loved ones during Covid-19, this could be a triggering read.
***This book is currently on Utah’s banned book list.
Scarlet:
Scarlet is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, though this is one version that is more gritty than many originals I have read. Scarlet, who lives with her grandmother, is the definition of a “fiery redhead.” She will go toe-to-toe with anyone who tries to push around her or anyone she cares about, even if that person is a Lunar MMA street fighter nicknamed “Wolf.”
Scarlet and Wolf’s love story unfolds to be passionate and on the nose. This book is definitely on the warmer side of the low spice rating. Nothing beyond a kiss is portrayed.
The intensity of Scarlet’s story is nicely balanced with that of Cinder’s continued story from book 1 and how those two storylines converge. Between Scarlet’s fierceness and determination to find her grandmother, and Cinder’s ingenuity, this makes for a great read.
Cress:
Cress, the third novel in this series, takes on the story of Rapunzel. Again, Meyers does a great job of giving an age-old tale new life where Cress is a super spy living in a satellite orbiting Earth. She tracks the movements and conversations of Emperor Kai, and other world leaders, to give the Lunar queen, Levana, an edge in her continued war on the blue planet. The integration of Cress’s story with the previous two books is well done.
The plot twists, as well as major character growth for many of the main characters, make this a great read. Some are humbled, while others show a darker side we weren’t aware of before. Human trafficking is also a large issue in this novel.
This story has more innuendos than the previous books in the series and is higher in the low spice category. Cress and Thorne’s relationship is very dynamic and there is plenty of drama to go along with it. Reader digression advised.
Winter:
This retelling of Snow White, intermingled with the continued stories of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel keeps things from feeling stale in the novel, Winter. This book takes a hard look at mental health and how the Lunar sickness affects those who don’t use their “gift” to manipulate others.
Cinder and her friends are defeated at almost every turn throughout the novel, but they never give up. They fight until the very end in a well-earned, satisfying triumph.
Levana’s deepest secret is revealed, but she refuses to give up her throne. A master at the Lunar gift, the queen is one character that you really love to hate. She has understandable motivations, and one you can pity even while you condemn her acts.
This book has more innuendos and almost bedroom scenes that readers should use caution when reading.Recommended Reader Age: 15+
How I rated this series:
- Plot Structure: 9/10; Meyers is one of my favorite authors on fairytale retellings. She knows how to weave together unique plots and multiple storylines into one. Every action characters take is believable and flows well in the overall storyline.
- Character Development: 9/10; Each character grows in significant ways and the growth feels earned. They all have many layers to their emotions and motivations, which gives them a well-rounded feel and makes them relatable to the reader.
- Language: 3/10; There is mild usage of in-world and real-world swearing.
- Violence: 5/10; The battle scenes in this novel can get a little gory as the wolf soldiers carry out Levana’s plans to dominate Earth. The callous murders and manipulation give this series a darker side.
- Sexual Content: 5/10; We have a few almost intimate moments and several innuendos in this series, though nothing is ever beyond a fade to black. Hand holding, kissing, and hugging are common.
Conclusion:
I highly recommend The Lunar Chronicles if you love reading great fairytale retellings with a diverse cast and plenty of adventure, romance, and epic style battles in a sci-fi futuristic setting.
***Meyers also has two companion novels to go with this series. Stars Above is the backstory for our eight main characters. This one has been fun to read and learn more about how the characters grew into who we know in the stories.
Fairest, Levana’s backstory, is not one I recommend if you are a no-spice reader. It is very heavy on bad romance of Levana wanting to be with an older man who is married to another woman. I’ve tried to listen to it twice, and both times shut it off. It was not worth my time with how explicit the content was in this novel.
