Once upon a time… in space…
Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction, Adventure
No. of pages: 550
From Goodreads:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, 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 her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned 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 just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
‘Cress’ the next instalment in the Lunar Chronicles adds yet even more interesting characters in the mish-mash of fairy tale re-tellings.
There was more involvement in Cress’ storyline with that of the other characters, which we did not get as much in ‘Scarlet,’ and for that I am greatful. Even though Cress gets her own backstory, it was woven into that of the rest of the main cast of the Lunar Universe from the get-go.
Cress is a different type of heroine – where Cinder and Scarlet are physical and strong willed, Cress is intelligent, idealistic, but fragile. She plays to her strengths, yet the motivation of all three protagonists remains the same: freedom.
We see all of the assumptions Cress has made of the world outside her single room satellite challenged – there is only so much information you can glean from on-screen dramas. And in fact she chooses to play pretend to deal with the real-world shock of it all, continually repeating to herself she is an actress when plunged into the unfamiliar.
Again, I loved the inclusion of Iko and her comedic timing, and we see elements of this type innocent blundering in Cress, which I feel helped round out this series and inject some much needed light-hearted banter to break up the action and espionage. After all, the world our three protagonists face is bleak; and you need a sense of humour to stop going insane.
With Cress being so young and isolated, the narrative is much more ‘girly’ than we got in the previous editions, and I must say, an enjoyable change. Because of this, and so many elements/story arcs happening the pacing is engaging – and for such a lump of a book (552 pages) – a great feat.
Some of my friends felt ‘Scarlet’ was a little clunky and slow, and ‘Cress’ definitely lives up the standards set in ‘Cinder.’ The main plot points are predictable – I mean we all know how the fairy tale goes. But besides that, much of this book is setting up events for the three characters to deal with an almighty war with Queen Levana in ‘Winter’ due out next month (November).
I have to commend this series for its sheer imagination and the ability to breathe new life into old characters and to then weave so many different fables into one massive overarching plot… I take my hat off to you Marissa Meyer, it is a truly outstanding achievement.
Definitely glad I caught up with this series before ‘Winter’s’ release and can’t wait to indulge over the Christmas break!
Overall feeling: You go girl!
© Casey Carlisle 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Casey Carlisle 