Book Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter by Marissa Meyer

This is the book that has turned me into a Lunar Chronicles fangirl. It was 800+ pages of awesome, a pure joy to read, and I continue to be impressed by Marissa Meyer’s ability to weave together so many fairy-tale based storylines and merge them together seamlessly, all while building her own unique world.

Princess Winter. “She was a girl made of ice and glass.” Winter refuses to use her Lunar gift, and therefore battles visions and hallucinations on a regular basis. A lot of readers don’t like her childishness, but I found it fit in perfectly with her character. I also don’t believe she is truly as childish as she comes across, a thought that is hinted at a few times during the course of the novel. Winter, living under the nose of Queen Levana, seems to be in survival mode for much of the novel.

I loved that all of the events of this book take place on Luna, so the reader is fully immersed in the Lunar world. It was delightful to read about. I may never look at the moon the same way again, without picturing the city domes and Artemisia.

Winter is heartbreaking, endearing, and the perfect conclusion to the series.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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WWW Wednesday – 31 August 2016

WWW is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over at Taking On a World of Words. You can join in by commenting on Sam’s post, and answering three questions.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading two books, that couldn’t be more different from each other.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier – “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Who doesn’t know that line? Rebecca has been languishing on my TBR shelf for years and years. I am only about 25 pages in, and I love the atmosphere that Daphne du Maurier creates, right from the very beginning. I already have a chill of anticipation as to what is to come.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander – Hands down, this is one of the most important nonfiction books that I have read this year. With only one chapter remaining, it has been a slow, thought-provoking book that I have read as part of a local discussion series called Educate to Engage, a group that has also created the hashtag #NoMoreBystanding. Michelle has constructed a thorough, convincing, passionate account of how the American criminal justice system, triggered by the creation and design of the War on Drugs, has become an institution of oppression towards African-Americans and people of color. The book is filled with detailed facts, arguments and studies to back up the basic premise. It is not an easy read, but it has helped give me the words to talk about a subject that has always been deeply unsettling to me.

What have you recently finished?

Winter by Marissa Meyer – I loved this book! I thought it was the best one of the whole series. When I started Lunar Chronicles, I enjoyed the first book, Cinder, but didn’t love it. Here, at the end of the series, all of the characters have captured my heart. I didn’t want it to end. Marissa Meyer created a fascinating world with captivating people, it was such a fun read.

What are you reading next?

It’s a toss-up between two books:

   

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín – This is the Sepember selection for my book club, but I am not sure if I will be able to get to it in time for our meeting. I am not extremely motivated to read it right now, especially since the reviews I have heard are only average.

Sailor Moon Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi – My daughter is beginning to express an interest in Sailor Moon manga, so I thought it would be a great time to re-read these books! This will probably be what I pick up next.

 

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I usually delve into YA books in the summer. They are the perfect accompaniment to lazy pool days. This summer, I decided to finally pick up the Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer. I have been wanting to read this series for years!

I have a feeling M will be reading these books in the not too distant future, she was quite interested in hearing all about the characters and plot, and how it was similar to the original fairy tales. That kid is growing up way too fast when I can envision her reading, and enjoying, YA novels.

It is a familiar story, with an interesting twist. I LOVE the idea of Earthens colonizing  the Moon/Luna (I once wanted to name a pet dog Luna), and then evolving the ability to detect and manipulate bioelectricity. The glamours that Lunars can manipulate people with is endlessly fascinating. Cinder works flawlessly, seamlessly including many elements of the original Cinderella fairy tale while still managing to tell a highly creative and original story. A cyborg Cinderella? Brilliant!

The world of Cinder is quite imaginative, but I do wish the Eastern Commonwealth, and its history, would have been flushed out a bit more. No explanations about New Beijing’s culture, or how so many Asian nations ended up under one monarchy. Hopefully this will be explored in the rest of the series.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars