For What It's Worth


Friday, January 10, 2014

Early review: Cress (Lunar Chronicles, #3) by Marissa Meyer


13206828-1Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only 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 goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

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Read Chapters 1-5 for free

Source: Borrowed from Lena Beana – thank you!!

Release date: February 4th, 2013

Review:
I always have very mixed feelings when I finish a book in this series. On one hand it’s wildly inventive. Meyer has mad skills when it comes to weaving elements of beloved fairy tales, and turning them on their head in her futuristic, sci-fi retellings. But on the other hand juggling this mash-up, while adding new couples for each book, always leaves me feeling short changed somehow.

All of the gang is present in Cress which I love. With each addition the plot thickens and we don’t just get cameos of previous characters but a continuation of their story, particularly with Cinder and Kai. Again, I’m amazed at how easily Meyer’s is able to bring in new characters while blending them seamlessly into the ongoing story.

I adore the wisecracking Captain Thorne and was shocked how much I liked the genuinely kooky Cress. She’s been flying around in space alone for a very long time and let’s just say she’s developed a bit of a fantasy life regarding Thorne and isn’t all there at times lol but she’s sweet and brave.

Thorne and Cress as a couple was a bit of a let down. Don’t get me wrong…I liked them together but it felt more like an older brother/younger sister relationship than a romance.

For me – there is just too much going on in these books at times. Thorne and Cress aren’t really the stars of their own book so I wasn’t really feeling them as a couple even though I love them both. Scarlet and Wolf are back and something pretty big happens but then is tossed to the side as Cinder and Kai start taking center stage again.

I’m still not sold on Kai. I can’t for the life of me understand Cinder’s devotion to this dude when she’s surrounded by guys who are much more deserving of her love and loyalty. Kai’s making progress though and I hope I can be won over by the end of the series.

Now Jacin (a Lunar guard) and Winter (Queen Levana’s daughter) …THAT’S an interesting combo and has me drooling for Winter (Lunar Chronicles #4) – this time a re-telling of Snow White.

Final thoughts: This series is always a mixed bag for me. Just for plot development and finally moving things forward, Cress delivered. Cress – the character – is my favorite of the heroines. She’s off-beat and quirky and I found her endearing. But Scarlett and Wolf and their book are still my favorite of the series.

I just wished that Thorne and Cress weren’t outshined by everything else going on. The romance and time spent with them was a bit of a letdown and this series is always walking that line of too many POV’s and being stretched too thin.

17 comments:

  1. Yes I can see your POV, and love scarlett & wolf. But I do think that its amazing that there are so many things happening with all of them. But I can see the little romance with thorne & Cress :) Yes I want to read Winter

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    1. She does an amazing job of pulling them all together for each book but I do wish there was a little more for each couple. I'm greedy like that lol

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  2. They all feel so open ended. I guess that's fine if we got more in the next books but there's always a new couple. I'm hoping it all comes together by the end but they don't really work for me either.

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  3. Glad you enjoyed, but sorry it felt so open ended

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    1. I wouldn't say open ended as much as not enough. I wish there was more of the main couple in their own book.

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  4. When Scarlet came out I was in a YA slump so I ended up DNF-ing the thing. I should give it another go because I did love Cinder and I do love the world she created. I'm not especially curious about your comment on Kai, I love Cinder, I hope she's in good hands even with Kai's flaws.

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    1. I think Kai is going to end up being worth it. He's just not worth the effort right now to me lol

      Meyer is crazy good at expanding this world without getting lost in it.

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  5. I've only read the first one and so need to read the last 2. Not sold on Kai in the first book. In fact, I didn't like that romance much, but held hope. Still not sure I would like it. Oh well... still gotta read them. :)

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    1. I get that Kai needs to mature and I like that but I can't see what about him has Cinder in LOVE with him already. Other than he's cute lol

      There is a lot of progress on that front in Cress though.

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  6. *squeak* I can't WAIT for this one!! Though I do agree about feeling short-changed because I want to spend more time with each character and not have to trade off POVs and storylines. *sigh* Just never happy, I guess!

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  7. The covers for this series totally make it read-worthy. So gorgeous.
    I'm not really sure this series is for me, but I definitely intend to give Cinder a try at some point.

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  8. Still haven't even started this series. I know that a lot of people really loved the first one. I loved your thoughts on this.

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  9. yeees I am SO EXCITED for Winter too. I already looove the character of Winter because she's so complex and damaged.

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  10. I love this series and all of its crazy characters, despite your mixed feelings I am really looking forward to this.

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  11. I haven't read Scarlet yet (I have a hold on it at the library) but can't wait. Glad to hear that you loved book two and enjoyed book 3!

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  12. I'm always so terrified to finish a series! So far I've been okay with the POV's so we'll see how I feel about that. I just hope I remember things enough. I'm curious to see how it goes. But very, very afraid.

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  13. Hmm, so I've only read Cinder so far, but what you are saying here has always been my concern. Just seems like so much is happening with too many characters to know which to focus on. I still absolutely plan on reading Scarlet and Cress though because everyone still seems to rave about them... I'm just going to go into them with what you have to say in mind. So glad to hear that Cress is your favourite of the three heroines so far!

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