Review: Cress, Marissa Meyer

You know these series you’re scared to go on with, because what if the next book is terrible, and what if the finale is just awful and I wish I stopped at the first book? Well, if you’re considering reading The Lunar Chronicles series, or haven’t yet -what are you waiting for?-, or still wondering whether to go on with it, or not… WAIT NO MORE. And go read it all now. I’m saying this while I’m still waiting to read Winter, but I feel like, after reading Cress, I can safely say, this is one of these series that just keeps on getting BETTER. .

CINDERELLA, RED RIDING HOOD AND…RAPUNZEL?

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“He leaned forward to inspect her closer. “Is that all hair?”

If you don’t know it by now, Marissa Meyer is kind of having fun with some original fairytales in this series, turning Cinderella into Cinder -with well, lots of changes obviously, but you can see the stepmother, even the glass shoe-, The Little Red Riding Hood into Scarlet-with the big bad Wolf turning out to be oh so wonderfully sweet, slightly possessive and criminal but still loving as hell-. With Cress, we’re seeing more of the Rapunzel fairytale. You remember, the girl with impossibly long hair, locked up in a tower? Well, that’s it, except she’s stuck in a spaceship, but…technicalities, I guess? I’m loving how this series is making me think about these old stories and turning them completely upside down, surprising us with twists and a completely different, incredibly thoughtful world-building. I always said in my previous reviews that I was amazed about this world-building, and well, I still am. In all of its complexities, rules, potential wars and multi-layered leaders, The Lunar Chronicles is such a fantastic series, and Cress definitely takes it to a whole other level of love in my heart.

CRESS: NEW FAVORITE CHARACTER ALERT

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“Maybe there isn’t such a thing as fate. Maybe it’s just the opportunities we’re given, and what we do with them. I’m beginning to think that maybe great, epic romances don’t just happen. We have to make them ourselves.”

Something I really loved in Cress, is how much more of Cinder we get to see. I was a bit frustrated that, in the second installment of this series, we seemed to get a bit less of Cinder, despite her being, well, the main character and everything, she fell in the background. Here, we have more place, more room for her to develop and change as the world around her goes darker and every decision she makes might change everything around her, and everyone’s fate. I loved to see her grow, struggle and face her future with pride and a bit of anxiety as well. As it’s a tradition in this series, in this third book, we’re introduced to a whole new character, Cress. And oh, how I LOVED Cress, I don’t even know where to begin. Stuck in a spaceship, forced to work for someone she hates, didn’t see the ground or the world -Lunar, or Earthen- in YEARS. Professional hacker. Okay maybe we won’t be twins of the year, but I could relate to her so, so much. She was adorable, realistic, looked at the world with some kind of naivete at first, yet she showed strength when she needed to. She was PERFECT and I loved her.

A PERFECT CREW.

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“Hello?” A girl again. “I know you can hear me. I’m sorry my friend is such a wing nut. You can just ignore him.”

“That’s usually what we do,” said the other feminine voice.”

If you’re going on an adventure, or dreaming about it, you’re always thinking about the crew to take along with you. Hopping on the ship, and sharing these 400 and something pages with Cinder’s crew was incredibly breath-taking, for two reasons. One, because I couldn’t get my breath back, literally. Action-packed, filled with surprises and emotions at every corner, you have no idea where the story is going to take you next, and, more scary, no idea if everything or everyone is going to be okay. Two, because all of the relationships are slowly-built, realistically, and making me ship everything and everyone like a melting marshmallow. We meet Cress in that story, and we meet her with Thorne, and I think I have found one of my favorite ships of EVER. Her dreaminess and his sarcasm, his way of caring for her, every single one of their conversations made me smile like a crazy idiot.

OVERALL

I laughed, and I wanted to cry, I threw the book away, and at the end, I stared. Eyes wide open, not quite believing how it could end like this. A rollercoaster of emotions for a series that just keeps on getting better. Winter, I’m coming for you soon, and if this goes on like this, well… I’m ready for the fireworks. And the tears. And emotions. And, oh, I just need that book RIGHT NOW.

Final rating:  It’s a hurricane!

Did you read Cress? Did you enjoy it? Do you want to read it?

What’s your favorite book in The Lunar Chronicles series? If you haven’t read it, do you want to? Share your thoughts in comments!

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Marissa Meyer, Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3),  Published by Feiwel & Friends, February 4th 2014.

 

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.