January 10, 2014

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

She did not know that the wolf was a wicked sort of animal, and she was not afraid of him.
-from Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

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Marissa Meyer does it again. In this action-packed sequel to Cinder, readers meet Scarlet, an 18-year old girl from France in search of her missing grandmother. When Scarlet learns that a young street fighter named Wolf may be able to help her find her grandmother, they pair up. This book also chronicles Cinder's escape from prison with fellow fugitive, Captain Thorne. The perfect blend of a sequel and companion novel, Marissa Meyer's Scarlet brings everything you loved about Cinder and more.

Similar to Cinder, I just adored the fairy tale allusions in this story! I wasn't sure I would enjoy a Little Red Riding Hood-esque story versus a popular princess like Cinderella, but Meyer definitely delivered! I found myself loving Wolf, despite his flaws; however, the part of me that knew the wolf in the original story was the villain made me extremely cautious of this character. I won't spoil Scarlet, but I definitely felt the trust vs mistrust Scarlet must have felt and I really love that Meyer had me so emotionally invested in second-guessing myself.

The romance in this story was a little heavier than Cinder, and I found it the only thing that was hit-or-miss for me. I enjoyed it, but perhaps it was a little too much and/or not so believable. It wasn't a deal-breaker or anything, but I didn't gush over it like I did with Cinder and Kai's budding romance, which seemed easier to love.

The story overall is a constant puzzle quickly fitting together as the adventurous momentum builds. Between Cinder's escape and Scarlet's hunt for her grandmother, the action never ceases. I was impressed by how much I cared for the characters and how that impacted my response to the adventure they experience. Much like the previous installment in this series, Scarlet is full of lively dialogue that inject personality into every character. Captain Thorne was an especially fun addition to the cast of characters and I think every reader will enjoy his comic relief against Cinder's focus.

On one hand I can't believe I waited so long to read this series! But on the other hand, I have much less time to wait for the next book in the series, Cress, coming out on February 4. I'm really excited to see how Meyer integrates another character into this mix and how she will impact the story!

Bottom Line: A must-read for any fairy tale lovers! But I highly recommend starting with Cinder! 4/5 Stars.

1 comment:

  1. I'm glad you liked this one, too! I loved the bigger picture aspect and the world-building! I'm excited to see what happens next, too! I also felt like the romance hit-or-miss, sometimes I felt it and sometimes I wasn't buying it!

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