Hello Bookity Bookworms!
You know I dig a fractured fairy tale, right? I just finished up the latest installment of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles by reading Cress
. If you’re interested, I read and reviewed both Cinder
(review) and Scarlet
(review) once upon a time as well. Re-reading those posts, I don’t think they reflect how much I really enjoyed these books. I’m going to try to be better this time! Obviously, this is the third book in the series, so talking about it might be a little SPOILERY for the preceding books, and maybe a tiny bit spoilery for Cress (but only if you can’t guess at super obvious things.) Of course, the books are all based on fairy tales, so you probably know where it’s going anyway. Still. Warning.
Cress is a retelling of Rapunzel
. Cress was born on the moon, but since the Lunars are all evil and stuff, she was sent to die when it was discovered she was a “shell” (that’s the equivalent of a Squib to you Potterheads.) Instead of being killed, Cress was raised in some creepy moon tunnels and imprisoned in a satellite when her talent for computer programming and hacking was discerned. She was stuck in the satellite (er, “tower”) and her hair grew super long. Then, you know, Cinder and Scarlet and the gang are chilling in their spaceship and decide to rescue Cress. Only, things go wrong, adventure ensues. Adventure with androids and spaceships and crashes and deserts and wicked Lunars, naturally.
I think this series is a blast- it’s a lot of fun to toy around with fairy tales and give them new life. As far as Cress goes, I liked that Meyer didn’t fixate on the whole hair thing overmuch, and used some of the elements of the Rapunzel legend that people tend to forget about. Thorne as a character reminds me a LOT of the dashing Flynn Rider (or Eugene Fitzherbert, as it were) from Disney’s Tangled
. The thing is, it felt a little too borrowed maybe, because in old school Rapunzel, the handsome prince was just a plain old prince, not a bad boy gone good. That said, I still totally would have fallen for a smolder look from Thorne.
And because I’m nitpicking, Wolf’s ongoing obsession with Scarlet felt very Twilight
to me— the fixation seemed a lot like the whole “imprinting” thing. Then again, wolves do have their alphas, so maybe that’s more a wolf trait than a Twilight trait? I don’t know. I’m pretty sure if it came to a wolf fight, Wolf the mutant super soldier could kick Jacob Black’s furry backside. I’m pretty stoked for the final installment, because it’s based on Snow White 
, and I’m anticipating the mother of all happily ever afters!
Bookworms! I must know. Anybody else out there digging The Lunar Chronicles? Do you love a good fractured fairy tale? What’s your favorite? I’m all ears! (The better to hear you with, of course.)
*If you make a purchase through this site I will receive a small commission. It will be re-invested into books, most likely, because I have a problem.*
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Heather
Ashley really likes these books, too, but she hasn’t read Cress yet.
Words For Worms
They’re a lot of fun for all ages. Well, most ages, probably. But yeah. Good fun.
Claire @ Bitches With Books
I’ve been intrigued in this for some time… You’e pretty much cinched this for me.
Words For Worms
I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
Jenny @ Reading the End
I do love a fractured fairy tale and have read 0 of these ones. Now that I know there’s a Rapunzel one in the offing, I’m much more keen. I always identified with Rapunzel enormously; I had long fair hair as a child, and people were always pulling it. How much worse to be poor Rapunzel and have people CLIMBING it.
Words For Worms
I always wanted my hair to grow super long, Rapunzel style… I would have been jealous of yours!
Ashley F
I’m totally digging this series. I have this but it’s still on my “to read” list along with a bazillion others.
And thanks….totally singing Hair now
Words For Worms
You’re welcome! 🙂
Megan M.
Basically, I’ll read any retelling of Beauty and the Beast that you want to throw at me, but any other fairy tale I could take or leave. Beauty by Robin McKinley is my favorite so far.
Words For Worms
I’ve read zero Beauty and the Beast retellings… I really need to fix that!
Ashley Z
Oh! Reading Cinder now!
Words For Worms
Yay! I want to hear what you think!
Cindy W
I’m loving this series. I can’t wait for Winter! Sadly no Winter until next year. I’m so glad you know it was based on Snow White – I hadn’t figured that out yet. I should have. At first, I was thinking Winter was evil like all of the other Lunars.
I love Cress and Thorne together. I agree about Wolf. I just wanted to shake him. And I hope Cinder can finally control her power better so that she can finally overthrow the queen!
Words For Worms
I’m really looking forward to Winter, I want some resolution… And more evil moon people.
April @ The Steadfast Reader
I just finished this. First. Wolf and Scarlet = totally annoying. Second. For the most part I’m having tons of fun with these.
Do we know for sure that Winter is the last one? Because I need it to be the last one. Otherwise I feel like we might have a weird fairy tale Sookie Stackhouse situation happen here. (In that the series goes on way longer than it should and I want to hurt people.) Oddly, I’m not a big fan of the Cinderella tale – but Cinder is by far the most kickass character in this series. I’m already a little freaked out by Winter.
Words For Worms
Yes, Winter is supposed to be the final book, and I’m so glad you’re on the same page with Wolf and Scarlet. It’s not like we don’t KNOW they’re going to end up together, you know? Cinder is pretty kickass, and that glimpse of Winter was creeptastic. I can’t wait!