Review: The Lunar Chronicles – Marissa Meyer

Hi Munchworms!

I know I said that my next blog would be about the books I’m reading / have read for my reading challenge, but since I just finished The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer… I felt like doing my first ever (try at a) review!

For those of you who haven’t heard of The Lunar Chronicles yet, or just haven’t read it yet: The books are retellings of fairytales in an extremely unique way. Humans, cyborgs and Lunars in a galaxy filled with prejudices. Prejudices that are rooted so deeply, that there might be no way to escape them. Especially when Cinder, a cyborg, gets caught up in it all and – to top it of – falls in love with her King.

If this hasn’t convinced you yet, maybe my review will.

When I first heard of The Lunar Chronicles, I didn’t even know what it was about. I do remember that  I was immediately sold as soon as I saw the covers of the books. They look like nothing I’ve seen before. To be honest, I really bought them just because of that. “If the cover is awesome, the book itself has to be awesome as well,” has always been my reading motto and I was right!
I love how you can deduct the fairytale from the cover of the books, but you never know in what way Marissa Meyer will have used it, which makes it that more intriguing.

When I got home (or more likely back at the hotel since I was on a city trip in Rotterdam), I read every synopsis of every book I bought – and trust me, there were loads.

This is only the first book haul – never took a picture of the second one..

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…
Sixteen-year-old Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past and is reviled by her stepmother. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. Because there is something unusual about Cinder, something that others would kill for.

I couldn’t wait to start reading the book! Even though I was already reading three other books at the same time.. So I had to be patient. And more patient. And even more. But in the end, I could finally start reading!

It’s honestly been a while since I’ve gone through four books in two weeks, especially books from the same author and same series at that. I tend to be that person that switches between books, authors and series all the time, reading what fits my mood at that moment. But not with The Lunar Chronicles, oh no! I just flew right through cause it’s written so fluently. I never got bored with long sentences, boring descriptions. The way Marissa Meyer writes really drags me completely into the story and that’s what a good writer should be able to do.
Maybe the story sounds predictable, since it’s based on well-known fairytales, it never really felt that way to me. Yes, you know what major events will probably take place, yet that doesn’t mean the story gets predictable. The circumstances of those events are thought-out so well that I never got the feeling it was “just another retelling”.

What I liked best about all the books was the presence of friendship, loyalty and love that thrived, even when the characters’ situation was strained and they could hardly see a way out. Hopelessness, faith, endurance and strength were shown beautifully which made it so much easier and inviting to get lost in everything Marissa Meyer created.

Even though it starts at an easy pace, I was immediately intrigued by the world – even though galaxy might be a better word – Marissa Meyer created in The Lunar Chronicles. I’ve never been a huge fan of anything scifi-related, but for some reason I fell completely in love with this galaxy and everything in it. The cyborgs, the androids… Every single character had its charms in one way or another and it all contributed to a story that I will definitely reread in the future.

Honestly, if you always loved fairytales and like things with a twist, I absolutely recommend you to read these books!
Personally, I can’t wait to read Fairest and Stars Above, which I’ve ordered last week and are hopefully arriving soon. I just don’t want to say goodbye to The Lunar Chronicles yet.

For this, I’d absolutely give the complete series 5 stars – out of five, of course, since I can’t seem to find any negative to The Lunar Chronicles!

Since my blog is all about Books and Munches, I made a cupcake to fit the intergalactic theme of the series. Hazelnut cupcake with an intergalactic rum frosting! And yet, they taste as good as this one looks.

To finish my review, I’ll end with the quote that has stuck with me till the end without ever writing it down in some way:

“Broken isn’t the same as unfixable.” – Iko

Have you read The Lunar Chronicles? If so, who’s your favorite character?

Kathy

 

I paid full-price for this book and this is my honest review for which I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own