Cinder by Marissa MeyerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first book in this epic series is a Cinderella retelling. As an introduction to the world, Cinder did a great job of being just familiar enough while also throwing in new technology, a fractured society with various classes of citizens (Earthen, Lunar, cyborg, android) and tense political loyalties. There is a larger story at play here, as a deadly plague threatens Earthen citizens and ties to Luna and her citizens are fraught. Cinder herself was a joy to get to know, along with her android partner and friend, Iko. Prince Kaito had far more personality than Prince Charming, and I actually rooted for their love story. Important Cinderella artifacts and events like the glass slipper, the "pumpkin" chariot, and the transformation from disheveled worker to glamorous ball-attendee are all present, though in slightly adjusted forms.
Scarlet by Marissa MeyerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
While Cinder tries to save Earth from the plague in New Beijing, another young woman in France just wants to find her grandmother and carry on with their country life on the farm. A roving street fighter named Wolf seems to hold all the answers to her grandmother's whereabouts, and Scarlet has no choice but to follow him to Paris, despite not trusting him. It's there that Scarlet realizes her grandmother was involved in something connected to the current political tension between Prince Kaito of Earth and Queen Levana of Luna. While departures are made to update the reader on Cinder and the larger story, most of the focus in this tale is the journey of Scarlet (who, yes, wears a red cape) to see her grandmother with Wolf attempting to earn her trust.
Cress by Marissa MeyerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Cress's story (which includes glimpses into Cinder and Scarlet's continued adventures that I won't detail here) begins in a satellite orbiting Luna. Cress herself is a computer hacker for Queen Levana, and has been tasked with tracking down the Earthen fugitive Cinder. All alone in her satellite (besides brief visits from "Mother"), Cress has had plenty of time to hone her craft and grow her hair. When the dashing Captain Thorne arrives to rescue Cress, they crash land on Earth and must work together to survive. I found Cress herself to be super lovable as a character, and I loved the way Rapunzel's story was reflected in various details - her name, the satellite "tower," her hair, even the fate of Captain Thorne.
Winter by Marissa MeyerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
As the official finale of the Lunar Chronicles, Winter does an amazing job of tying up loose ends while also essentially introducing us to a brand new character. Readers of Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress will have heard of Winter, the young Lunar Princess, and stepdaughter of Queen Levana, but it's not until this book that we hear about her sheltered upbringing, fragile constitution, and the way that the Lunar people are devoted to her, maybe even more so than they are to their own Queen - a possibility that the Queen just can't allow. While all of our characters finally meet and their stories combine, Winter still manages to stay faithful its own story (a retelling of Snow White). I found this book to be a bittersweet ending to a series that I'm glad I invested my time in, which means I was relieved to learn about both the related short story collection, Stars Above, and Fairest, an origin story for Queen Levana to bring me back to the Lunar world.
Extras: view all my reviews, Little Mermaid retellings, or reviews of short story collections (including Stars Above).
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