Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5) by Marissa Meyer | 220 pages | Published 2015 by Feiwel & Friends | Teen SciFi/Fantasy (external image)
Summary:
In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?
Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.
Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series (courtesy of Goodreads).
My thoughts:
Read February 21-22, 2016, 5 stars
Oh, no. I knew what the point of this book was when I was getting into it, but I wasn’t expecting to feel this much. I actually needed a break for the first time in this series. I can’t say I love Levana, but I pity her more than I’ve ever pitied anyone before. She’s lonely, depressed, naive, impressionable, damaged, abandoned, and delusional. Yes, delusional. I feel for her and I think if she just got a real, meaningful, loving hug, everything would’ve turned out okay. But then again, I think hugs make EVERYTHING better...
The whole time, I questioned who was to blame for how she turned out, because she’s not responsible for her actions up until a certain age. Sure, her parents didn’t show affection for her or Channary; being ignored or ridiculed was normal for her. When did her actions become her responsibility?
I decided to read this in it’s proper place, between Cress and Winter, because I think it will give me better insight on the conclusion of this epic series (yeah, epic). I thought it was important to know where Levana came from, what she went through and what was going through her head before she turned completely evil. I didn’t believe she could kill anyone, I hoped it was a rumor we didn’t know the truth about until this book, but alas...
Meyer’s writing is beautiful in this novel. I felt I could burst into tears at any minute because the feelings hit hard and fast. Being abused by her older sister and shunned by her only friend and lover, it’s totally understandable why she goes to extreme lengths to get what she thinks she deserves.
One thing I really picked up on, is how much she and Selene (for spoiler’s sake) have in common. Both are neglected/abandoned by their families, both are physically damaged as well as emotionally. The difference is Levana turned to manipulation and fear--alone, where Selene worked for what she thinks is right with people she trusts. Two similar people, with similar situations, who took completely different paths to achieve their goals.
Okay, I’m done. I loved this. The tone and backstory were great and the cover is beautiful.
Cinder | Scarlet | Cress | Winter
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