Scarlet: review

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genres: sci-fi, retellings, adventure
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Bought
Summary: Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.


It's been a while, but I thought I'd just post this short review. :)

A few months ago, whenever it came out, I read the short story The Queen's Army, and I'm glad I did. It gives you another perspective to the wolves and I understood the character Wolf a whole lot more, and maybe it saves some confusion as to what the wolves actually are in the first place. It's available online Tor for free, so I recommend you read it. Either before or after Scarlet.

I wasn't completely worried this would be a bad second book, but was was for sure bummed it wasn't going to be about Cinder like the first one. I worried for nothing though because I soon found out Cinder is in here a LOT, as well as Iko...in her own special way. ;) And Kai. And Queen Levana. And we meet Wolf.

This took me about two weeks to read purely for the reason of my life-schedule right now. I wish wish wish I hadn't been so busy because I totally would have finished it in one sitting had my time allowed. The pace is non-stop and sure is a page-turner. Scarlet is another brave young protagonist like Cinder, but completely in her own way and I still don't have a favorite between the two girls. Wolf took me a while to warm up to, since I'm not a big "werewolf" fan in general. But in this world it's made all sciencey so I liked how she created the wolves. And there were some great moments with him. ;)

I'm not sure if I pointed this out in my review of Cinder last year (all I can recall is some major fangirling) but I am glad Meyer made her sci-fi world NOT dystopian. It's futuristic. Yes, there is a difference. And I am SO WORN OUT with dystopian books right now. Additionally, all the awesome tech-y items don't seem unrealistic, and blend in well with her storytelling. You can tell she's a sci-fi geek as well. (especially with her spaceship setting, totally made my think: Firefly!)

And a special shout-out to Captain Thorne, oh my gods, he is now one of my favorite supporting characters. Thorne is the comic-relief I suppose, but at the same time he's the handsome-charmer-but-pain-in-the-ass. Who is now Cinder's side-kick. But he would assure you it's the other way around. His lightheartedness adds balance to the otherwise depressing Cinder-storyline, and high-speed Scarlet-storyline.

This book does not leave you in a horrible cliffhanger like the first one (I thought so at least) but it will be yet again torture to wait a whole year for the third book. And there will be four! Which is good, because there is still a lot to accomplish for Cinder and co.

And Kai...oh man, Cinder needs to go save that young Emperor. Pronto.


Ciao,

Jane