Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

It's amazing what you can do with a pinch of imagination and a sprinkle or two of creativity. Just take a look at the shelves upon shelves of retellings of classical tales, and you'll realize just how much power authors have. Their ability to take something old, then completely transform it into something of their own is awesome in its own right, and it never ceases to amaze me! Marissa Meyer does just that in the "Lunar Chronicles", reimagining traditional fairytales and giving it a sci-fi spin. "Cress" is the third and latest installment to the series, introducing a twist on the time-old story of Rapunzel (I mean, the hair on the cover is a dead giveaway).

Cress can't let down her hair--or her guard. Trapped in a satellite since childhood with only her computer for company, Cress has become a master hacker, and is determined to escape Thamaturge Sybil's clutches. Her only hope of freedom lies with Cinder and her friends--especially her handsome accomplice, Captain Thorne-- though things aren't exactly easy when Queen Levana orders her to track down the fugitives, fearing that Cinder will destroy her plans to takeover Earth. But when the rescue mission goes awry, the group is separated. With Queen Levana and Emperor Kai's marriage drawing closer and closer, Cress, Cinder and Scarlet know that they may be the only ones who can save Earth--before it's too late.

What I especially love about the "Lunar Chronicles" series is that despite the fact that new characters are constantly being introduced with every book, the old characters still play central roles in the story. Cress is the newest addition to the lively cast of characters as a re-embodiment of Rapunzel. What struck me about Cress is that she seems incredibly young, especially given her petite size (the mass of hair doesn't exactly help her height either). Admittedly, it took me a little while to get used to the idea of Cress being a teenager rather than an eight-year old, but her naivete does make sense given her solitary confinement throughout her entire childhood. In fact, her awkwardness and zeal makes her a pretty adorable character, especially her infatuation with Captain Thorne. Thorne, of course, is as charmingly arrogant and witty as ever, and I was delighted to see him play a larger role in the book. It was really interesting to see their relationship develop, and what made it even more enjoyable to read was the fact that it was developed believably. While we did have Cress already head-over-heels "in love" with the dashing Thorne, Ms. Meyer took their relationship into unexpected directions, away from the gag-worthy insta-love cliche, which added a very realistic dimension to their budding romance.

The rest of the characters in "Cress" were just as exciting to follow in this latest installment to the series. Cinder is, as always, a strong, determined heroine, one who really has developed a lot throughout the series so far, and is still struggling to come to terms with her newfound identity and the responsibilities that come with it. Though Scarlet and Wolf aren't as central to the story as they were in the second book, they are still notably part of the team, and it was endearing to see their relationship in the aftermath of "Scarlet." Kai, Dr. Erland, and the rest of the gang were also present, and it really is like seeing old friends again! Ms. Meyer's decision to have the chapters told from all these different characters' points of view really added dimensions and layers to the story, and gave readers the time to really be with all the characters they've become so familiar with over the course of the series, which I appreciated a great deal.

The plot of "Cress" is exciting and compelling throughout, picking up from right where we left off in the previous book and catapulting through adventures and complications with an appropriately fast pace. The stakes are high from the onset, and the tension remains up and running throughout the entire novel. A lot of things happen in the story, especially the big revelation with Dr. Erland (you'll have to read it to find out what it is for yourself!), and what really strikes me is that I still remember all that's happened, despite the fact that I finished reading the novel about a week ago. And that's when you know you've read a really good book--when it's memorable!

Overall, "Cress" is an intergalactic adventure that is not to be missed. The newest addition to the "Lunar Chronicles" series is jam-packed with a dynamic cast of characters and a stellar storyline. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a good read--I already can't wait for the next installment, "Winter" (you're up next, Snow White).

Rating: 5/5

P.S. See my review for the previous book in the "Lunar Chronicles" series, "Scarlet," here!

Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Everyone loves a good fairytale. What's not to love? Sweep-you-off-your-feet romances, titillating magic and undeniable adventures (will she get back by midnight?!) are all inextricable elements to any classic fairytale--in fact, they've even found their way into books of other genres as well. When I picked up Rosamund Hodge's "Cruel Beauty" and saw that it was a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," I have to admit I was pretty darn excited. Good retellings require a vast amount of creativity and imagination, and I'm always curious to see how authors add their own spin to classic tales--though whether they're fresh and exciting is whole other story (pun totally intended).

Ever since she was born, Nyx has grown up certain about one thing: the sole purpose of her existence is to marry the demonic Gentle Lord, and kill him. After seventeen years of watching her sister be coddled and of being set at a distance by her own father, Nyx finally leaves her home to live in the castle of the all-powerful, evil Ignifex. Nyx understands that she is the only hope for breaking the nine-hundred-year-old curse on the people of Arcadia, but she can't help the resentment she feels for her fate and her family. But Ignifex is not what she expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle--a shifting maze with enchanting rooms--enthralls her. With time running out, Nyx is forced to face a decision with potentially disastrous consequences: to save her kingdom, or to save the man she was never supposed to love.

When I read the synopsis for "Cruel Beauty," I was instantly intrigued. "Beauty and the Beast" was one of my favourite fairytales growing up, and I could only imagine how much more exciting it would be with a butt-kicking heroine. The storyline of the novel presents a fresh take on the classic fairytale, and it was interesting to see how Ms. Hodge wove in her own ideas into the existing story. There's some pretty great world-building going on in the book--just imagine a town with a dark, towering castle, all of which is encased in a sky made out of parchment. No stars, no sky. Talk about a crappy curse, huh? What I also found exciting was the whole concept of the Resurgandi, a group of learned alchemists who are able to manipulate the elements, as it brought a whole new layer of magic to the story.

Having said this, I do think that there were quite a few things about the novel that just didn't quite work for me. One of the first things that come to mind is the whole Greek mythology strand to the plot. While I appreciate what Ms. Hodge was trying to do by merging fairytale and myth into one story, I felt like it was a little too forced at times. For example, there would be sudden mentions of statues of Apollo and Daphne and so on, and it was like it was kind of shoved in there to make the story more ingenious. I do see the connection between these myths and Nyx's whole situation of forced marriage and the like, but I felt like the execution itself wasn't very smooth. Moreover, I didn't feel the tension so much throughout the plot. Sure, there were the multiple tensions between Nyx and her family, Ignifex and her fate, but it just fell a little flat with all of her running around in the castle and kissing two men at once and all that.

Which, naturally, brings me to the characters of "Cruel Beauty." Nyx, as the heroine of the novel, is undoubtedly strong and determined. Quite the feisty lady. But I never felt like her character developed much as the story progressed, and she changed her mind way too quickly about some pretty important things. And what I especially didn't like so much was the almost insta-love going on between her and Shade, and her and Ignifex. Sure, she expresses remorse and some concern about smooching two men at once, but she continues to do so anyway. No biggie. Ms. Hodge does attempt to smooth this whole issue out with the twist in the end, but I felt like it was a little too late, since, by that time, I feel like I lost respect for the heroine of the novel. Ignifex was a pretty alright character--you get your typical bad-guy-but-actually-sincere-on-the-inside business with him, so, yeah. As for Nyx's family, boy oh boy I just hated all of them. A stoic father who doesn't care for his own daughter, an annoying aunt, and a whiny, two-faced sister? No wonder Nyx didn't mind leaving the house so much.

All in all, "Cruel Beauty" is just an okay retelling of a fairytale, with a fairly interesting spin on "Beauty and the Beast." But what really bummed me out was the lack of a truly compelling plot in the novel, as well as subpar characters I never became invested in. I'd say check it out if you're really interested, since this all my opinion, but don't expect a jaw-dropping, heart-racing adventure.

Rating: 2/5

Book Review: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

I loved fairytales when I was a kid--and still do! I remember watching the Disney movies of singing animal helpers and big-nosed, blue genies, and, as a grew older, reading the classic versions of those very same fairytales. One of my favourite tales of all time is "Beauty and the Beast", and when I saw that Stacey Jay's "Of Beast and Beauty" was released just a few days ago, I just knew that I had to get my hands on it. Good thing I did, because I found myself completely immersed in an incredible, unique retelling on the classic fairytale that everyone knows and loves.

In the domed city of Yuan, Isra, the blind princess of the Smooth Skins, has grown up with the knowledge that one day, she will be sacrificed to the roses, her blood sustaining the city's vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a warrior of the Monstrous, fights to save his people from starvation. When Gem finds himself trapped in Yuan after a failed attempt at stealing the royal gardens' enchanted roses, neither he nor Isra suspects that together, they can return balance to both of their worlds.

Something I found especially striking in "Of Beast and Beauty" was the ingenuity of the retelling of such a classic tale. Quite a few retellings often take the original story and simply transcribe them into different settings and times, and so tend to fall short in innovation. However, Ms. Jay took the overarching message of true love prevailing over all, as well as the concepts of beauty and ugliness, and used them to weave an entirely different story. Not only is the setting completely different from olden-day France, but the story itself has sci-fi and dystopian elements woven into it. There's the idea of prejudice, which is present in the different social groups both inside and outside the dome, leading to ignorance and suffering. But what I loved above all about the story was that while it was clear who was the beauty and who was the beast in the traditional tale, in "Of Beast and Beauty", the line between 'beast' and 'beauty' was blurred, suggesting that these two ideals may not be as clear-cut as they seem, and that oftentimes people possess both traits inside of them.

The two protagonists of "Of Beast and Beauty" are charming and intriguing in their own ways. First, you have Isra, who's lived most of her life blind and locked up in a tower, yet possessing an insatiable desire for freedom and independence. Isra is undeniably a strong heroine, full of compassion and determination, but at the same time, struggles with uncertainties about her ability to rule as queen of Yuan, as well as with the lies that she's been fed her whole life by people she thought she could trust. It is this kind of weakness that makes her such a three-dimensional and relatable character, one that you become invested in as you read about her growth as the book progresses. Then, there's Gem, the wild 'mutant' who has dealt with the troubles inflicting his people, who have been barred access from civilization and sustenance inside the domes. What I found particularly interesting whenever I read the chapters from his point of view was how he slowly shifted from being bent on manipulating Isra to finding himself falling for her, while at the same time maintaining his loyalties toward his people. There's certainly nothing flat or cliched about the two protagonists of the novel. The same can be said of Bo--I have mixed feelings about his character, though reading some chapters from his perspective did help establish some empathy with his thoughts and feelings.

The plot of "Of Beast and Beauty" remained compelling throughout the novel, allowing ample time to portray a believable development in Isra and Gem's feelings toward one another--something which is important in YA romance books. Outside of the lovey dovey stuff, the tensions of the storyline were strong, especially as Isra discovered more about the history of her ancestry and dealt with increasing pressures of sacrificing herself to the roses as situations inside the dome worsened. However, I did find that there were times when certain things could've been explored a little deeper, like that ancestry and political pressure, since I felt like some of those things happened pretty quickly.

All in all, Stacey Jay's "Of Beast and Beauty" is a refreshingly imaginative retelling of a classic fairytale, complete with great characters you can't help but become invested in and an engaging storyline. I swear, I had shivers down my back as I read the final couple of chapters from how perfect the ending was! I highly recommend this to any fairytale and sci-fi lovers out there--you're in for a good one.

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

I've always found retellings of classic tales extremely clever. It's like the author takes an old boot, a little snip here and some embellishment there, and transforms it into a glass slipper (allegory intended). I stumbled across A.G. Howard's debut novel "Splintered" many times on my perusals on Amazon and Goodreads, but haven't gotten around to reading it until a few days ago. There's no doubt that it's a unique twist on "Alice in Wonderland", complete with grotesque creatures and a darkly tantalizing world. Unfortunately, I did have a little trouble falling down the rabbit hole with Alyssa, despite the many enchantments along the way.

Alyssa Gardner has always been that girl to everyone else, the girl whose ancestor was none other than the Alice Liddell from Lewis Carroll's whimsical tale of Wonderland. The freak. But what everyone doesn't know is that Alyssa hears the whispers of insects and flowers--precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. Alyssa might really be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now. When her mother's mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she'd dismissed as fiction is based on a terrifying reality, one that she has to face soon. The real Wonderland is far darker and more twisted than  Lewis Carroll made it out to be, and Alyssa has to pass a series of tests to fix Alice's mistakes and save her family. Or she may be stuck there, trapped, forever.

One of the most obvious aspects of "Splintered" that I have to talk about is the world. At first, I was a little skeptical of a darker twist on the "Alice in Wonderland" story. I'm not exactly a punky/dark side kinda gal, but I will willingly admit that there is some incredible world building going on in the novel. I liked how Ms. Howard took the characters of the classic tale and warped them into strange and grotesque creatures, like how the fluffy White Rabbit became Rabid White, a skeletal being with antlers protruding from its skull. There's definitely a huge amount of imagination in this book, from the eerie speech patterns of the sprites who work at the cemetery to the tantalizingly dark and twisted Wonderland itself. The world that Ms. Howard brings to life is so full of magic and secrets, one that's sordid but at the same time beautiful in its own way.

Another thing I appreciated about "Splintered" was the lyrical writing style of Ms. Howard. The language used to describe the beautifully constructed Wonderland was magical in its own right. It was expressive and evocative, without being too purple. I felt like the descriptions didn't overshadow what was going on in the story too much, though I do think that things would've been a little more fast-paced had Ms. Howard cut down just a little on the words at times. I was pretty bored throughout the first 3/4 of the book, and things only picked up when the puzzle pieces started falling into place.

Having said all of this, I have to say that I didn't find "Splintered" as fun and compelling as it could've been, and I think the reason behind this lies in the characters of the novel. I'll start off with the main dame of the story: Alyssa. Alyssa is definitely not your typical YA heroine. She deals with potential mental issues, skateboards in a cool, neon skate park called Underworld, and wears tutu skirts with neon tights. I don't know whether it's because I'm anything but punk/alternative/I don't really know the proper word for it, but I couldn't really relate to Alyssa. Or maybe it was Jeb. Sure, he's protective and all, but in a way he was almost controlling. And he has a complete queen bee witch as a girlfriend back home, but he reveals that he doesn't really even like her and instead loves Alyssa? Not cool, dude. Even Morpheus, the twisted, complex, seems-to-be-evil guy is better than him.

Overall, "Splintered" by A.G. Howard has some amazing potential, with a lyrical writing style that really brings to life this macabre and grotesque version of Wonderland. But what really turned me off the book were the main characters, who weren't very relatable or particularly likable, even. I have, however, read many, many good reviews on the novel, so I'd give the first few chapters a go, just to see whether it's to your liking!

Rating: 3/5

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Once upon a time... That's how most fairytales start, don't they? I remember the stories I used to listen to when I was young. Cinderella and her glass slipper, the little mermaid pining for a prince on land... I admit, I don't ever recall obsessing over them; they were more of these stock tales that's an inevitable part of a child's life. Fast forward a few years, and I find myself devouring retellings of old-fashion fairytales! One that I found particularly exciting was "Cinder" of "The Lunar Chronicles" series, which revamped Cinderella with cyborgs, spaceships, and people living on the moon. When I saw that "Scarlet", the sequel to "Cinder", was released a few days ago, I immediately pre-ordered it on my Kindle, and gobbled it up like a rabid wolf (get the reference?)!

Cinder is trying to break out of prison. Even if she succeeds, she'll be on the run as the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her seemingly normal gardening grandma. When she encounters a street fighter named Wolf who may have information about her grandmother's whereabouts, Scarlet has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own. As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Earth hers.

One of the most important elements in a retelling of any story are the characters. You don't want the same, boring Little Red Riding Hood from the original fairytale. You want someone who's like her, but better, with a twist. Ms. Meyer does just that! Scarlet is a brave, spunky eighteen-year old you can really relate to, despite the whole missing grandmother/falling for a street fighter thing. I loved that even though she was dealing with all these things in her life, she never floundered or whined. She kept her wits about her and faced her problems one by one--occasionally releasing her pent up stress by throwing tomatoes at walls. But hey, who are we to judge?

I also really liked what Ms. Meyer did with the wolf in the original fairytale. In "Scarlet", Wolf is a rough-and-tumble street fighter with a secret he harbours inside. It may sound slightly cliched, but I promise you it is anything but that. I love the vulnerability and almost naivete he has about pretty normal, simple things, like tomatoes and food, but at the same time is fierce and protective. I especially really liked the relationship between Wolf and Scarlet. I was a little skeptical in the beginning because I could just see that the two were going to end up falling for each other, but the way their romance developed was very realistic and relatable--and that's one of the things I love about this series! I feel like I can relate to what's happening to the characters, even though they live way into the future and have ID chips embedded in their wrists and hopping onto hover trains to Paris in order to save their grandmothers. The dynamics of Scarlet and Wolf's relationship are layered with all these different emotions, and I liked how there was definite attraction between the two from the onset but it took its time to bloom into a believable romance.

Also, there's nothing like revisiting old characters from previous books! I can kiss Ms. Meyer's feet for giving us chapters told from Cinder and Kai's point of views. I loved how they were still important characters in the sequel, despite the fact that the first book already revolved entirely around them. Cinder, as always, is an amazing character to follow, and I especially liked the development of her character as she deals with her newfound responsibilities. Same goes for Kai. The emotions and thought processes of the two characters are so palpable, and I just cannot wait until the two are reunited! And just a little shoutout to another character who made everything extra interesting: Captain Carswell Thorne, the slick, self-proclaimed casanova. I loved the banter between him and Cinder--he makes such an amazing sidekick!

The storyline of "Scarlet" is so fast-paced and so exciting that it feels like you're on one of those spaceships from the future--smooth, fast and thrilling. From page one, the plot hooks you in and doesn't let go. Despite the fact that there's so much going on, from prison breaks and wolf attacks, you never get confused or overwhelmed with what's happening. Ms. Meyer definitely made full use of her various characters and their viewpoints to weave a complex, compelling storyline that's a blast to read.

Another thing that I think cannot go unmentioned is the setting. It's a no-brainer that the entire "Lunar Chronicles" series is set in the future. But the locations that the story takes place in--New Beijing and France--are still so intimately familiar that it doesn't jar readers into really thinking, "this is in the future and it's weird". This also goes to show Ms. Meyer's skillful descriptions of the setting--you really feel like you're there, like a movie in your head.

Overall, "Scarlet" is a wonderful, exciting second installment to "The Lunar Chronicles" series. The relatable, engaging characters, the compelling, fast-paced plot, and the vivid setting of the novel all work together to create an all-encompassing novel that's hard to put down. I strongly urge you to read this book, or, if you haven't even read the series yet, to go pick up "Cinder" from a bookstore ASAP! It won't let you down.

Rating: 5/5