Winter

Feiwel and Friends

Winter
Marissa Meyer
2015

The Summary
"Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

"Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend, the handsome palace guard, Jacin.  But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years.  Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

"Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?  Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's nationally bestselling Lunar Chronicles series."

The Good
I devoured this book.  Truthfully, I was obsessed with the entire Lunar Chronicles series.  I originally read Cinder in 2014, and then I promptly purchased all the available books (i.e. Scarlet and Cress) and finished the series in a weekend.  Although I haven't had the opportunity to read Fairest or Stars Above, I have fallen in love with the Lunar Chronicles.

Like Cinder, Marissa Meyer's latest book in the Lunar Chronicles has an intermingling of science-fiction and fairy tale elements, which I've enjoyed throughout the series.  It has many of the same qualities that I loved in the first book: a cast of quirky and intriguing characters, a perfect pace (enough to keep me embroiled without wearing me down), a wonderful tone and interesting descriptions, and an exceptional story.

Let me emphasize again:  I loved this story, and I love this series.

I couldn't wait to finish Winter and uncover what happens to Winter, what happens to Cinder and Scarlet and Cress, and what happens as Luna is gifted with a startling revelation--and, perhaps, a new queen.  It was exciting.  I finished the book in two days, and I was very happy with it.

Yes, part of me was simply relieved to have finished the series.  I'd been dying to read the conclusion of the Lunar Chronicles for more than a year, so, yes, I was excited to reach the epic conclusion I'd been craving.  While I wasn't completely on board with the way it ended (I would have liked for a few things to be different), I can't say I'm disappointed.

I was pleased to find that "happily ever after" so common in fairy tales.

The Bad
If I was bothered by anything, it might be Meyer's habit to let Cinder's story run on...and on.  I liked the story, I understood the need for new dangers and newer obstacles; however, I felt the final book dragged the story out unnecessarily.

Yes, Cinder needed to build her support on the lunar colony; yes, she needed to thwart Levana's authority; yes, she needed to rescue her friends and unite with Winter.  But why must it alternate between Cinder's capture and escape, recapture and daring second escape?

As Cinder and Winter and the entirety of Luna scramble to bring the story to a close, it felt like too much was happening, like everything was about to boil over, crash and burn so to speak.  It didn't, but it skirted a little too close for my taste.

The Ugly
Fairy tales are always laced with tragedy:  two children being left alone in the forest, a princess pricking her finger and falling into an eternal sleep, a young girl eating a poisoned apple, a little girl getting attacked by the Big Bad Wolf.

And Winter is no different.