Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Release Date: February 4th, 2014
Standalone/Series: Third book in the Lunar Chronicles
Genre: Fantasy – Sci-Fi – Young Adult
Goodreads link
My rating in stars: 5 stars
My rating in words: New all-time favourite!
What it’s about:
Even in the future. there are damsels in distress…
In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana’s evil plan, has a slight problem. She’s been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes as a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
My thoughts:
My thoughts when reading Cinder:
“Hey, this is actually not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Thoughts when reading Scarlet:
“This is really, really good. I like this.”
Thoughts when reading Cress:
“OMG this is AWESOME! Why did I wait so long to read this? Eugene Thorne, I love you ! Cress, you are adorable! Wolf, you are a precious cinnamon roll! Scarlet, nooo! Cinder, you rock! Kai, get it together! Iko, don’t ever change! Where is Winter? I want to read Winter NOW!!”
Suffice it to say: I understand the hype now. I have officially jumped on the bandwagon, even though it took me a bit longer than most. Let me try to express my love in some more coherent sentences.
The main reason I really started to love this series is the characters. Each book we get some more new characters, and each new character has such a distinct personality but still really fits into the group. This makes their interactions so perfect, hilarious and adorable. And while I of course have some favourites, I have grown to love every single member of this group. (Maybe not completely true – Jacin is still a bit of a dick. But I’m sure he’ll grow on me in Winter)
But while they all have their chance to shine, this book puts the spotlight on Cress and Thorne. I already loved Thorne from Scarlet, so it was a given that I would love him here. But pairing the charming and cocky thief with the naive and awkward Cress was the best idea ever. I loved their scenes together. I loved Cress’s silly crush and fantasies about the heroic Captain Thorne and I loved Thorne telling her over and over again that he’s just a thief, not a hero. I liked the progression of their relationship because it was very realistic with Cress eventually realising she’s not just a damsel in distress and epic romances don’t just happen, but you can make them yourself.
I also liked that this installment had a lot more action than the previous ones. It was super fast-paced, with twists and turns and it took us to some more new places. I read this entire book in one day, so that says enough about the addictive pace. But the final chapters really hooked me with the whole team working together on their mission: it was pure perfection.
Before reading this series I was very prejudiced. I was expecting cliché after cliché, instalove, limited character development and a general lack of worldbuilding. But I have never been more happy to be proven wrong. The story is fun and original. The relationships are realistic and slow burn (my favourite kind). The characters are each so unique and interesting and though the world is not the most intricate or detailed, it is super intriguing and you learn something new all the time. So don’t make my mistakes and give this series a try!
Favorite quotes:
“He froze, becoming stone still. As the hover climbed the hill to the palace, his shoulders sank, and he returned his gaze to the window. “She’s my alpha,” he murmured, with a haunting sadness in his voice.
Alpha.
Cress leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees, “Like the star?”
“What star?”
She stiffened, instantly embarrassed, and scooted back from him again. “Oh. Um. In a constellation, the brightest star is called the alpha. I thought maybe you meant that she’s…like…your brightest star.” Looking away, she knotted her hands in her lap, aware that she was blushing furiously now and this beast of a man was about to realize what an over-romantic sap she was.
But instead of sneering or laughing, Wolf sighed, “Yes,” he said, his gaze climbing up to the full moon that had emerged in the blue evening sky. “Exactly like that.”
“Captain,” she murmured.
“I think I’m in love with you.”
An eyebrow shot up. She counted six beats of his heart before, suddenly, he laughed.
“Don’t tell me it took you two whole days to realize that. I must be losing my touch.”
“All right, Miss Cryptic. What’s the new plan, then?”
Glancing around the room, Cinder tipped up her chin. “It starts with kidnapping the groom.”
Iko’s hand shot into the air.
“Yes, Iko?”
“That is the best idea ever. Count me in.”
“Maybe there isn’t such a thing as fate. Maybe it’s just the opportunities we’re given, and what we do with them. I’m beginning to think that maybe great, epic romances don’t just happen. We have to make them ourselves.”
“Have you given any thought to your wedding vows?”
Kai snorted. “Delete anything that has to do with love, respect, or joy, and I’ll sign on the dotted line.”