Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be 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 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.

I really enjoyed Cinder, the first book in The Lunar Chronicles last year. It was dynamic and fun and all fairy-taleish with sci-fi elements. Scarlet takes that small taste of the deliciously creative and colourful world glimpsed in Cinder and amps it up to a new level. The plot moves faster, there's new characters that bring flashes of humour and there's more swoon and ambiguity. Where Cinder was predictable, Scarlet keep it's playing cards hidden that bit more.  

Despite being named Scarlet, the story breaks itself out evenly between continuing the thread of Cinder and Prince Kai's story from Cinder, and introducing us to Scarlet (her missing, probably tortured grandmother) and Wolf the street-fighting, criminal (?) guy who has connections. 

I loved Wolf. And I definitely think I wanted more of him. I found him utterly enigmatic. Equal parts ruthless and charming. I also couldn't pick his role in this: Was he the main enemy aka The Big Bad Wolf from Little red Riding Hood, or was there a twist with this swoony guy? Scarlet was such a fab addition to the cast: feisty, sure of herself, determined and driven by her love for her grandmother. 

I kind of bumped my way along in this book. While I was reading it, I was liking it. When I had to set it down, I found I wasn't aching to pick it back up, but when I did I would get into it again. I liked all the POVs and plot threads weaving around each other, but I think a more linear story would have held my attention more. There was so much going on, but my attention still wandered. How does that work? 

I loved the idea of the story itself, but despite reading being my favourite platform for a story, I think I would have loved it more if it were, say, a mini series on TV - wouldn't that be vibrant and addictive and deliciously fun? 

Guys, if you loved the first book, or even liked or were intrigued by Cinder, this should be on your reading list. The general consensus is that Scarlet is even better. This series is shaping up to be a big one in the YA world. I can't even think of what to compare it with? (that could be because I am not sci-fi YA savvy, but I tend to believe it is because this series is truly unique, haha). 

Scarlet @ goodreads
Scarlet @ Penguin Australia

Thanks to Penguin Australia for my review copy :)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A forbidden romance.
A deadly plague.
Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future. (from publisher's site)

Cinder is the first book in the Lunar Chronicles quartet (the quartet will star Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White). 


I have read a few fairytale retellings, but none so bold and dynamic as this futuristic retelling of Cinderella. There were so many elements to love: 

• humans and cyborgs and androids haviging out in a techno-gadget-y future (Cinder is a cyborg)
• a plague (I am a sucker for plague/virus stories)
• intergalactic political intrigue (with an evil queen living on the moon ~ and the mysterious death of an heir...)
• sci-fi elements and a dash of magic mashed-up creatively with the classic fairytale

There’s also a constant weaving in of (tragic) back story, shrouded in secrets. The story is mostly told from out heroine's perspective, but there are chapters from Prince Kai’s point of view (widening the scope of the narrative.) 


Plot-wise ~ there’s a lot going on. The plot is constantly steaming ahead. As with most retellings, the characters have a defined role to play (as in: the role of the evil stepmother, the shallow sister, the arch nemesis, the charming prince). I loved watching out for plot elements that matched the classic Cinderella story and enjoyed the twists Meyer gives them (ie, instead of Cinder losing her shoe at the ball ~ she loses her (cyborg) foot. In some places, characters are little more than their role, but in others, Meyer succeeds in going further than the stereotypes and layering her characters, so you feel their unique hopes, dreams, aches, love and loss. I loved the relationship between Cinder and her (nice) step-sister, Peony, and Iko (Cinder’s android bestie). Prince Kai had his moments too, he was charming, sure, but it is not an overly romantic kind of book. 


I am truly curious to see what sci-fi fans think of Cinder. I found it easy to imagine the futuristic world, even though I mostly have no idea about all the techno gadget stuff. 


Perhaps the one thing that detracted from the experience for me, was there was just so much going on . All the plot threads pulled together in the end, but I wish I could’ve had more time with the characters and less of the constant action/political intrigue/plot twists* but that complaint is coming from a contemporary YA lover who loves getting under character’s skins. 


overall Cinder is more of a wild ride than a lingering read. 
The thing that most impressed me about this story is it’s scope. It’s dynamic, imaginative and creative. It would play out brilliantly on the big screen. It would have sucked me in big time when I was a teenager. I liked it as an adult. 


*regarding the plot twists: I saw them all coming ~ but not in an unsatisfactory way, some had the kind of foreshadowing that heightened anticipation. Other twists were screamingly obvious to me even as the characters remained completely oblivious.


Cinder's Australian release date is Jan 3, 2012


Cinder @ Penguin Australia
Cinder @ goodreads

Thanks Penguin Australia for my review copy :)