08/24/2015
At twice the length of Cinder, Meyer’s 800-page conclusion to her Lunar Chronicles is daunting both in its immensity and in its narrative breadth, shifting among every major character from the series and some new ones. But readers who have invested in Cinder and its sequels won’t be disappointed: this final installment abounds with nail-biting action, suspense, and romance. As Cinder plots a revolution against the exquisitely evil Lunar Queen Levana, readers meet Levana’s stepdaughter, Winter, whose debilitating visions are kept in check by Jacin, her beloved personal guard whom she is forbidden from marrying. Meyer stays true to the fairy tales that underlie this series with several references to Snow White but continues to keep things fresh with her futuristic setting and many delightfully unexpected twists. Winter is not quite as formidable as her predecessors, and her innocence and vulnerability can be grating. That said, the explosive final confrontation with Levana is gratifyingly tense, and Meyer expertly ties up any and all loose ends, allowing readers to leave behind this saga with a contented sigh. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Nov.)
11/01/2015
Gr 8 Up—In the final installment of the "Lunar Chronicles" series (Feiwel & Friends), readers are introduced to Princess Winter, the beautiful stepdaughter of the villainous Queen Levana. Forced to scar her own face as a child and driven mad by her refusal to use her Lunar gift to control people, Winter is still adored by the Lunars, especially her childhood friend and guard Jacin. Meanwhile, Cinder, now aware that she is Princess Selene, the true heir to the Lunar Kingdom, makes her way to Luna with Iko, Kai, Cress, Thorne, and Wolf in order to rescue Scarlet and overthrow Levana. In a society where manipulation, glamour, and bioengineered wolf-men all serve to strengthen Levana's rule, Cinder must rely on truthfulness and kindness in addition to physical strength if she is going to gain allies and create peace between Earth and Luna. This volume may be the series' conclusion, but there are plenty of obstacles and battles that the protagonists must overcome before their happily ever after. Meyer excels at transitioning back and forth between multiple story lines and holding readers' interest. The book has an open-ended conclusion, giving fans hope that further chronicles may be on the horizon. Like the previous entries in this widely appealing series, this title features strong heroines taking control of their destinies set against a fully developed and imaginative world. VERDICT An ambitious and successful finale.—Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ
Praise for the Lunar Chronicles:
#1 New York Times-Bestselling Series
USA Today Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
"An interesting mash up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderella, Terminator, and Star Wars." —Entertainment Weekly
"Prince Charming among the cyborgs." —The Wall Street Journal
"Terrific." —Los Angeles Times
"Marissa Meyer rocks the fractured fairy tale genre." —The Seattle Times
"Epic awesome." —Bustle
"A binge-reading treat." —MTV
"Takes the classic to a whole new level." —NPR
"Delivers in spades . . . Winter's exciting, action-packed plot will have you devouring all 824 pages fast and furiously." —USA Today on Winter
"This final installment abounds with nail-biting action, suspense, and romance." —Publishers Weekly on Winter
Narrator Rebecca Soler confidently navigates a complicated plot in this final installment of the futuristic Lunar Chronicles series. Exiled princess Cinder and her friends are ready to make their move to take Lunar from Queen Levana, but Cinder doesn’t yet know she has an ally in Levana’s stepdaughter, Winter. Soler creates a gentle, high voice for Winter, a reimagined Snow White who is beautiful and kind but suffers from hallucinations brought on by her refusal to use her lunar gift of mind control. Soler’s portrayals distinctly reflect each character—Cinder’s confidence, Levana’s grandiosity, Winter’s quiet strength. Even listeners new to the series will get caught up in this story of jealousy, vengeance, and forgiveness. A.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
