Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer ★★★★★
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
4.5 stars. This series is fast becoming one of my favourite series--perhaps of all time.
When I picked up Cinder last fall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'd been putting it off for one silly reason or another, but was easily hooked. Scarlet was a Christmas present, which I devoured last month. It was another step up, even better than its predecessor.
Cress continues that upward climb.
With each new book, Meyer adds new characters. And for some, the sheer number of characters to keep track of would render their book a scrambled, inconsistent mess. But not so for Meyer. She continues to defy my expectations and not only make the characters and their stories fit perfectly with the already established narrative, but to make me care about them too.
I love ensemble casts, and Meyer does it all so very well in Cress. The point of view switches let you keep track of everyone, but never become disjointed. Every character has a distinct voice, so it's clear where you are and who you're following. In moments of high tension there's just enough of a break from that point of view to have you turning the pages, racing to find out what happens.
I laughed with them. I cried with them. I am so desperately attached to them.
As I neared the last 100 pages or so of the book--as the master plan starts to come together--I found myself almost shaking with anticipation. The series has started its approach to the climax and I cannot wait to see how everything ends up turning out.
How am I ever going to survive the next 12 months without Winter?
