Cress

By Marissa Meyer

Series: Book #3 The Lunar Chronicles
ISBN: 9780312642976
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: February 4th 2014
Number of Pages: 550
Source: Local Library
Goodreads Summary: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

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.

My Rating:  

Yes, I have got another fairy-tale retelling for you guys! I think I'll be posting a list of my favorite re-tellings in the next month.

I am so happy with this series by Marissa Meyer. This is the third book in the series. The first two books are Cinder and Scarlet. If you remember, Scarlet was my top pick for 2013 (see the post). I'm going to write this review as if you have already read the first two books, thus they will probably contain spoilers for them! If you like a futuristic dystopian society mixed with some science fiction and then add in some fairy-tales - this book is for you!

We pick up the story-line right where Scarlet ended. Linh Cinder (aka Princess Selene), Scarlet, Wolf, and Captain Carswell Thorne hiding out on the Captain's ship, the Rampion (which has the personality of the beloved Iko!) We are introduced to our latest main character, the namesake of the book's title - Cress (aka Crescent Moon). She is our Rapunzel in the story, the evil "mother figure" is Mistress Sybil, our prince is Thorne, and the tower she is locked away on happens to be a satellite circling Earth.

Let's start with the romance in this book, mainly between Cress & Thorne *sigh*. I love Thorne - he is the typical player with the awesome personality that also happens to have a secret soft spot. You can feel the chemistry between them (though some may think it's one sided, as Cress has been obsessed with Thorne for years - which yes is a little creepy, but hey it's kind of romantic too right?!)

"Though they were separated by two screens and vast amounts of empty space, she could feel the link being forged between them in that look. A bond that couldn't be broken. Their eyes had met for the first time, and by the look of pure amazement on his face, she knew he felt it too." - Cress, 40-41

When things go awry, we get our fairy tale optimism as Cress has unshakable faith in him:

"Thorne would come for her. He was a hero. She was a damsel. That's how the stories went - that's how they always went." - Cress, 293

We do get a little bit of Kai & Cinder towards the end, so hold out! There is no Scarlet/Wolf interaction (as you will find out why in the book!) His moping did get a little annoying at times but I was intrigued by Scarlet's story-line.

Speaking of story-lines, I think Meyer has done it again with weaving several plot lines perfectly and changing the chapters up in the exact time for us to see what's going on at the same time with our other characters. The book did get a little bit slow in the middle, but I think she was trying to build some suspense and also set us for the reveals that come at the end.

We find out the shocking origins of the deadly disease, Letumosis (which the cure is being used as a bargaining chip to force Kai to marry the scary & evil Lunar Queen Levana).

We are being set up in this book for the big war that is coming between Luna & Earth and we discover that Princess Selene has support.

"'That's what it's like,' said the woman. 'To have your own body used against you. To know that your brain has become a traitor. We came to Earth to get away from that, but we're all lost if Levana gets her way. Now, I don't know if this young lady can stop her, but it seems she's the only one worth putting any faith into right now, so that's what we're going to do.'" - Cress, 368

Still a little confused on why some Lunars are born as "shells" but hey, I guess we just have to accept it.

We also get a glimpse at our final "princess" whose book Winter won't be out until February of next year (2015)! I'm pretty excited that we are getting a crazy and ethnic Snow White, aka Princess Winter:

"Her warm brown skin was flawless and healthy, her fingernails perfectly shaped and clean. Her eyes were bright, the color of melted caramel, but with hints of slate-gray around her pupils. On top of all that, she had silky black hair that curled into perfect spirals, neatly framing her high cheekbones and ruby-red lips." ...

"Yet there was one anomaly. Or - three. The right side of the girl's face was marred by three scars that cut down her cheek from the corner of her eye to her jaw. Like perpetual tears. Strangely, the flaws on her skin didn't reduce her beauty, but almost accentuated it." - Cress, 517

We also discover that her love interest is the confusing character of Jacin Clay, "with the blond hair and beautiful eyes and the rising sun in his smile." - Cress, 521

We end the book with the hint of things to come:

"War had begun.
'You said yourself that the people of Luna need a revolutionary.' She lifted her chin, holding his gaze. 'So I'm going to Luna, and I'm going to start a revolution.'" - Cress, 550

DUN DUN DUN!! Ahhh - I can't wait for the final installment of this series!