Feiwel and Friends, 2015
Yes I know this book just came out yesterday, but I already inhaled it and can't contain my excitement!! Cinder may be the first book in Marissa Meyer's epic Lunar Chronicles series, but the events that set our favorite cyborg's story in motion actually started long before she was even born and far away from New Beijing. It starts with an unhappy princess who hides from mirrors and is desperate to be loved, something she's never had before. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Levana.
Fairest is the story of Levana, the woman readers have come to know as the evil queen who has quite a twisted past. While this story is not long by this series' standards - 220 pages - it breathes a whole lot of insight into what made Levana into the horrible woman she is. The novel holds a classic question at its core: was Levana always evil, or did circumstances make her that way? It is my firm opinion after reading that it's a little of both. At times I was sympathetic to this young girl. Her older sister Channery is careless and heartless towards her and she has no friends, and these facts contribute to the choices she makes for the rest of her life, choices that she sees as justified and necessary, but any sane person can see are certifiable.
This novel is a welcome addition to the Lunar Chronicles universe, adding a lot to it. Though it is a prequel, especially given the first three chapters of the final book in the series Winter that are included here, I wouldn't recommend reading this book until after reading Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress. Doing so would mean spoiling some wonderful surprises that comes in those books. However, tucking Fairest in between Cress and Winter feels like perfect placement if you're reading this series for the first time.
I know this review is short and incredibly vague, but as a devout lover of this series, I don't want to spoil anything, it's that good! And now I'm even more excited for Winter, which I didn't think was humanly possible! Like I've been saying for years now, if you haven't read the Lunar Chronicles yet, what the heck are you waiting for?
Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!
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