Review: CRESS by Marissa Meyer

Title: CRESS
Author: Marissa Meyer
Published: February 4th, 2014
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Genre: YA Sci-fi / Fantasy
Pages: 560
POV: 3rd, multiple alternating
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: Printed ARC
Source: Publicist
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

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.

I liked CINDER, loved SCARLET, and adored Meyer's latest installment in the Lunar Chronicles, CRESS. With each novel, Meyer's writing grows more captivating, entertaining, and surprising as she takes each major and minor storyline in intriguing directions. CRESS picks up where SCARLET left off, and the excitement level kicks up a few notches right from the very beginning. Prepare yourself for journeys across deserts, adventures in space, fight scenes, and plenty of Carswell Thorne being as fabulous as Carswell Thorne can possibly be. I had high hopes for this novel, and Meyer succeeded in creating a wonderfully entertaining novel from start to the finish.

I'm going to keep quiet about specific plot points, since Meyer's books are better experienced without knowing too many details. With CRESS, readers gain the opportunity to see a bit more of the Lunars. We only receive glimpses into Lunar life, along with the small tidbits of knowledge Cress shares (since she is a Lunar shell, but this skilled hacker hasn't had the easiest life because of her shell status), but it's enough to make me very curious about the next novel. Fortunately, there is still plenty more to enjoy in this novel. This story is filled with action, secrets, adorable budding romances, humor, and so much more. If you are not reading this series, I'd highly recommend you start these novels soon, because you are in a for a delightful and surprising twist on some of your favorite classic fairytales.

Highlights: Meyer excels at balancing a large cast and doing each character justice when it comes to the different perspectives, not to the mention the multiple storylines. Cress is a fabulous addition to the cast since her timid strength and dreamy, hopeful nature created a nice contrast to Scarlet's toughness and Cinder's more serious nature. Even Captain Thorne managed to surprise me, because under his humorous and slightly selfish personality, there really is a guy with a heart of (mostly) gold. Also, Iko is a definite highlight¹.

Lowlights: It ended? I wanted a bit more with the Lunars. The wait for WINTER (Snow White retelling, set on the moon - yes, the moon) is going to be a nightmare, because I need that book now.

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. CRESS is a wonderful sci-fi / fantasy twist on familiar fairytales, with quite a few surprises in store for readers. If you're looking for a fun, exciting series to start reading, I'd highly suggest checking out the Lunar Chronicles.

1 No surprise there. Iko rocks.