Fairest by Marissa Meyer

from goodreads

4 stars

I have come to realize that I really have no life. Well, okay I do have one, but it is amazing how much of it revolves around books. If I am on the computer I have to check the status of my holds at the library or see updates on my goodreads feed. It is weird I know but that's the way it is. And you should see me if I know a book I really want to read is about to come out. I am checking at the library weeks before the release date to see if I can reserve it. Usually my perseverance pays off and I am able to be the first one to check it out! That's right, those bent pages and broken spines are all me (well I would actually never do that, but you know what I mean). But seriously, in the grand scheme of things it won't matter if I was the first person to check a book out at my library. No one else will now of that prestigious honour but me. But, when you are a book lover... that sensation just can't be beat.

*** Just a notice that I will not be doing my picture book review on Tuesday, instead I will be doing another chapter book. I have been reading so quickly lately I am like 6 books behind of where I actually am. The picture book reviews will resume the following Tuesday April 14th. ***



Synopsis

This is a prequel to Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles. This book looks at Queen Levana's life before she became queen. We see how she was moulded into what she would ultimately become.

My Thoughts

While I am impatiently waiting for Winter to be published, and sad of the delay this book has caused in that, I did really enjoy it.

I enjoyed learning about Levana's life and how her history really shaped the character we see in the rest of the series. You feel sorry for her. She had parents who didn't care for her. She had a sister who was rude and abusive and disfigured her. (Now we know about the need to cover her face all the time.) She was in love, and yet, did not understand what love really was. She wanted things so much but didn't know how to really give of herself and be trusting, though you can't really blame her.

Through this book Levana definitely becomes humanized. It gives her character new depth. It is also interesting to see how long some of these lunar plans have been in the works, such as the plague and the army of super soldiers.

Fans of the series are going to enjoy this book immensely. Even though it is a prequel I would not read this before Cinder or even Scarlet. I think it is important to see Levana first in those books and know the society through Cinder and Scarlet first and then go back to see the lunar perspective. This was definitely published at the right time. Now it is just a waiting game for Winter, which is supposed to be published in November.