Fairest: The Lunar Chronicles Prequel

Review:

Title: Fairest

Author: Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles 

Publication: January 27th, 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

Format: Hardcover

Source: Independent Bookseller

Genre: YA; Sci-Fy; Fantasy; Dystopia

Blurb:

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Thoughts:

I heard quite some time ago that author Marissa Meyer was going to include a ‘bridge’ book in-between Cress and Winter, the third and fourth installments in the Lunar Chronicles quartet.  When I learned that it was to be a prequel, I was ecstatic. There are many characters in the series that have interesting backgrounds that I, as a reader, would love to explore.

Upon hearing that the story was to be about Queen Levana, I was hesitant.  Throughout the Lunar Chronicles Queen Levana has always been this ominous villain, so easy to place the blame on.  Despite my curiosities, I understood the danger of writing about an antagonists past.

I went into Fairest with an open mind, but was unhindered by the fact that there was nothing in her past that could excuse her actions.  Perhaps my cognitive model would change, but what she had done was undoable.

So, of course when the novel was released I preordered a signed copy, as I was unable to attend the release party as I had with Cress.  When it arrived I was very excited to have it, but I was busy with rehearsals and finals and did not have time to sit down and read it until recently.

The only way that I can describe Fairest justly is to say that it was quite heartbreaking.  Told through present and flash back moments, Levana’s past and personality are articulated beautifully, if not frighteningly.  No matter how many mistakes Levana made, I cringed for her, knowing that her foolishness had made her blind.  Blind to love, blind to hope, blind to the ethics of right and wrong.

Ethicalness is something that Levana struggles with throughout the story.  Although her character development is not seen first hand, the bits of time skipped make the changes in her the demeanor all the more noticeable, and all the more jarring.

Fairest flowed easily as a book; it lacked the fast paced action that both Cinder and Scarlet have, as well as the confrontational excitement in Cress.  But this did not cripple the novel at all, in fact the leisurely pace built up the anticipation for what the reader, (most of which having already read Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress) knows is to come.

Reading Fairest was not exactly un ‘uplifting’ experience, but I think that it gave us a mature character background that will set the scene for the events that we know will come to a head in the final installment of the series.

All of the characters that we meet in this story, from Evret to Levana’s sister Channary to Soiel, were told with grace and poise.  They each stood starkly different from one another, serving more as people in Levana’s life that filler in a story (as secondary characters in some YA books do).  They each have their own quirks and details that deepen the terror and desperation of Levana’s background to new and daunting levels.  Evret, was my favorite.  His love and loyalty are admirable, and his ability to stand by what he felt was right no matter what, in terms of the Lunar Chronicles world, is astonishing.

Many events and characters that appear in the series are explained and introduced, which is typical for prequel books.  However, I felt that the emotional way that particular events were expressed in Levana’s story everything was more meaningful.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I was impressed with Meyer’s ability to switch from fast paced story telling to more gentle story telling, but I can call the transition nothing more than graceful.  Levana’s story was full of longing, disparity, and a helplessness that built up as the pages turned.  This was not only the perfect prequel for Levana and for the series, but also a perfect ‘in-between’ book to tide over Meyer’s fans until the series is concluded.  Readers who enjoyed The Lunar Chronicles should of course pick this up, but especially those who want something at a kinder pace.  And as always, anyone who is a fan of kickass female protagonists, well written guys, romance that doesn’t take over the story, scify/fantasty/fairytale retellings, character depth that will knock your socks off, or story telling that will transport you along with the characters, PLEASE read The Lunar Chronicles.