Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Title: Fairest 

Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publishing Date: January 27th 2015
Pages: 222
Genre: YA Sci/Fi Fairy Tale Retelling
Series: Lunar Chronicles
Source:  Audio

  

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

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. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

The long wait is over. I finally read Fairest. I am a little jumbled on my thoughts right now but oh my goodies this book was spectacular. I have said it over and over, this series just keeps getting better. I can't imagine how this book could have possibly been any better. It was dark, it was evil, it was beautiful, and it was heartbreaking. It was Marissa Meyer's handiwork and I am in love all over again. I am very said the book was so short though. I felt empty once it was over, I know longer know what to do with my time. I need more!!!

This is Queen Levana's story. The story of her from whens he was child to when she became Queen of Lunar. The book starts off right after Levana's parents are assassinated. Levana's older sister, Channery, becomes queen. Form there Levana's life becomes a spiral of very bad decisions and of course ends with her niece Selena gone and Levana on the throne. 

I really really really loved this book. It was dark, heart breaking, and evil. Everything I would expect to see from Queen Levana's past. This book really brought into view just how evil Levana really is and how she came to be that evil. Not that she started off sweet an innocent. I don't think Levana really ever had a chance. She was born into a pretty evil family and the evil, the selfishness, the "willing to do anything" attitude came very easily to Levana. I have always hated her and now I understand her. I can say that unlike others there were a few times my heart broke for Levana. I wouldn't go as far as sympathizing with her, but I did have sorrow for the choices she made. For her and for those around her that had to suffer. 

The really awesome part of this book, other than seeing how Levana became a monster, was the connections throughout the story. Connections to Cinder, Scarlet, Winter, Cress, Jacon, and so many more. It was pretty involved which is very  crazy considering how short the book was. It was definitely a must read for this series. It is not fluff, it is not filler, it brings so many things to light about the series. It could be skipped yes, but so much would be missed it would be a shame. 

There were some pretty extreme characters in this book. Besides Levana. One thing I love about this series, the characters. Each one with such an individual voice and such personality, bold and real. I never have any trouble connecting. The same with this book. whether I hate them or love them. I connect. This one had a lot of evil and few that wasn't so much and I mean very few. The only not so evil... Princess Selene, Princess Winter, and Everett. 

Everett was the love of Levana's life. Thought that love really meant nothing when it came to control. She had complete control over Evert and I felt for him. So bad for him. All he wanted was to keep his daughter Winter safe. In order to do that he allowed the control. But there was never any love. 

Winter and Selene were both little bitties in this book but it didn't stop me from loving them. They were both in the book very little but Meyer made it very clear that who they were now had so much to do with how they would turn out and become their future selves in the other books. 

Other than those characters, the book was full of evil and dark. Channery wasn't any different than what we see in Levana throughout the series. Self centered, self preserving. The differnecne is I truly believe that Levana wants to be a good queen. She loves power yest but she also wants to prove that she is the Queen Lunar always needed, that she is good at it. In fact this all that Levana things she is good at. Channery only cared about ruling so that she could get what she wanted, so she could party and fun. She had not clue what really went on beyond her palace or cared. She knew that was the advisers job. 

This book just blew me away. I did come in with a few reservations. I wasn't sure how I would hand Levana's side of things. I loved all the other books in the series not just for the story but for the characters. After just a few pages I knew my character love for these books extended even to Levana's side. Didn't like her but I felt her. That was important to me. The story did get more interesting too. The connect the dots between now and then really worked for me. I got to see and understand where it all started with the virus, the hybrid wolf army, Cress's story, Winter's story, and all the others too. It just filled in the gaps so beautifully. 

One more thing that rocked. At the end of this audio... I am sure the end of the book too... Was the first three chapters of Winter. Of course I listened to them, of course I knew I shouldn't because I would feel incomplete and I did... but I know I can't wait til Winter comes back and I already feel for Winter and Jacon's story.. I am ready for this last book!

So So So much LOVE... a must read for any fan of this series. 

I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my fiancé and our two cats. In addition to my slight obsession with books and writing, I'm big on road-tripping, wine-tasting, and hunting for antiques. I'm represented by Jill Grinberg.

CINDER, my debut novel, is a futuristic re-envisioning of Cinderella in which Cinder is a cyborg mechanic. Release date: 3 Jan 2012.