Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Age Group: Teen
Source: Borrowed ARC from friend
Amazon     Barnes and Noble     IndieBound
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Release Date: February 5, 2013

Summary from GoodReads:

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My Thoughts

So I have this friend who is a patron at the library where I work.  I actually met her through the library, and we often talk about YA books.  Also, this friend is a writer and is getting her YA book published next year by Random House Children’s Books!  Awesome right?  But anyway, she won an ARC of Scarlet off Twitter, and, being the totally amazing person she is, asked if I wanted to borrow it.  Of course I said  HELL YEAH!  But not in those exact words (I do work in the children’s area after all).  And you guys, Scarlet is amazing!  Just as completely phenominal as Cinder.

I have mentioned on numerous occasions that I am getting a bit weary of series.  Nearly everything YA published is part of a series.  Well, obviously not everything, but I would say a majority.  And all these cliffhangers, and waiting for the next book, only to have more questions unanswered is exhausting and frustrating.  One of the things that I LOVED about Scarlet (and The Lunar Chronicles) is that although it is a second novel in a four book series, it is almost a companion novel.  Not completely, of course, as we are still following Cinder’s rather large role in the series.  But we are also following a new character – Scarlet.  It’s such a great way to continue the series.

I can’t tell you how well Meyer handles the story.  Of course I wanted more Cinder and Kai, and she gave that to me, but I also got to know Scarlet and Wolf, as well, and fell in love with them like I did Cinder and Kai.

Okay, so let’s talk about Scarlet.  She is definitely different from Cinder.  Scarlet is one tough cookie, but she is also loving and loyal to those she cares about.  Scarlet cares most about her grandmother, and when Grand-mere goes missing, Scarlet is frantic to find her.  Scarlet would do just about anything for her grandmother.  Scarlet was such an interesting character.

And I don’t even know what to say about Wolf.  Maybe that I am a little bit in love with him.  If you are expecting someone sweet like Kai, you will be shocked at the difference between the two.  Not that Wolf couldn’t be sweet and caring.  Let’s just say that Wolf’s life has been  much different than Kai’s.  But I really like Wolf.  I sort of wish I knew him a little better. He’s a very complicated character.

We get to know one more knew character in Scarlet – Captain Carswell Thorne.  All I could picture was Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.  Not that I pictured a pirate, or anyone that even remotely looked like Johnny Depp.  But his character’s personality definitely gave me a Sparrow feeling.  I loved him, and hope we get to see a lot more of him in the next two books.

As I mentioned above, Meyer handles all the different elements of this story superbly!  We still get our Cinder and Kai fixes, but we also get to know new characters.  The story is fantastic, and definitely has it’s purpose in the whole Lunar Chronicles.  But the story is it’s own as well, and it makes a complete novel.

Basically what I am saying is that Scarlet was so freakin’ awesome and you all should read it.  And if you haven’t read Cinder, what the heck are you waiting for?  Because even if you don’t like science fiction (like me!) I can’t imagine you won’t enjoy these two books.  The only negative thing about reading an ARC before the book is released is that I have to wait even longer to read the next book, Cress.

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