Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publishing Date: February 5, 2013

Pages/Format: 452, Hardcover

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the 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 or 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 is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Initial Reaction of Book in One Word: WOLF

(Initial reaction because I love Wolf. And that ending. And because, like I said on Goodreads when I finished the book: "I ship myself with Wolf."

I liked Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles and Scarlet's predecessor. While I didn't love it, I was still eager to read Scarlet, and I'd heard that Scarlet was better than Cinder, which was promising. So I read Scarlet. And, well...I think I liked Cinder more.

In retrospect (I read the book a few months ago), Scarlet really wasn't a bad book. Unfortunately, I happened to be in a bit of a book slump when reading it, which didn't help anything. So when I got bored with the book over halfway in and couldn't get into it, I took a break and finished it a month or so later. (And did get back into it, for the most part.) I guess that's my fault, and it sucks that it hurt the book. But I think part of the reason WHY I couldn't get into it was because of the only thing that comes to mind as an issue with this book: POVs. I've read books with multiple POVs before; I don't dislike them. However, here I had an issue. There were at least three constant third-person POVs, and I believe there were some other occasional ones. When I was reading from one characters's POV, I wanted someone else's, then someone else's, and so on. Each POV was somewhere else and something would happen and I wanted to be here and there and everywhere. It's not that it was bad; it's just that I wanted to be in several places at once, and then I'd want to read ahead and I would get bored. I'm hoping that, as the series goes on and even MORE POVs get added, that it's balanced out well and keeps me more intrigued. (Because I do plan on reading Cress and Winter.)

One thing I like about Scarlet--and the Lunar Chronicles--is how the tales are retold. Key elements are taken from the original story and twisted into something more modern and futuristic and set with different characters throughout the world. While it's not some cutesy series that's all kittens and flowers, it does have a sense of fun and lightness to it, which I really like. Plus, while there are multiple POVs, the characters are great.

I loved how the characters from Cinder were still very present in Scarlet. Now that Cinder knows more about who she is and what happened in her past, she's more of a fighter, especially for the survival of her planet and herself. After how the first book ended, things are a little rocky with her and Prince Kai, who I just love. And like Cinder, he's got a lot to fight for too, what with Queen Levana being the evil queen that she is. Scarlet was a great new character--snarky, intimidating, and someone who works hard for what she wants and refuses to give up. I liked how different her and Cinder were as main characters. There's also two new swoony boys in Scarlet: Thorne and Wolf. I absolutely loved them both, and I really want to read Cress so I can get me some more Wolf. They were both totally different but I believe they will end up playing critical roles throughout the series.

In the end, I'm not sure what else to say about Scarlet. It's the story of a girl going to save her grandma who meets a wolf along the way, with glimpses into what's happening with the characters from Cinder and how they're all going to save Earth and themselves. I liked the book and Marissa Meyer is neither a bad writer nor a bad storyteller, but something about it (maybe this is another book hurt by hype?) just didn't do it for me. Will I read the next two books when they come out? Absolutely. I want to know what happens and I love the characters and I love fairy tales. I just wish that I could love these books like so many other people do.

Did I like it? Yes.

Did I love it? Not really.

Would I reread it? There's a possibility.

Would I purchase it? Already have it.

Would I recommend it? It's a fun way to retell a classic tale, and quite a few people love the books. So...yes. (I can't really think of a reason of why not to read it.)