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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer (+ Giveaway!)


Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Goodreads
Release date: January 27th, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)
Length: 222 pages
Source: Purchased/finished copy from the publisher
Rating: *whimpers* Can it pleeeeease be November??

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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.

This is a short book, so I'm going to make this a short review. I read this book the day it came out, aka the day it showed up on my doorstep, in one sitting. I was so eager to get back to the world of the Lunar Chronicles that I cracked it open, plopped down on my couch, and zoomed straight through. It's just such an inviting book! It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL and the cover has raised glossy bits and smooth bits and the endpapers inside are covered in GORGEOUS ART and I simply couldn't resist. It's also a very easy book to get into if you've already read Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress (which I would recommend doing before reading Fairest). There are tons of easter eggs, but I also don't need to do all the hard work of getting acquainted with a whole new world, since I've had over a thousand pages of experience with it.

Though this was the first book set entirely on Luna, aka the queendom on the moon where I a thousand percent do NOT want to live. No thank you, Luna.

http://media.giphy.com/media/FApzmCcozCVO/giphy.gif

Fairest is Levana's story, detailing how she went from an insecure, newly orphaned, younger princess to the all-powerful Queen of Luna. I loved getting into her mind. If you've read The Lunar Chronicles, you know how completely twisted Levana and her actions are, but it's also cool to see the reasons behind them. Horrible things happen to her, and they shape her in horrible ways. Levana is an extremely insecure girl who has been tormented by her sister her whole life and relies completely on her glamours to feel worthy. You see her get legitimately hurt and vulnerable and you get so sad for her...and then she Levana-logics completely terribly, and you realize there's no hope for her. Even as you read her story, you hope it'll turn out differently than you know it will. You keep hoping she'll make the right choices, and time after time, she fails.

And that's why she's the villain.

https://38.media.tumblr.com/405d0a8e6e032889dac4f40e164b54e1/tumblr_n6e4fgDbhX1rluf9zo5_500.gif
I think I keep offending her

I think the only problem with Fairest (besides the fact it makes me want to CRY with wanting Winter so badly) is that it does move very quickly. We don't really get to sink too deeply into the big events of Levana's very dramatic life, or get too terribly attached to anyone besides her. But as a "bridge book" in a series full of fat books rich with character development, that's not really necessary. It perfectly serves its purpose: to show you the way Levana's mind works, to depict more of Luna and Winter's background, and to get you absolutely rabid for Winter's release (that little two chapter teaser at the back was CRUEL, I tell you, CRUEL).

http://alyceparis.com/images/blog/2013/DEC/disney/evil_queen.gif

Somehow I ended up with three copies of Fairest, because I'm the idiot who accidentally preorders twice and then gets a free copy sent to her from the publisher, so I've decided to give my two spare copies away to two lucky readers! PLUS a Fairest mirror! US only since this is coming out of my own pocket. Sorry!

http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/04/GIF-EVIL-QUEEN.gif
Offering you a presentttt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

26 comments:

  1. Yes, I like seeing things from the villains perspective because I like to see what's behind their motivation for doing what they do.

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  2. Love this post and the GIFs! Wish I was living in the US so I could enter this giveaway though :P

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  3. I've always had some strange love for villains. I love that there is so much beneath the surface. Are they troubled, or just twisted? I love that there doesn't necessarily have to be any motivation, maybe just hated and vengeance.

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  4. Levana-logic, YES. I'd feel so horrible for her (honestly, I thought Channary was worse in a lot of ways) and then she'd say and do things that made me step back. I don't wait to spoil for anyone who hasn't read but I was hoping for... more at the end? To bridge closer to present day. But I'm guessing we'll get a lot of Winter's backstory in Winter itself.

    You described this perfectly, it was soooo easy to slip back into the Lunar Chronicles! And I loved the easter eggs too, now I want to reread the series. That first gif is totally perfect!

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  5. Yes I think everyone wants to know why someone is or did something so evil. No I would not want to live on Luna.
    Mary G Loki

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  6. Great review! I'm so intrigued by how Meyer's carries off making an evil character the center point! Sounds awesome.

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  7. This sounds so interesting. It's always fun to get inside a villain's head!

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  8. I really do love getting to know villains. In theatre, you learn that every antagonist thinks he/she is the hero of the story. I think learning the reasons why they think they are right/just/deserving is so interesting.

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  9. I love villains, especially ones that get adequate development (like an ENTIRE BOOK).
    Also, living on Luna sounds pretty terrible.

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  10. I would not enjoy living on Luna, thank you. I'll stick to Earth.

    And I think it depends on the villain. Some villain I just need to be villain-ish. I don't know motives. They're the bad guy and that's all I want. Other times, it might be neat. Jury still out in this case.

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  11. I still haven't read this. I want to, but I am kind of nervous too. But everyone is saying good things. Glad you enjoyed this. I want WINTER right now!

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  12. I couldn't bare to read the teaser chapters in the back because I know that it would kill me on the inside! But even just reading Fairest, it has made me CRAVE Winter so bad! I need it NOW please.

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  13. I have a feeling this book is going to make me feel a wee bit sick, and yet I spent a solid *mumble mumble* at B&N stroking the pretty artwork sooooo...

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  14. Ack, can't wait to read this! And yes, I think its interesting when we get in a villain's head!

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  15. I do like getting into the villian's head. I think it makes the story more complete.

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  16. I think Marissa Meyer is AMAZING at creating characters full of life and personality. I'm excited to read this one to get some more depth with the villain of one of my favorite book series. (Though, from your review, I fear this will also just make me even more impatient for the finale installment…?)
    Thanks for the giveaway- and for keeping up on this awesome blog. ^^

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  17. I'd rather get into the villain's head

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  18. Hm, I don't know if I would live on Luna...
    I probably would, though. I'd like to see what makes them...them. You know? For lack of a better phrasing. I'd want to see how different they have it there. Others might think me as crazy, but I'm not saying I'd rather live on Luna than on Earth with the life I'd have. Just saying I'd like to take a look at their side of the story.

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  19. not sure I'd want to live there

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  20. I strangely love getting into villains heads. Even though it doesn't redeem them, I feel as if I understand them better and they always have great stories to tell. LOVE the gifs and the review... Thanks for the giveaway!

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  21. I love getting inside the villains head to see what they think they can get away with. TFS.

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  22. It's always fun to see what the wicked are thinking ;-)

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  23. It just looks so pretty! Can't wait for Winter.

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  24. I really enjoyed Fairest! Because I love the Lunar Chronicles so very much, I relished the opportunity to get to know Queen Levana just a little bit better. I felt so bad for all that she went through, but she also really didn't make the best decisions so... In other news, excited for Winter!

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  25. I would love to get inside the villains head. I think their mind would be complex and intriguing. Thank you for this amazing chance! :)

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