Sunday, December 29, 2013

Book 133: Scarlet

 
This is the second novel of the Lunar Chronicles, and while I preferred Cinder to this one, I have to say that Meyer avoids many of the pitfalls of a second novel.  Yes, this does fill a bit like a bridge between novels since it combines characters and sets up the narrative for future books, but unlike many second novels in a trilogy or series (there are going to be four total), this one flies by.  It doesn't feel like it's been padded out simply to create a series, but really takes up all its space and uses it to tell a fast moving story.
 
Since the chapters alternate between Cinder and Scarlet, Scarlet isn't quite as developed as Cinder who already had an entire novel devoted to her.  Scarlet, the Little Red Riding Hood of this series, lives in France and is trying to find her grandmother who has gone missing, and used to be a pilot.  Cinder, in the meanwhile, is escaping from prison and picks up a fellow prisoner on her way out because he has a ship that he stole from the American Commonwealth before relocating.  Cinder is in search of more answers before agreeing to the doctor's plan to come to Africa, and she believes they may be in France.
 
Scarlet also picks up a companion on her way to saving her grandmother, though she can't decide how much to trust Wolf and whether or not this is a trap.  He says he was once part of the community that has her grandmother but has left their ranks but Scarlet has some misgivings.  To be honest, while I understood her distrust, I was also a bit irritated with her continued questioning since she didn't have much choice other than going with him.
 
I'm definitely enjoying the way the series is developing and am already looking forward to Cress which comes out next February.  Cress is the one I compared to Rapunzel in my review of Cinder, so I'm also curious to see if it introduces the character for the fourth novel - or has she already made an appearance without my knowledge?
 

2 comments:

Malin said...

Don't know if you'll count this as a spoiler or not (although the information is available on Goodreads and other places on the Interwebs, so it's not a secret), but the final book of the four (out 2015) is called Winter and there is a character based on Snow White as well.

Jen K said...

I saw that - I'm curious to see if she's going to be introduced in book 3, like Cress getting mentioned in Book 1, or if she'll seem kind of random at first, like Scarlet. Now that I'm thinking about, I feel like the Lunar Queen may have had a step daughter? Does that sound right?