Reviews with content warning for Rape - Fairest

It's good enough in a readable way, maybe more like a 3.5 to 3.75.

The last leap between the end and "now" is still a bit stretchy to me. And the whole mind manipulation/r*pe is... I don't know, but not the best. Like I get it, but also, I guess it could have been better explained and motivated. The timing of the flashback for the injuries of Levana should have come way sooner, and when you put it into context with the rest of her actions, it makes her whole building of the book crumble a little.

It's one thing to make us believe they see the rando commoner and people of Earth like a little more than livestock, the escalation to murderous intent is way too quick and weird giving her own backstory. The way she's portrayed is also kinda strange since she has this urge to belong with someone or people, there's a softness here and there + judgement and contempt against her parents, her sister and some nobility. There are flaws in how the author tried to make her become a complex villain, with an arc from "good" to evil. Sometimes, "cartoon villains" should stay cartoonish.

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cortanasreadingnook's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Fairest gives an insight to Levana Blackburn’s miserable life and how she came to be the queen of Luna as we read throughout the books. Marissa Meyer did a great job portraying this villain because there wasn’t any justification for her terrible behavior but merely reason. I really tried to sympathize with her, but she truly is a psycho that only yearned for love and acceptance in the most wicked way she could conjure those feelings up. She’s a manipulator and a power-hungry queen that reflects most world leaders today and their endless greed. Overall, this novella allows the readers to give their own judgement towards an iredeemable, powerful, yet badly scarred woman.

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ellenravioli's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Loveable characters? No

3.75

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loganh0124's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

2.5 Rounded up.

Cruel, sick, and twisted. Those are the three words I would use to describe Levana. I think this story did a really great job at explaining why Levana ended up how she did: A horrible person. I will not take any opposing opinion to that, Levana is a horrible person. I hate her, and I hate her so, so much.

I hate her sister too, but honestly she wasn't really there enough for me to form an entire opinion on.

Now, I just wanted to say how absolutely vile it is that anyone says they empathize with Levana as a character? I'm sorry, but there is no way in hell I will ever be anywhere near you if you say that you empathize with a rapist. Yes, Levana's entire relationship with Evret was both A. Abusive and B. laced with rape. Levana did HORRIBLE things to that man, and I strongly dislike anyone who attempts to argue another way.

I didn't like how the book framed Evret and Levana's relationship as this... romance? I get it, it was supposed to be from Levana's perspective so unreliable narration and delusion, blah, blah, no. It just irked me the wrong way I don't know.

Fairest is fine, it's oddly quite graphic in comparison to the other books in this series, but if Levana's character interests you and you want to know her story, then this book exists for you. Me personally, I never liked Levana and I guarantee I never will.

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christy15reads's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Finished this book this morning from the Lunar Chronicles series . It tells why Queen Levana is as wicked as she is and confirms that I don't like her at all. And while Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress are suitable for the 14+ crowd, with a kiss here or there, I think this one is for someone older because of all the promiscuity in it! It was rather disappointing if you ask me because my teen daughter was reading these books along with me. Now I'm just hoping that Winter is not as inappropriate and she can finish the series with me because we both enjoyed the first 3 books but I can't pass this one along to her - I'll have to just fill her in on the queen's history.

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good_names_dont_exist's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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bean_7088's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Whoops what a doozy! Murderous queen backstory makes her worse!

Like, part of it is sad, like spoiled kids growing up sheltered in the nasty circles they do makes for horrible people and children.. but she had chances to be a better person.

I still loved the writing

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kenna13's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I do kind of pity Levana, but not in the “oh she deserved better” way,

more in the “oh you made some stupid decisions” way. And that ending was so sad. Justice for Evret Hayle

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