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ebbie_casuallereading's review against another edition
dark
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
franrodalg's review against another edition
challenging
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
Why??? Just... why??? I honestly can't see the point of this, other than as a blatant cash grab...
I enjoyed The Lunar Chronicles much more than I could have ever imagined. I found it charming, entertaining and imaginative despite me not being the target audience at all. I even managed to bear the (multiple) romances, which is quite a feat for me. The villain, though, was not particularly exciting, but the series being classic fairytale retellings that's almost a given. It wasn't a perfect series by any means, but I had it in high regard.
After reading Fairest, though, I'm seriously rethinking my appreciation of the of the original series.
When someone gets one of those classic shallow, moustache-twirling villains and decides to write their origin story, one expects a reframing of the main narrative, a different angle that makes the villain if not more sympathetic, at least more complex, more human.
Not here.
Not only we follow a despicable individual, but an extremely unlikeable one on top. There are plenty of stories where the main character is an objectively evil person, but the author manages to make it enjoyable to follow them. Sand dan Glokta from the First Law series might be one of my favourite characters of all times, despite being a torturer. Alessandra from The Shadows Between Us is wicked and selfish, yet she managed to make me enjoy a romantasy book, something I would have never guessed. Even being inside Cersei’s head in ASOIAF is strangely addictive. But those characters were fun to follow, with a unique narrative voice and inner monologue.
Levana is just horrible, without any redeeming quality whatsoever, and the writing doesn’t compensate.
I was expecting to at least empathise with her, But no. I only learned that, on top of everything we already knew, she is [spoiler and trigger warning alert]a rapist.
This feels like an exercise on how not to write a villain origin story.
Marissa Meyer undoubtedly came to hate Levana’s character as she was writing the main series, creating a despicable backstory for her that intersected with the protagonists. That might have worked for those protagonists but, as it stands, does not work for the villain. You can’t write from the perspective of someone you despise, specially if you want readers to enjoy their experience.
What a disappointment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
ellenravioli's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Child death and Child abuse
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.5
Oh Levana, you crazed delusional woman, how many lives you’ve ruined including your own bc of your own selfishness and childish crush. The way she could’ve turned out a normal princess had her parents actually given a fuck about her and had her own sister not set her on fire and scarred her for life (physically & emotionally.) If therapy was a thing on Luna TRUST that Levana should’ve been first at the door 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Classism, Death, Ableism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Medical trauma, Grief, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual violence
inkysplodge's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child death
kot_zbigniew's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Murder, Child death, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual assault
ineffablebob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story of the lunar queen in the Lunar Chronicles is not a happy one. Levana is the indisputable villain of the series, and this short book tells her backstory. There are some aspects where she deserves some sympathy , but for the most part she demonstrates the ruthlessness and lack of concern for others that will be familiar from the rest of the series . This story is as well-written as the author's other books, but unlike the other stories in this series there's no bright spots in this one. Worth reading for fans of the series but probably not a good one to start with, see if you like the happier adventuring first.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse
amschelly153's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
The backstory is sometimes hard to read but also well written. Informative and dark, but helpful to know.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Abandonment, Death of parent, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying
h4wk1nz's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
a good quick read, i read 60 pages last night and the rest this evening. i always find marissa meyer’s books to be easy to read and flow well, so it was very enjoyable and light.
i must admit i found myself confused at times, thinking i’d missed something but in most of those situations it was explained on the next page.
so while that was a little off putting for a split second, i was never completely lost and have not been left with any lingering questions about those moments.
overall this was a great read and i am as usual blown away by meyer’s ability to tell a story so fluidly even in this ‘unconventional’ time skipping style.
i must admit i found myself confused at times, thinking i’d missed something but in most of those situations it was explained on the next page.
so while that was a little off putting for a split second, i was never completely lost and have not been left with any lingering questions about those moments.
overall this was a great read and i am as usual blown away by meyer’s ability to tell a story so fluidly even in this ‘unconventional’ time skipping style.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Child abuse, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
not major but not minor spoiler:kasaya_mt33's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was agonizingly uncomfortable being in the head of Queen Levana and her delusions of grandeur.... The tragedy of how the evil queen came to be and the tragedies that followed, I felt were written quite well. I was triggered by certain situations portrayed in the book but otherwise an unforgettable read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Emotional abuse