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A review by stephaniecedits
Winter by Marissa Meyer
4.0
As Shakespeare said in his famed Romeo and Juliet, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” And much like with the bard’s hero and heroine, we start Winter wondering if any of our characters will be rewarded with respite after a harrowing few adventures. And if they’ll escape with their sanity (looking at you Winter), humanity (hey there, Wolf), and/or the remainder of their appendages (no spoilers here). Heck, really, we’re wondering if they’ll escape at all.
While this story could have ended so many ways, Meyer’s decision made parting with these characters truly a sweet sorrow. I loved traveling with them from New Beijing to France to Africa to Luna—and of course, on the beloved Rampion. (Did you know there are t-shirts championing this guy?) Much like in real life, our heroes often struggle to know who is with them, who’s just brainwashed, and who’s truly loyal to Queen Levana. Through it all, their bond grows ever stronger, and they learn to trust each other, to lead, and to sacrifice. These friends become ours too, and we get to celebrate so much growth in Winter.
I’ve gone on and on about my love for Scarlet (who is still my favorite, but just by a small margin), but Winter deserves a love all her own. As you would expect in a Cinderella retelling, Winter is “the fairest of them all” in every way. Her beauty makes everyone stop and stare and either wish they were her or wish they could be with her. No scars could mar her appearance; in fact, maybe they only enhanced it for showing her strength. But the best thing about Winter is her heart, her absolutely refusal to manipulate people with her gift because she has learned that manipulation comes with dire consequences—even if you have the best of intentions. Throughout the book, we see her struggle with the question, Will I have to become the thing I hate to overcome for the good of my people and the world? And her friendship with Scarlet is one of my favorite things about her; her calm gentleness and childlike mannerisms are the perfect balance to Scarlet’s wild sassiness and the circumstances that demanded she grow up far too soon.
We see the rest of the characters make tough decisions too, especially Cinder, who must choose how much loss is too much or if maybe there’s no such thing when it comes to dethroning Levana. Thankfully, she has a stellar group of friends to remind her that the people are behind her because they want freedom for Luna just as much, if not more, than Cinder does. And Kai—sweet, precious darling that he is—does absolutely everything in his power to be a champion for his friends (and, of course, Cinder) from behind enemy lines. Far from being the useless pawn he believes himself to be, Kai uses his innate strengths to make himself quite the powerful ally for Cinder and Crew.
Iko and Kinney were such a pleasant surprise, as was the softness Winter brought out in Jacin, who previously seemed to only be about himself. We meet Maha Kesley, who unwittingly becomes the face of the revolution, the face of the people’s inspiration. Then there are the wolf soldiers from the lava tunnels—they play quite the role in this one. The way Meyer writes, I don’t believe the story would be the same if even one of the minor characters was missing. (Like the kids who sweetly gifted Winter with a floral crown.) Her characters are fascinating, and their stories each conclude in a satisfactory way that resembles a nice nap after a fabulous meal.
Every scene moves the story along perfectly as our characters grow and shift their plans and even their mindsets. Our characters, and thus the story, remain in constant motion, which is so perfect for a revolution, don’t you think? And the seclusion of Luna, the cordoning off of the different sectors on the planet, all lent to the aloneness our characters felt. But they were determined to continue, even if, in the end, only the ten of them stood against Levana and her head thaumaturges.
Oh, and the ending, that beautiful ending! It filled my heart in a way I didn’t think possible, and I believe gave each of our heroes the goodbye they (and their series) deserved. So, to avoid spoiling anything, I’ll just say, “Parting is such sweet sorrow . . . That I shall say good night till it be morrow” (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet).
My Take
Leaders aren’t perfect. They are the flawed ones with the courage to step out and do something risky, whether it’s not using their power to manipulate others or giving up power that’s rightfully theirs for the benefit of others. They inspire loyalty, even among the most unexpected allies because they are daring, in their humility and kindness as much as their relentlessness.
While this story could have ended so many ways, Meyer’s decision made parting with these characters truly a sweet sorrow. I loved traveling with them from New Beijing to France to Africa to Luna—and of course, on the beloved Rampion. (Did you know there are t-shirts championing this guy?) Much like in real life, our heroes often struggle to know who is with them, who’s just brainwashed, and who’s truly loyal to Queen Levana. Through it all, their bond grows ever stronger, and they learn to trust each other, to lead, and to sacrifice. These friends become ours too, and we get to celebrate so much growth in Winter.
I’ve gone on and on about my love for Scarlet (who is still my favorite, but just by a small margin), but Winter deserves a love all her own. As you would expect in a Cinderella retelling, Winter is “the fairest of them all” in every way. Her beauty makes everyone stop and stare and either wish they were her or wish they could be with her. No scars could mar her appearance; in fact, maybe they only enhanced it for showing her strength. But the best thing about Winter is her heart, her absolutely refusal to manipulate people with her gift because she has learned that manipulation comes with dire consequences—even if you have the best of intentions. Throughout the book, we see her struggle with the question, Will I have to become the thing I hate to overcome for the good of my people and the world? And her friendship with Scarlet is one of my favorite things about her; her calm gentleness and childlike mannerisms are the perfect balance to Scarlet’s wild sassiness and the circumstances that demanded she grow up far too soon.
We see the rest of the characters make tough decisions too, especially Cinder, who must choose how much loss is too much or if maybe there’s no such thing when it comes to dethroning Levana. Thankfully, she has a stellar group of friends to remind her that the people are behind her because they want freedom for Luna just as much, if not more, than Cinder does. And Kai—sweet, precious darling that he is—does absolutely everything in his power to be a champion for his friends (and, of course, Cinder) from behind enemy lines. Far from being the useless pawn he believes himself to be, Kai uses his innate strengths to make himself quite the powerful ally for Cinder and Crew.
Iko and Kinney were such a pleasant surprise, as was the softness Winter brought out in Jacin, who previously seemed to only be about himself. We meet Maha Kesley, who unwittingly becomes the face of the revolution, the face of the people’s inspiration. Then there are the wolf soldiers from the lava tunnels—they play quite the role in this one. The way Meyer writes, I don’t believe the story would be the same if even one of the minor characters was missing. (Like the kids who sweetly gifted Winter with a floral crown.) Her characters are fascinating, and their stories each conclude in a satisfactory way that resembles a nice nap after a fabulous meal.
Every scene moves the story along perfectly as our characters grow and shift their plans and even their mindsets. Our characters, and thus the story, remain in constant motion, which is so perfect for a revolution, don’t you think? And the seclusion of Luna, the cordoning off of the different sectors on the planet, all lent to the aloneness our characters felt. But they were determined to continue, even if, in the end, only the ten of them stood against Levana and her head thaumaturges.
Oh, and the ending, that beautiful ending! It filled my heart in a way I didn’t think possible, and I believe gave each of our heroes the goodbye they (and their series) deserved. So, to avoid spoiling anything, I’ll just say, “Parting is such sweet sorrow . . . That I shall say good night till it be morrow” (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet).
My Take
Leaders aren’t perfect. They are the flawed ones with the courage to step out and do something risky, whether it’s not using their power to manipulate others or giving up power that’s rightfully theirs for the benefit of others. They inspire loyalty, even among the most unexpected allies because they are daring, in their humility and kindness as much as their relentlessness.