Winter (Lunar Chronicles, #4)

by Marissa Meyer

Don't miss the thrilling final chapter of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series.

Princess Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face. She's said to be even more breath-taking than her stepmother, Queen Levana...

When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter claim their happily ever afters by defeating Levana once and for all?

• ISBN10: 0312642989
• ISBN13: 9780312642983
• Publish Date: 10 November 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Feiwel & Friends
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 832
• Language: English

Reviews

[anastasia]

WooooW, this book is amazing, and this whole series is really something! World building and the character development throughout the series is unreal.
Marissa Meyer is one hell of an author! I will definitely be reading more from her!


Check out my reviews of the rest of this series!
Cinder
Scarlet
Cress
Winter

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[Nessa Luna]

In 2013, I read a book called Cinder. Though I thought it was rather predictable, I did enjoy it very much, and decided to pick up Scarlet as well. Then I waited for Cress, which I loved most of the three, and Fairest. And then, finally I got my hands on Winter. The last book in the series (though there is still a novella bind-up coming next year), the last book about Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, Winter and Jacin. Also the biggest book in the series, with 827 pages, my edition of Winter is about the same size as Scarlet and Cress combined. And oh my stars, I loved it so much!

I was honestly afraid of starting this book, because I didn't want anything bad happening to my favourite characters. Because after a couple of years of going to this story I had fallen in love with most of the characters. But I also wanted to find out what was going to happen, so I immediately jumped into the book.

We'd gotten the first three chapters already and I'd already read them (even though I told myself I wouldn't) so it was a bit boring to get through those chapters. But then the rest of the story started and oh my stars, it was amazing. Just the gang trying to get to Luna, hiding on an earthen ship and escaping from that space dock. Then they had to travel through Luna to a place where they may or may not find an ally, and then the revolution had to be started. Meanwhile, Kai was trying to do his best to not marry Levana and make her empress of his country. I just felt so bad for him throughout this whole book, because while the rest of the gang had a lot of trouble themselves, he had to deal with Levana firsthand.

My favourite characters overall have to be Cress and Thorne, and Iko. I love all the others as well, but these three are just my absolute favourites. I love Iko's humour, and I love Cress and Thorne's relationship. I think they are my favourite couple of this entire series, and I may have shed some tears when things happened to them. I just wanted them to be happy (with each other) and ugh... We were also properly introduced to Jacin and Winter in this book. We'd seen them both before - Jacin was already there in the first book and had a bigger role in the third one, and Winter had a couple of mentions and an appearance in Cress. But this book was about her, or well - yeah one of the storylines was about her, because there were several happening at the same time.

I really liked Winter, though I was a tiny bit annoyed at her sometimes, just like Scarlet was. But their friendship was really nice, if a bit forced maybe. And I am not sure what to think about the Winter/Jacin ship, but they are nice for each other, and I do like seeing them together.

Honesty time: I thought the book was too long, too big. Yes, I loved the majority of it. Yes, I didn't want the series to end. Yes, I may have cheered when I found out the book was going to be more than 800 pages long; but now, after reading it I have to admit I wouldn't have minded there being a fifth book. I wouldn't have minded if Winter ended somewhere in the middle of this book, honestly. For example around that point where Winter was tricked by Levana into eating a Letumosis-infected candy apple. Or around the time where Jacin found out about this, you know - I don't remember in which part of the book it happened, maybe it happened much further in the book, but it would have been a nice way of ending the book I guess?

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. I still love Meyer's writing as much as I did with the previous books, I still loved her characters, her world. I loved the little nods to the original fairytales her characters were based on; ugh I just love the Lunar Chronicles so much and I don't want it to end! This is why I can't wait for Stars Above to be released, even though I've already read the majority of the stories that are going to be in there. I want to read more Meyer, I want to read more about these amazing characters, and I want to read more and more and more!

Overall, Winter was an amazing book, not the best in the series - that award still goes to Cress - but it was good, if a little too long. I definitely recommend this series to people who love fairytale retellings and science fiction!

My opinion on this book in one gif: 

[ladygrey]

Winter is a solid and very satisfying end to the series. I liked that it was a big book; that Meyer took her time with the characters and with how the plot played out.

Jacin and Winter were very good additions to the core cast and I liked how they all kept getting mixed and matched in the different scenes. It deepened each character by seeing them from a slightly different perspective. I also liked how she tumbled the third person narrator through the different characters so we got to know each of them better through their thoughts and reactions.

Scarlet (the character) is still not my favorite. At times (with the wolves) she was fierce and interesting. And at other times she was shortsighted and clung to misguided conclusions (mostly in how she treated Winter) which was annoying. I wanted more Wolf in the story, except I hated what happened to him (and that it couldn't be undone) and so maybe more Wolf would have made things worse. I also could have used more Jacin in the second half (third?). I forgive him the ridiculous spelling of his name because he was awesome. Cinder was my second not-favorite character but I think I liked her better in this book because she had less brooding time and so much to do. Still don't like her as much as Cress and Winter and the guys, and I would have liked more Cress.

All that being said, though, I think the story did a good job of focusing on the characters moving the story which kept the momentum up nicely. And yet it didn't feel rushed because she spent time in some in between scenes. It created a comforting balance of quiet character moments in the midst of an accelerating plot.

I also liked how, like Cress, the plot surprised me and kept me engaged with the characters and had a very nice fairy tale aspect in that, no matter how bad things got, it worked out well (except for poor Wolf!).

[jeannamichel]

The series is over. So many feelings.

Cinder and her friends are back in this superb finale. This time, she is taking down the queen once and for all, placing the rightful heir on the throne (which just so happens to be Cinder, herself). However, she cannot do this alone. By her side, her whole crew is back and no sooner does the first page end, do they put their plan into motion.

The Lunar Chronicles is Back

Can you believe this is the fourth and final book of the series? I have a thing about series finales. In that, I never seem to finish series because reading that last book means it’s over. You will never get that first impression experience again because the series is read and complete. Now that I have finished the Lunar Chronicles, it does feel final. It’s sad. However, no one could forget about Stars Above, a collection of stories during the Lunar Chronicles. So, technically, I still have more to look forward to.

Marissa Meyer wastes no time and literally puts us right back where we left off. It took a few pages to actually remember where we left off, but after figuring out where everyone was and what was going on (it’s been over a year or so since I read Cress), I was swiftly brought into the swing of things. And then I couldn’t stop.

Winter is nonstop action from start to finish. I had trouble putting the book down for things I needed to get done, such as eat and sleep.

It’s fantastic to be back into Meyer’s world. It is like returning home from a long time away, Winter presents the same quirky and great characters we all know and love (who else loves Thorne?).
Couples | Injustice for Iko

In Cinder, Iko was my favorite. Cinder was the type of character that I didn’t warm up to until later in the series. However, Iko really shined in the first book. So, in Winter, when literally every other character gets to put In A Relationship on their profile on Facebook, I couldn’t help but see the injustice that was dished out here. Where is the guy for Iko?

It is very clear from the beginning who is going to end up with whom. However, the romance is cut short, in Winter, due to the circumstances of the characters and the constant action—they’ve got a whole planet to take over, after all.

There is so much precious character development in the works. It is lovely and just makes me so happy. The action of Winter really forces the characters into positions, pushing them to make choices that you wouldn’t expect them to make.
Snow White and There Are No Seven Dwarfs dwarves

The Lunar Chronicles is a gorgeous series of complex fairytale retellings. This time, Marissa Meyer takes on Snow White, twisting the happy fairytale to fit around the plot of the series.

It is fantastically interwoven into this clever plot that has been building since book one. Every book has gotten a little closer to the final goal. With any series ending, it is always sad to see it end—the feeling is bittersweet. However, it is undeniably sweet when all the books come together; the four retellings match like puzzle pieces.

A Retelling Which is Not a Retelling

This book may be titled Winter, a sure sign it will be about a character named Winter, however, that is not entirely the case. Where each book prior to Winter has been focused on the character each was titled after (Cinder was about Cinder, Scarlet was about Scarlet and Cress about Cress), Winter is more of a continuation of the series.

In a way, Winter plays two paths. The one path is the Snow White retelling and the other is the series finale. However, Winter was such a strange and delightful character that instead of focusing so much on Cinder’s mission, I would have loved to see more of Winter and her perspective on things.

Winter is My Best Friend

Winter is extremely similar to Luna Lovegood.

Thorne is my favorite character in serving out some much-needed comedic relief. He is hilarious and he could be dying but you will still smile because he cracked a joke. Winter is a different type of comedic relief, in that if she were real, she would be your best friend.

Similar to Iko, Winter is written in a way that makes you see her as real. She jumps out of the pages—it’s as if she is sitting next to you as you read.

Abrupt Plot Holes

There was absolutely no confusion in jumping from one perspective to the next. That very style is what kept the plot flowing so well. However, there is a hiccup in the structure of the plot. It is both abrupt and unexplained.

Without giving any spoilers away, there just seems to be a few questions left unanswered. It comes in the form of a time gap which leaves the plot with some holes.

A Satisfying Finale

The climax was tremendously stressful (but, you know, in a good way). You will not be able to look away, already too invested into the characters and the world which Meyer has built. It will take your breath away and may stab you several times.

As an end to a series, I am most happy with the results. It is not unrealistically all butterflies and flowers and for that I am grateful. For the Lunar Chronicles to be left on a note which is too perfect would be worrisome. Winter ends on a resounding note, however; it is a good ending. It is satisfying.

Winter may not have been the best out of the four novels. However, with fantastic characters and an unforgettable climax, Winter brings the Lunar Chronicles to a close, a finale the readers will be talking about for a long time.

[nannah]

Whoa, this book has over 800 pages, oh my god! It doesn't look so big, but it's got nearly Bible-thin pages. For some reason, that made me even more excited to dive into it.

Book content warnings:
within-book ableism
ableist language

Wowww I missed these characters, especially Cinder. She's always been my favorite, and the one who keeps me coming back. (I mean, the series in a whole does too, but that character is just one near and dear to my heart) All the main women are written well - in every book, including this last one.

The writing is the same great quality, and all the characters have that same great chemistry, but this wasn't my favorite from the series. In all the book's 800 pages, there was no other plot/sub-plot than WAR. The entirety of the thing takes place in what seems to be a small area on Luna, and it's just scheming and failing, and new schemes and new setbacks and more new schemes after another, which grew tiresome after a while.

And while the threat Levana posed to everyone is real and immense, her actual character is somewhat a disappointment. I kind of wished she had that same roundness as the rest of the women. And I know she's modeled after the evil queen in Snow White, who wasn't all that fleshed-out and known just for her vanity and cruelty, but I just can't be scared by her personally. I'm scared by what she can do, of course, but those two things aren't the same . . .

I can't complain that much though, because I still liked the book and love the series. (Though, if I can have one more thing - the entire series was just so . . . het. I kept hoping to the last page for some LGBT rep but was sorely disappointed. The only reference to it was a sort of "gag" which left a sour taste in my mouth. :S)

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

What can I say? Winter by Marissa Meyer brought The Lunar Chronicles to a conclusion. A series and characters I have grown to love over the last few months. I put off reading Winter for as long as I could, not wanting to say goodbye, yet picked it up after not long at all, desperate to know how the story would end. And Winter was absolutely incredible.

After stalling the wedding between Emperor Kai and Queen Levana by kidnapping Kai, Cinder and her friends start finalising their plans. Kai is now on board, and will do all he can to help. He must go back and persuade Levana that the wedding should take place on Luna. When the Earthens travel to Luna, Cinder, Cress, Thorne, Wolf and Iko will be smuggled in. Cinder will then announce her true identity to the citizens of Luna and start a revolution to get Levana off the throne. Meanwhile, Levana has started to become jealous of the love and adoration her step-daughter Winter inspires in the people of Luna. Not being of royal blood, there's no way that Winter can ever become Queen, but Levana is anxious enough as it is with Cinder still out there somewhere. Levana will not leave any threat to her throne, and Winter must escape if she wants to keep on living. Being reunited with her long lost cousin and joining their revolution to overthrow Levana is the only way she can remain safe. But having refused to use her Lunar gift for years, her mind is fraying. She is constantly bombarded with hallucinations and sometimes barely holds it together. Will Winter really be able to help when she can't trust her own mind?

Oh, how I loved this book! I've been saying it in each of my reviews of this series as they've gone on, but Winter was so epic! Although there are the sci-fi roots with cyborgs, androids and space travel, Winter felt a lot more like a high fantasy meets dystopia, and I absolutely loved it! The revolution, the plans and strategy, the various people coming together to fight against an evil entity felt so familiar, it was like coming home, but to a more contemporary/futuristic high fantasy, but high fantasy nonetheless. There were twists and turns the whole way through. Things didn't always go to plan, the group was separated, and no-one knew what was happening to them, if they were still alive. Plans had to be adapted when pivotal people went missing, and you were constantly left dying to know more, desperate to know how things would play out, how these amazing characters were going to get out of that. It was just bloody brilliant! So epic and fast paced, and things really get moving very early on, and it's almost non-stop from the get-go. Winter is a book where you're constantly on the edge of your seat, and it was just incredible!

Of course, I need to talk about the title character. Being the final book in the series, in comparison to the other books, we're with the other characters more than we are with Winter - or rather, it's pretty equal. Everyone gets their own third person narrations at different parts of the story. But at the same time, Winter had to deal with the revolution but also Winter's story, that of Snow White. I have to say I was really impressed with Winter in this regard; it can't have been easy to finish off this series, tie up loose ends and bring the story to a fantastic conclusion, but also introduce a new character and tell her story too. The fairy tale elements of Snow White were there, given a twist and updated like we're used to, but with this story, they were wonderfully interwoven with the larger plot. I think it would have been very easy for it to feel like to separate stories - the story of the revolution and the story of Winter - but Meyer shows just what an expert storyteller she is in creating one whole story; the revolution wouldn't have been what it was without Winter, and Winter's story wouldn't have played out the way it did if the revolution wasn't happening. They were integral to each other, rather than separates. And it was just wonderful!

I found Winter to be a fantastic character. She is so kind and selfless, to the point that she is putting her life at risk. She swore long ago never to lie or manipulate others with her gift, and the effects of not using it have led to her suffering from what is called the Lunar sickness. She's become mentally ill, and her hallucinations seem so very real, and they absolutely terrify her. Can you imagine? These visions are horrific - the walls bleed, or a harness starts to suffocate you, or your body slowly starts turning to ice - and you know it's not real, it's not really happening, but that doesn't stop you from panicking. And there's a way you could make this all stop, but making it stop would mean going against your morals, so you continue to suffer, and get worse. And it's not just the hallucinations, the Lunar sickness effects how she thinks, too. So she makes decisions that aren't necessarily wise, and puts herself in dangerous situations simply because she doesn't think rationally, at least not all the time. I'd like to say Winter isn't romanticising mental illness in the slightest, it doesn't give the idea of Winter heroically suffering for the sake of others, that's not what it's about. There's nothing heroic or beautiful about what Winter is going through. It's traumatic. And I think the subject of mental illness is dealt with so brilliantly in this novel. It's fantastic.

I absolutely loved the climax of the story. It was unbelievable! It's full of jaw-dropping "OH MY GOD!" moments, and you have no idea who's going to get out of it alive. Seriously, the stakes are so high, lives are at considerable risk. It's terrifying. The ending of the book, and the series, was just fantastic and so satisfying - though there were moments I wish we'd got to see or got to see more of. I felt those moments were pretty important, and we should have got to see them. But overall, Winter is an amazing story and an epic conclusion, and has firmly put Meyer up there with my favourites. I'm so happy there's still Stars Above, the short story collection, so I don't have to say a complete goodbye to these characters just yet. I will read anything Meyer writes in the future with complete relish. Meyer is definitely an auto-buy author.

Thank you to Puffin for the review copy.

[Silvara]

Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.

I loved that Scarlet calls Winter "crazy" as a nickname, and that Jacin calls her "trouble." She is both, knows she is both, and isn't bothered in the slightest.

While Cress daydreams to psych herself up to be able to do things that scare her, Winter has visions. None of them are real, and they are caused by her refusal to use her Lunar gift. So she sees the walls of the palace bleeding, feels herself turn into "a girl of ice and snow", and is never 100% sure if the things she is seeing are real or just figments of her brain.

I'm glad we got to see a lot more of Jacin in this book. I didn't care for him much in the last one, because he came off as stiff and not very likable. In this one we got to see a lot more of his personality and how he thought. Enough so that I actually like him now. He's not a favorite character, but I didn't mind reading about him.

A few parts of the book dragged a little bit. But mostly I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. And I'm sad the series is over. All the characters have changed so much since we first met them. Which is wonderful, but at the same time, it makes it that much harder to know the series is over!

None of the characters had their 'happily ever after' tied up by the end of the book. Which is totally believable, and as much as it would have been fun to see some of that, it wouldn't have fit with where the book ends.

I think Cress and Thorne are my favorite couple in this series. I like a lot of the characters, love how bossy Scarlet was in this book. I like Cinder and Kai, and I really really like Winter. But something about Cress and Thorne just work for me. And yes, we get more cute moments with all the pairings.

I also loved how the fairytale aspects were worked in! The glass coffin, the apple, the kiss, the dwarves... It's always unexpected, and yet somehow perfect. If you haven't read this yet, you need to do so!

This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

I've already said these are light and fluffy, feel-good books. Ditto for this one.

The writing got better. This one moved quickly, and was much better than Cress (which I was mildly disappointed in...but I suppose there's only so much an author can do with that storyline). Winter as a heroine was kind of meh, but the book wasn't only about her, it was wrapping up all the other characters we've come to know and love (and despise) through this series. Loved it. Flew through it. Stayed up waaaaaay too late reading it. Felt like a teenager again, because I don't usually allow myself to get that invested in book characters anymore (is that sad or what?).

[Mercy]

Escribiré una reseña apropiada más tarde porque ahora mismo no puedo con los feels :')
I love you Marissa. Thank you for this.

It's so hard to say goodbye to a book series you've loved from the first book.

Winter concluded this epic tale, and I thoroughly enjoyed it all from start to finish.

The only reason I've rated it so low is because I feel like it was a tad too long, the last 200 pages felt like they went on foreverrrrrrrr. It took me quite a while to finish them because I would read a couple of pages (sometimes literally) and then put the book back down. However once I made it to the end, I was glad the way it all finished.

I can't wait to see what Marissa Meyer comes up with next!