Scarlet (Cronicas Lunares 2) (Lunar Chronicles, #2)

by Marissa Meyer

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth…

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles.

She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information about her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

• ISBN10: 8484418928
• ISBN13: 9788484418924
• Publish Date: 13 August 2013 (first published 1 February 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: ES
• Imprint: Montena
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 477
• Language: Spanish

Reviews

[nitzan_schwarz]

2015 tbr challenge + cleaning my shelves 2015

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AFTERWORDS!

You see, I had a plan. A very meticulous, well-thought out plan that I am kind of hating right now because it made me wait three years to read this book. The plan was very simple: as Cinder already promised this series would become one of my favorites, I would just... wait. Until it was over. So I could binge read.

DID I MENTION HOW MUCH I HATE THAT PLAN NOW?? 

This book... just... asdfghjkl is the best adjective. The feels, man. The feels. Much in the fashion of Cinder, Scarlet doesn't beat around the bush of introducing us to the next duo in the series we're going to adore. Thy name is Scarlet Wolf (stfu I don't care this is not their official ship name, it's my official ship name for them).

Scarlet Benoit is looking for her grandma. Remember way back in Cinder when Nainsi booted up again mid-sentence and relayed information about the possibility of an ex-military pilot from the EF hiding the Lunar Princess? That's the one. Yeah, I had to rack my brain to remember, too. Way to go Meyer.

So, Scarlet was delightful. She's the kind of hot-headed firecracker that's got brains on her, which is a deadly combination. And she's really not afraid to shot you. All the girl wants is her grandma, her farm, and peace. Why can't anyone give that to her?!

Now Wolf....

I'M TAKING HIM AND NEVER GIVING HIM BACK! Seriously, what is this adorableness!? I wasn't expecting it, but I highly approve! Wolf is such a sweetheart! Yes, sometimes he shows some of that first gif but mostly he's just a precious cinnamon roll and I love him so dearly and asdfghjkjhgfd

And together??? The shipping is real guys. It's like, Cinder and Kai? Cuties. Wolf and Scarlet?

only with less rage and more heart-eyes



Seriously. Ruining me here Meyer!

Not only with Wolf, but with Cadet Captain Thorne too! Like, I didn't expect him to be in this book. I didn't expect half the novel to be about Cinder and him at all and I loved it. And him. Again, expectation versus reality and reality is so much better! He is such a goofball! He made me laugh, and I kind of think Cinder really needs someone like him around *heart eyes*

ALL the males in this world ruin me. Take Kai for example - I was so afraid that he was going to go the bitter "she played me" route, and while he entertains the thoughts (because how can you not) he is not that at all. He still cares for Cinder, still can't think she's anything less than what she showed herself to be. He is listening to his heart and I HEART IT.

Is this a review? Is this a lovefest? I don't even know but I don't even care!

Speaking of things that ruin me negatively - Adri and Levana. I hate them both.

Like, I didn't hate Adri in Cinder (I really, really pitted her existence), but now I'm genuinely hoping Winter has a scene where Cinder becomes empress and Adri tries to mooch of it by saying she's always cared for Cinder and Kai steps up and be all like "remember that time you tried to send her to her death, accused her of all sort of things and said you wanted nothing to do with this aberration? yeah, fun times. GOODBYE BIYOTCH".

As for Levana... she is horrifying. And the scene from her pov? nope nope nope nope nope nope nope. Like, I don't want to read Fairest because that sounds so disturbing but now I kinda feel like I have to??

And finally, this book moves from the cutest thing ever to gloom and doom in like three seconds flat. Be prepared to not be prepared for it coming at all.

FUN LUNAR CHRONICLES FACTS!
Levana in Hebrew means Moon. She is literally Queen Moon.
Ze'ev in Hebrew means Wolf. So Wolf's name is... Wolf. lol.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr 

Prior thoughts:
EDIT NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Why can't we call the Scarlet x Wolf ship Scarlet Wolf??? Way cooler than Scarlolf or whatever :( #TheLunarChronicles

NOVEMBER 17, 2015
So good
___________________
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I want to read this SO BADLY!!!
2013, come quickly, please!!!!

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

3.5
This installment was good, but not great. I didn't enjoy it as much as Cinder. The thing is, I still really don't know who Scarlet is as a character. That seems important given that the book is named after her. Maybe this was by design and more of her personality will be revealed in Cress. I feel like Scarlet and Wolf were underdeveloped. Capt. Thorne, on the other hand, was written so that I have a clear image of his personality and have grown attached to him throughout the book. His interactions with Cinder were very enjoyable and provided great comic relief. I've heard that the next installment is the best in the series thus far and can't wait to get to it.

[Chelsea]

Reread Sept 2015:
Quick Thoughts:
1. Just as good the second time around. It even got better.
2. I think this is a really unique twist on dystopia and fairy tale retellings.
3. The characters are all different from each other and make a great team.
4. I love how technology is used in this series. If only our world today could get to that point.
5.Everyone should read this series! It's only getting better!


First time reading (May 2013):
Initial Thoughts

I had high expectations after Cinder! Also I couldn’t wait to devour this book too.

My New BFF

I didn’t like Scarlet at first. I still like Cinder more but Scarlet is starting to grow on me. She’s impulsive and loud but she gets what she wants and I admire her for that. I was kind of annoyed how she gave up everything to go find her grandmother because that seemed unrealistic to me but then you start to see how loyal she is and you realize that’s exactly what she needed to do.

My Crush

I’ll always pick Prince Kai over anyone in this book but I liked Wolf too. I loved how he tried so hard to fight who he was but then ended up having to go back because of this girl he just met. He could see how good she was and decided to fight for her instead. I found he was a really interesting character in an unfortunate situation and that only made him more exciting to read about.

Writing Style

I love everything about this book. The plot was fast and full of action and the characters are always surprising you. There’s nothing not to love about this book.

Closing Thoughts

I really love this series. There’s so much to it! The world building is incredible, the characters are all growing and learning so fast, and the plot keeps you guessing. If you haven’t started this series yet, now is a good time to pick it up! I promise you won’t be disappointed. It’s not your typical fairy tale retelling or dystopia book. My favourite part is probably the world. It’s cool seeing the world we live in now but more advanced and with a whole other world living on the moon. I think that’s a unique idea and I love reading about that new race.

[nightingalereads]

HOLY CRAP this was good. If you were iffy about Cinder, I suggest continuing on because this second book was amazing.

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I liked this significantly more than Cinder, and I kind of feel bad rating it only a half-star better, but... I don't know. I did like Cinder, so I wouldn't have rated it lower. Basically, I liked that this book had a lot more action and revelations than the last book. I also really liked Scarlet as a character, and enjoyed Cinder's story arc much better this time around. The negative? Well, it's insanely predictable. I don't know if Cress is the same way, but man, I knew what was coming around every corner. It was still enjoyable, don't get me wrong. I just kind of wish there was a bit more guess work involved.

[Joséphine]

Initial thoughts: I thought that it would be impossible for Scarlet to match Cinder but against all odds, it did. The Little Red Riding Hood is one of my least favourite fairy tales and yet Marissa Meyer managed to make me love a fairy tale retelling based on it. She took all the good parts and spun a tale that I could delight in. My reservations melted away so quickly after I started reading Scarlet that I almost can't justify my apprehension prior to reading Scarlet anymore.

[leahrosereads]

I finally picked up the second book in the Lunar Chronicles from my library, and holy hell, I wish I had read it right away, because Scarlet continued the Cinder’s story, flawlessly, in my opinion.


Scarlet is sectioned in a way that it continues to follow Cinder and her imprisonment from the first book, while introducing the readers to a new female heroine, the title’s namesake, Scarlet.

This story has a slight bastardized retelling of Red Riding Hood, and our wolf character is a street fighter named...Wolf. He’s the quiet, handsome, clearly keeping secrets type of man that Scarlet just can’t help falling for. Scarlet and Cinder’s stories intertwine because they have someone in common, Scarlet’s grandmother.

However, although Scarlet and Wolf are introduced, and though they’re definitely main characters, the story itself, still revolves around Cinder, who also gets help from Captain (Cadet) Carswell Thorne. I’m actually not sure who his character is based off of yet, in a fairytale setting, and I know I can look it up, but I’m hoping it’ll be explained in Cress.

If I had to guess, I think he’ll be Rapunzel’s (Cress’) love interest. Just an assumption.

Anyway, he’s a huge help to Cinder when she needs a friend, and Iko also makes it back, though she’s had a bit of a difficult change (for her). I loved seeing Cinder and Thorne’s interactions. He definitely seemed like the annoying best friend (I almost said brother, but since he’s a flirt, I’m sticking with best friend). I’m happy that it definitely doesn’t seem to be any type of weird love triangle-ish going on with Cinder, Thorne and Kai.

Kai is also back in Scarlet, although he doesn’t have as huge of a role. And, I’m still loving him. He’s still this overall good emperor to his people and good, moral man through and through. At the end of Scarlet, it’s looking a little scary for his happiness since he’s proposed a marriage with Queen Levana, but I’m hoping that Cinder, Scarlet, Wolf and Co. will be able to help him in Cress...or Winter. Dude deserves happiness.


So, overall I really loved Scarlet. I think that everything that happened in it, was necessary, and I don’t think this was just a fluff book to get us to Cress. My biggest issue with Scarlet was Scarlet and Wolf’s “relationship”. I get that everything about Wolf wasn’t his fault. He was mindfucked by Lunars, and ultimately he did good. But, they’re relationship just seemed kind of forced. If I was Scarlet, I would have made him work a little harder in the trust department. Just my thoughts.


Other than that though, loved this, and I would definitely recommend the series to anyone who’d like to try out a fantasy meets sci-fi world. Really good.

[Berls]

4.5 stars.

My Initial Reaction...

Yeah, that was even better than Cinder and I'm not even that big of a fan of the The Little Red Ridding Hood! Of course, that could be because Scarlet's similarities with the fairy tale are so small - wolf (actually werewolf), grandmother, red hood (well hoodie), and I think that's really it.... - I almost forgot this was a fairy tale re-telling. Meyer continues to blow me away with the way that she can gives these old characters such inventive new lives!

Note: Expect some series spoilers.

The Narration...

Rebecca Soler is an A+ narrator. She did such a great job in Cinder that I didn't dream I would be even more impressed with her reading of Scarlet. But then Scarlet takes place in France and BAM! Rebecca Soler pulls out the French accent and yeah... I'm very impressed. She's an incredible narrator and I'm wondering how much of my love for this series is because of the life she gives each character.

The Characters...

Of course, the characters are pretty freaking fantastic all on their own. Let me begin by passing on a warning that I was oh so glad to have before launching into Scarlet. You will start reading this book and discover that we've gained another POV - Scarlet's. I suppose this shouldn't be too shocking since it is her book and all. But considering how Meyer left us with Cinder you're going to be a bit frustrated. Take heart. Cinder makes ample appearances and before too long. She makes a friend (who I loved), is learning some nifty tricks of her own, and causing all kinds of havoc! And since we're still getting Cinder's story, we still get some of our wonderful Prince Kai. So rest assured that story continues, just not right away.

Which is fine, because you're going to seriously love Scarlet. See, Scarlet reminds me of the kick ass, snarky chicks I read in Urban Fantasy all the time. She has a firery temper to match her scarlet hair. She cares deeply and passionately, even to her own detriment. She rushes headlong - not once, but many times - into danger, because she doesn't see herself as the petite vulnerable girl everyone else does. She's got loved ones to protect and wrongs to right. And it doesn't always go well for her, because - while she does carry a gun - she's not super girl or anything. And that's why you just gotta love her. I know I do.

We're also adding wolf to the character mix in Scarlet. If you read the novella before this - "The Queen's Army" - then you'll recognize him and a few other characters... I highly recommend you take the couple of hours to read it (you can even get it for free). You don't have to, but it really added to how well I understood Wolf and what was going on with him. I remained on the fence about Wolf for pretty much the entire book, so I won't say much on that count - don't want to spoil anything for you ;)

The Story...

So we've got two story lines running in Scarlet. The one picks up from Cinder with Cinder in prison and soon to be handed over to the Queen Bitch... I mean Queen Levana. That's a big problem for many reasons, so when we return to her story the question is will she escape? Not to mention all those startling discoveries at the end of Cinder need to be dealt with. So that's going on.

And then across the globe in a tiny town in France, we meet Scarlet who works delivering vegetables that her and her grandmother grow on their farm. Except that her grandmother disappeared without a trace. Her id chip has been removed and she didn't bring her port screen - making it seem that she ran away and doesn't want to be found. But Scarlet knows that something is very wrong - that her grandmother has been kidnapped. So she's trying to figure out where she is and how she can save her, when this handsome guy named Wolf, with a weird tattoo on his elbow enters the picture - can he help her? Can he be trusted? I asked myself those two questions back and forth for pretty much the entire story.

Concluding Sentiments...

Scarlet is faced paced and incredibly clever. I'm learning, however, that Meyer leaves me on a bit of a cliff when she finishes up - I'm satisfied but also anxious. So I'm nervous about picking up Cress right now, since Winter (the final book) isn't due until 2015. The wait will be torture I'm afraid!

[girlinthepages]

Oh, Scarlet. I wanted to love you so so so much. I couldn’t put Cinder down, and after checking it out from the library I decided it was a series I had to start investing in, so I immediately purchased Scarlet and Cress. Am I still enthralled with the Lunar Chronicles? Definitely. Was I a little disappointed with the second installment? Yes.

Now don’t get me wrong, there’s so many wonderful things about this book and about this series. Meyer manages to weaves Scarlet’s storyline, a girl who lives on a farm in rural France, seamlessly with the drama that’s transpiring in New Beijing with Cinder, Emperor Kai, and Queen Levana. It feels like Meyer didn’t add anything awkwardly on in the sequel that she hadn’t initially planned already, which is great, as it shows that she’s put a lot of forethought into the series (I’ve already picked up on clues that I’m certain will appear in Cress). Scarlet was a really fun and original take on the Little Red Riding Hood story, and the plot lines were a lot less predictable than those in Cinder (which I had figured out less than halfway throughout the book). There were several plot twists withing Scarlet that I didn’t anticipate, and it’s action packed despite taking place over the course of a little over 24 hours. Meyer had great character development in this book, and writing interesting characters seems to be a strength of hers. Here’s a round-up of the fantastic characters worth reading in Scarlet:

Character Round-up

Scarlet- Scarlet is independent, sassy, fiery (just like her hair) and has unwavering determination. In a lot of ways she’s similar to Cinder, being a great, proactive female protagonist with her own mind and agency. However, Scarlet is very impulsive while Cinder is thoughtful and cautious, and I sometimes wanted to shake her from her stubborn mindset and the risky decisions she barreled into head on.

Wolf- Wolf has received a lot of love amongst fans, and it’s easy to see why. His character is wonderfully complex, and he shifts from aggressive and wild to vulnerable and haunted multiple times withing the book. He’s kind of an anti-hero, and his allegiances are tricky to figure out. Even by the end of the book Wolf is still an enigma, in my edition there was a short story titled “The Queen’s Army” which gives a lot more background on Wolf.

Thorne- At first Thorne annoyed me, but by the end of the series I grew to love him as the essential comic relief juxtaposed to Cinder’s seriousness. He’s a pompous mixture between Gilderoy Lockhart and Sturmhond from Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. Also, he’s the only American in the series so far, so do what you want with that.

Queen Levana- Scarlet and “The Queen’s Army” short story at the end of my edition of Scarlet provide readers with the faintest cracks in the shiny, perfect veneer that encompasses the Lunar Queen. We see her in her natural habitat of Luna, and we start gaining insight into her mind through the perspective switch. That’s the nice thing about Meyer’s writing style is that she returns to the third person narration that is so lost within the YA fantasy genre. It allows her to enter different perspectives and follow different characters without sounding phony with multiple first person narrators.

Sacrlet has so much to offer- a wider look at the world after the fourth world war, the first scenes set in Luna, a storyline that strongly builds upon it’s predecessor, and vital information about Cinder’s past (such as how her surgeries were performed and why she has no memory prior to age 11). Yet it was only a three star read for me despite these great attributes because the beginning and middle really dragged for me. There was a lot of wandering around the forest and hiding from androids by Wolf and Scarlet, and though I like them both as characters, I felt that their “falling in love” was really unrealistic, especially considering the book takes place mostly over a 24 hour period. It was like they had a few interactions and all of the sudden they have these feelings for each other and I’m so confused because I barely remember how a romance between them even developed (insta-love at it’s finest I suppose). I think it was jarring because it was a big chance from Cinder where Cinder and Kai’s relationship slowly developed throughout the course of the book and is still in it’s fundamental developmental stages. So by the middle of Cinder I was dying to reach a chapter that switched to following Cinder and Thorne because it was so much more interesting to the awkward tension and creeping through the forest of Wolf and Scarlet’s plotlines.

Yet once everyone arrives in Paris things really picked up, and there were some great plot twists, lots of action, vital pieces of the puzzle came together, and I was hooked by the time the book finished. The Lunar Chronicles Series is still one of my favorites that I’ve discovered so far this year, and I’m eager to read Cress as well as anything else Meyer writes. I often times find the second book in a series to drag the most, so perhaps that’s what Meyer encountered (and to be fair, there was a lot of wandering through the forest in the original Little Red Riding Hood story). Scarlet is worth the read and worth continuing the series, it’s just not as engrossing as it’s predecessor Cinder. And if you can get your hands on the short story “The Queen’s Army” I’d highly recommend it, as it not only gives more insight to Wolf’s backstory, Levana, and Luna, but it brings up a lot of deeper topics in the series, such as bodily mutilation, a the creation and treatment of cyborgs, societal duty vs personal autonomy, and the toll of violence on the individual.

I would definitely recommend the Lunar Chronicles to anyone who loves YA dystopian, sci-fi, YA fantasy, and creative re-tellings of classic fairy tales (such as Once Upon a Time fans). I’m glad I’ve chosen to invest in this series, but had Scarlet been a standalone book I probably wouldn’t have bought it.

[Vicki]

3.5 stars