A long but satisfying ending to a highly enjoyable series. 4/5 stars.
What it’s about: to avoid spoilers I’ll say that Winter is the fourth and final full-length installment of The Lunar Chronicles, a YA fantasy series involving fairytale retellings. For more background, check out my reviews of books 1-3: Cinder, Scarlet and Cress.
This review will be short to avoid spoilers.
Meyer’s writing is as easy-to-read and enjoyable as ever. All the established characters continue to behave and develop as we would expect. The ending is a delight. Particularly because Meyer has remembered that the majority of her characters are under twenty one and so gives them age-appropriate happy ever afters.
It’s not a spoiler to say that my favourite character (other than Cinder) is “Captain” Thorne. He’s marvellous and I’d happily read a spin-off series about his adventures. For fellow Thorne fans, I’ll just say: Chapter 95, people. Chapter 95 🙂
The only downside to this book is it’s length and I’m torn even about that. On the one hand, at nearly 900 pages, Winter could easily have been two books. This would have given readers a break. However, it would also have given us more cliffhangers and waiting… Besides, I have to give Meyer credit for writing such a cohesive final book over such length. Plus, although it can become a bit of a slog in places, I understand why the author would want to take time to revel in her characters one last time. And, if you’re going to write a revolution, it can’t occur overnight if it’s going to be believable and entertaining. Nothing would be more dull than our heroes strolling up to the moon, knocking on the door and nasty Queen Levana handing them the keys to the kingdom.
Overall: fans of the series will be delighted. Winter may bring this highly entertaining series to an end, but at least Meyer gave us lots to enjoy in this lengthy final installment.
I’m about halfway through! It is really long, because there are so many viewpoints to consider at this point! I think she’s done a really good job so far at keeping all of the perspectives interesting. I’m so stressed reading it! The odds are stacked so high against Cinder.. I don’t even know what I want to happen haha
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I agree that she does a great job in juggling all the threads of the plot and viewpoints so we’re not away from anyone for too long. I hope you enjoy the ending 🙂
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Me too. Fingers crossed!!
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Great review. I think my rating will probably be about the same. I really enjoyed it but felt like there was a bit too much going on. There was nowhere near enough Thorne or Cress for me. I’m actually not so sure about Cinder so thought there was too much focus on her but suppose that’s the way it had to be 🙂
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Thanks 🙂
And… yes! Not enough Thorne and Cress! Like I said, I would read a spin-off series about their adventures. He’s a great character already and her character could develop in lots of interesting ways once she starts to see more of the world. But, I guess to come full circle and finish off the series the focus really had to be on Cinder.
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Spin off sounds like a great idea to me 🙂
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Glad to hear Winter is good! I just finished Cress and had to order Winter last night. Really looking forward to the end! And Thorne really grew on me in Cress, so now I’m definitely looking forward to chapter 95 🙂
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It’s great! I’m so glad I waited until near the release of Winter to read the whole series. I wouldn’t have wanted to wait a year between installments. Not quite enough Thorne for my liking in Winter, but obviously the focus has to be more on Cinder 🙂
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Chapter 95 made me so giddily happy! I said exactly the same thing about a spin-off series. It’d be fabulous. I’m actually a little bit sad to let this series go, but at least Marissa Meyer has other fairytale-inspired books in store for us!
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I’m glad to hear she had plans to write in the same vein – she clearly has a talent for it!
I’d love a Cress and Thorne’s adventures series. I would be interesting to see how her character developed the more she got to see of Earth. Plus, more Thorne! What’s not to like? 🙂
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