Blood, Sweat(shirts), and Tears: “Scarlet” by Marissa Meyer - REVIEW

“When she had gone, Thorne let out a low whistle. ‘I know, I know. She seems a little’–crossing his eyes, he swirled both fingers around his ears– ‘but it’s really part of her charm, once you get to know her.’”

- pg. 433, Scarlet

Marissa Meyer is the author of various novels including The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, Instant Karma, and the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She hosts “The Happy Writer” podcast, lives in Washington with her husband and kids, and published her first book, Cinder, in 2012. Meyer earned a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and an MA in Publishing from Pace University.¹

Scarlet is the second novel in The Lunar Chronicles, a sci-fi dystopian YA series of fairy tale retellings. Scarlet, inspired by “Little Red Riding Hood,” follows Cinder and Scarlet’s separate storylines until they intertwine. Scarlet’s grandmother is missing, so when a fighter shows up offering to help, she warily trusts him. Meanwhile, Cinder joins forces with Cadet—or Captain, as he prefers—Thorne. Scarlet is a book of fights, escape-artistry, farmland, outer space, and a little bit of romance.

“He urged his body to relax, burying the animal instinct to tear out his brother’s throat if he found out he’d laid one finger on her.” 

- pg. 308, Scarlet

Many people I know read The Lunar Chronicles when they were younger—middle school, high school. I meant to read them for a long time but didn’t do it until December of 2022. When I did, I read those four books in three days. It was exhilarating, so I’ve been looking forward to experiencing it again for over a year.

In Scarlet—and the whole series—Meyer separates chunks of chapters into sections. I find it fascinating because at the beginning of each section, she includes a quote from the original fairy tale that the novel is based off of. Meyer uses the quote as a kickstart to the content or inspiration behind specific chapters. I was so interested that I took inspiration from it for a creative project I wrote in college. I appreciate that Meyer utilizes the third person omniscient point of view because there are so many characters and multiple storylines. She allows readers into multiple characters’ thoughts without confusion.

Reading this series a second time is almost as exciting as the first because of plot points and moments I forgot. For example, I forgot how much I love Captain Thorne. Meyer specializes in creating an emotional connection between readers and all the characters. If I had to choose a favorite character from Scarlet, it would be Wolf because of his depth, but Cinder and Scarlet are great main characters. I love the villains because they really make me hate them. From screaming, to squealing, to laughing, to hitting the book, to hitting myself, Scarlet was a roller coaster of emotions. 

I’m so excited to read Cress, the third book in the series, next!

Rating: 5/5

No spice. Little to no language.

¹ From Marissa Meyer’s website: About Marissa - Marissa Meyer