Reviewing Lunar Chronicles Novellas THE LITTLE ANDROID, GLITCHES, and THE QUEEN'S ARMY by Marissa Meyer

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What would A Week of Rapunzel be without a look at this year's novella...as well a look back at the previous two novellas!

SPOILER free, hence...shorties!  

TITLE: THE LITTLE ANDROID

Author: Marissa Meyer

Release Date: Out now (Jan. 27, 2014)

Publisher: Marissa Meyer

Received: Free. Read now!

SUMMARY:

THE LITTLE ANDROID is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles by New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

When android Mech6.0, saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programing. Androids aren’t not meant to develop unpractical reasoning or near-emotional responses…let alone fall in love.

Brand-New Review for A Week of Rapunzel!.

My review of CRESS

Unlike Marissa Meyer's previous novellas GLITCHES and THE QUEEN'S ARMY, which both correlate directly with novels CINDER and SCARLET and have plot spoilers, THE LITTLE ANDROID is, 100%, a stand-alone novella. It is, in fact, a fairy tale all by itself. If Meyer keeps coming up with stories like this, she could continue The Lunar Chronicles long past when the series ends in 2015 with WINTER.

THE LITTLE ANDROID, Meyer's latest novella, is based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid and it's amazing how much of the story is in this sci-fi tale. I had no expectations going into this one. How was Meyer going to compare an android with a mermaid? I was amazed. Mech6.0 is a high-functioning android with human-like tendencies. She doesn't understand what she's going through, but she's developing feelings and emotions...and even a crush. There's an awesome surprise encounter with Cinder that seemingly takes place before CINDER begins that results in a new body for Mech6.0...and pain. So much pain. The nuances that give this traditional fairy tale a brand new definition are superb.

It's really hard to talk about anything without giving away spoilers, but I really enjoyed the way Meyer captured the original tale so completely, yet completely turned it upside down, too. I never could have dreamed such a story was possible, especially from an android's POV! I also loved the brush with CINDER, and felt like I'd stepped back into the world of The Lunar Chronicles, albeit much, much too briefly. 

I can't wait to see where Meyer's next novella takes us!

COVER FLASH:

Simple yet meaningful. Mech6.0 dreams of seeing stars, and the fact that this cover is a full-on galaxy is absolutely perfect!

 

Plus, it's decked out in some of my favorite colors, so it's very calming to look at!

TITLE: GLITCHES

Author: Marissa Meyer

Release Date: Out now (Dec. 5, 2011)

Publisher: Tor.com / Macmillan

Received: Purchased

SUMMARY:

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. In “Glitches,” a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch...

This review was first posted on Feb. 5, 2013 for 

A Week of Little Red.

My review of CINDER

You can read GLITCHES before CINDER, but it will spoil a little bit of CINDER for you in some ways.  It's a prequel, so it takes place before CINDER begins, and we get a beautiful glimpse of Cinder when she was younger.  She's scared and wants to fit in.  We can see the way she connects with characters who will become incredibly important in CINDER, as well as what makes them tick.

There are little nuances that make you smile if you've already read CINDER because you get it in a way you won't if you don't go back and re-read the novella after reading the full novel.  I wanted to wrap Cinder up in a big hug and cuddle her after reading this!

COVER FLASH:

I love the artwork for this.  It's beautiful, both traditional and futuristic in one fell swoop.
Plus, there are cherry blossoms.  I am a sucker for cherry blossoms.  Gorgeous artwork!
Goni Montes did the cover art for both novellas, and it's really quite lovely.

Title: THE QUEEN'S ARMY

Author: Marissa Meyer

Release Date: Out now (Nov. 23, 2012)

Publisher: Tor.com / Macmillan

Received: Purchased

SUMMARY:

It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen’s army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen -- and to himself -- that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.

This review was first posted on Feb. 5, 2013 for 

A Week of Little Red.

My review of SCARLET

I personally wouldn't read THE QUEEN'S ARMY until after reading SCARLET.  It features the mentality of certain characters who are integral by the books end and creates a foundation, but it may not make sense before reading SCARLET...and you may not want it to.  Part of SCARLET'S appeal is the way readers don't understand the history behind a horrific occurrence  and I wouldn't have wanted to lose that element of surprise by reading this first.

That said, THE QUEEN'S ARMY is my favorite of the two novellas so far, perhaps because it's grittier and darker.  It portrays the rise of someone dangerous, the motivations behind it, and gives you new reasons to hate--or feel for--various characters.  This novella is more emotional and leaves readers attached to characters in new ways.

COVER FLASH:

Again, Goni Montes does a great job.  I love the scene he pulled out of the book and the way he made it comic-book style.  It has a unique flair all its own that makes you sit up and take notice!

~*~

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