Scarlet by Marissa Meyer [review]

Title: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2)
Author : Marissa Meyer
Published: 2013
452 pages
Genre: sci-fi, dystopia, romance, fairytale retelling
My rating: 3/5

"Wolf, are you asking me to be... your alpha female?" -Scarlet

That single line quoted from the book above totally sent me into a fit of laughter there. And here goes my review of the second book of the series...

Scarlet Benoit was a red headed girl, who loved wearing a red hoodie anywhere she wanted, and lived with her grandmother in the small town of Rioux, France. Ding Dong! That's right, she was our little red riding hood from the famous fairytale! Except, she was actually not so little anymore. She was eighteen years old, and she was in such a state of panic and rage because her grandmother, Michelle Benoit was kidnapped. Her ID chip was cut of from her wrist, her portscreen was left behind, and the police gave up her case. Of course, as a good grandaughter, she could not leave it like this. So she took the case into her own hands, looking for the poor old grandmother through the forest accompanied by.....Wolf!

Just like the good old fairytale, isn't it?

Wait for it, this is the real twist. Remember Linh Cinder from book 1? And gorgeously handsome Prince (now Emperor) Kaito?
Cinder managed to escape her prison before Evil Queen Levana of Lunar Kingdom executed her, and she brought a friend (a fellow prisoner) along the way. Together, they travelled into the orbit outside Earth and tried to go to Europe. Emperor Kai was confused because Queen Levana gave him an ultimatum to capture Cinder or she would attack Earth. Of course there had to be several close call scenes in this book related to Linh Cinder. Moreover, Cinder knew something new about her past, and she intended to see Michelle Benoit for answers.

We can guess from those plot that our two girls were going to meet each other. Perhaps, in a spectacular way of some sort.

For me, I like the first book better because of several reasons:

1) Book 1 has all perfectly developed characters, I think. but I don't know...I just don't really like Scarlet's character a lot. Throughout the book, she seemed to be always in panic, or anger, or confusion....so, eventhough she was a pilot, and could shoot with a gun, the character seemed off for me. Not perfectly round.

2) The suspense is better in book 1 (and the pace is faster in book 1). Reading book 1 a.k.a. Cinder, felt like things happened so fast. On minute the King died, then the next is the arrival of the Evil Queen, then the ball, then bam bam bam! Fast! It kept me reading through the whole book like flying, which, I didn't find in this second book.Several times I found myself sleepy through some scenes in this book.

3) The romance from this book is a little forced for me, not really natural. But, that's me. Hey, don't judge, I'm not a good romance reader, apparently, heheheee...

4) The plot or should I say the content, is too light. I mean, it is okay. But that's it. Just okay. After the first fantastic book, this book is not so good.

5) And the last is my own personal selfish reason. WHERE IS KAI?! I know he was pictured in several chapters, but I need more! Kai is supposed to be all over the pages!!! *please don't mind me. I'm just having this prince phase that every girl has, apparently*

So, all in all....this book is good. Eventhough the first book was better, but let's keep our fingers crossed, right? I hope the next book is better.

See you!