Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Fairy Tale. 369 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The enchantment continues….
The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?
With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.
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The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…
My Review:
The Lunar Chronicles stole my heart much more quickly and much more deeply than I could ever have anticipated. This compilation of short stories and novellas has the perfect balance of fluff and answered questions. The stories bring us back into the lunar world once more and the characters are just as lovable here as they were in the books. Very well done. 🙂
More:
Book 1 in the Lunar Chronicles is Cinder (5 Stars)More:
Book 2 is Scarlet (5 Stars)
Book 3 is Cress (5 Stars)
Novella 3.5 is Fairest (4 Stars)
Book 4 is Winter (5 Stars)
Book 4.5 Stars Above (5 Stars) is a collection of short stories which includes:
- The Little Android 0.6 (5 Stars)
- Glitches 0.5 (5 Stars)
- The Queen’s Army 1.5 (5 Stars)
- Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky 3.1 (4 Stars)
- The Keeper
- After Sunshine Passes By
- The Princess and the Guard
- The Mechanic
- Something Old, Something New
*Note: The first four short stories are listed separately on Goodreads in addition to Stars Above. The last five were new material and are only available as a part of Stars Above. There are individual mini-reviews for the first four short stories.
I have reviewed each of the above on Goodreads. Follow the links to find more info on the books and then scroll down to see the reviews. Mine is among them.
The main four books should be read in order. I wouldn’t read any of the shorts until at least after Cinder, Book 1. You could read them all in order, regardless of length, but it isn’t necessary to read the shorts or even Fairest (although, I think reading Fairest between books 3 and 4 made me appreciate book 4 more). The Little Android is the only story that is not related to the others at all and can be read at any point.
On GraceBought
If you missed it, check out my thoughts on the previous books here!