Marissa Meyer's "Renegades" Book Discussion

***This event occurred on November 15, 2017, from 7:00-9:00pm at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA.***

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• Marissa Meyer talked about how Renegades was a long but rewarding journey. She had many good days but many bad days.
• She likes to read in her free time to inspire more writing. She told the group, "There are times when I am reading a book and I feel like the writer makes it looks so easy. But, I know logically that it doesn't work like that." At least I don't feel alone when it comes to my struggles with writing. I'm sure that other writers feel comfort after her comment.
• Marissa started talking about the process of writing Renegades. She first came up with the idea that during her Lunar Chronicles Scarlet tour in February 2013. She passed a construction zone with a location sign in view, but she thought it said "Coming Soon Hero School." The idea came to be a similar structure as the Lunar Chronicles where a male superhero would fall in love with a female super villain, but they wouldn't know that they were arch enemies.
• The novel continued to fall flat on her expectations so she set the book aside a few times so she could finish the Lunar Chronicles and Heartless for the next 3 years.
• After four drafts of different plots and use of characters that fell flat and her deadline vastly approaching, she said she had a moment where she had to wallow in a little self-pity and watch Pride and Prejudice before calling her agent to explain the original idea.
• She got the permission to make a stand-alone novel instead of a trilogy like she had originally signed her contract.
• It cleared her head, which allowed her to finish her novel while making the book into a duology at the least.
• When she was asked about her influences for the novel, she said, "All superhero books, movies, and TV shows, but more specifically X-men." She also said that Sailor Moon had a big impact in making the book because she loves the idea that enemies fall in love but also have secret identities.
• We were able to ask some questions...someone asked what her go to snack was and she said wine. I say that sounds great!
• I asked her what she does when she has writer's block and needs to clear her head. She told me that she likes to "Take a walk, bath or nap and even stare out the window as she draws what the characters in my book are doing."
• She then signed our books!

Some pictures from the event

My view from my seat was pretty good.

I told her that I had a very hard time reading 3rd person POV until I read her Lunar Chronicles series

She said selfies were welcome! I was so happy!

My signed copy of Renegades. It says, "Do you have it takes?" And my answer is, "Heck yes!"

I am so happy. I have many of her books signed but this was the first time I met Marissa Meyer.

Review Wednesday: Cress by Marissa Meyer

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ CINDER. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILER. If you want to read this series, read my review about Cinder by clicking on the link: Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer


Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer
1st Date of Publication: February 4, 2014

ISBN: 9780312642976
# of Pages: 550

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 13 (Death, Violence)

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Book Description:

Even in the future. there are damsels in distress...

In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes as a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Point of View: 3rd person- Crescent "Cress" Moon Darnel, Scarlet Benoit, and Linh Cinder

Goodreads Rating: 4.48

My Rating: 4.75

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: Oooh this cover is so good! I immediately knew it was about a girl who has the retelling of Rapunzel, which is one of my favorite fairy tales,
View on Title: The script continues not to disappoint. Since Cinder was about a girl who is named Cinder and Scarlet is about a girl named Scarlet, the automatic assumption is that the girl is named Cress based on the title.

Pros:

• I liked this book even more than Scarlet, which is saying a lot since I almost never rate books as high as I did with this book.
• I love how Cress is a Lunar girl who is stuck in a satellite and pretty much hacks into computers. Who doesn't like a girl who has a way with computers? Plus, she is an excellent addition to the team since Cinder is a Lunar-cyborg-princess, Scarlet and Thorne as pilots, and Wolf as a Lunar-mutant-street fighter.
• I actually like how Cress is a little naive which shows that she is young and hasn't really had any exposure to others and real life. Plus, the whole deal with not knowing her parents and wondering who they are led to exciting but somewhat depressing discoveries.
• Cinder's character grows a little more which is obviously going to happen because the entire series truly revolves around her gaining control as the rightful heir of Luna. She finally has the proper motivation and gumption to fight for what she wants.
• Well, the next character, Princess Winter, is introduced but she seems to be insane.
• The male counterpart characters get even better as the story continues
• Emperor Kai doesn't get much development as he struggles with his decision in marrying Queen Levana and questions Cinder's motives and his feelings for her.
• Carswell Thorne is neck and neck as being my favorite male character. His character is finally more invested in as he has to depend on Cress from an enemy attack that really messes him up. I love his character development as you learn more of a "real" man as he stays patient with Cress and protects her.
• Ze'ev Kelsey, or Wolf, does not get developed as much in this installment, but that mostly because a lot of his character is based on Scarlet's presence. Scarlet is absent from the group from the same enemy attack that really hampers on Thorne's abilities and is almost nonexistent to the book, which kind of upsets me.
• Jacin Clay is introduced and I've had mixed feelings about him throughout the book. He is my least favorite male counterpart.

Cons:

• I was really confused at first with every little part involving Scarlet in this book. I felt that there should have been more involved with her. It seemed that the chapters dedicated to her were sloppy and confusing because that's pretty much the state she was in throughout the book.
• The allusion to Princess Winter seemed weird for me because, like I said before, I think she is a little crazy and caged. But, we'll see her in the next/final book.

Critics' Reviews:

“Meyer continues to show off her storytelling prowess, keeping readers engaged in a wide cast of characters while unfolding a layered plot that involves warring governments and a fast-spreading plague. The momentum Meyer built in the first two books continues to accelerate as the stakes grow higher for Cinder and her friends. The next installment cannot come fast enough.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Once again, Meyer offers up a science fiction fantasy page-turner that salutes women's intelligence and empowerment. . . . Old and new romances, unfinished story lines, and the prognostication of wartime horrors all pave the way for Meyer's much anticipated next installment, Winter, expected in 2015.” ―Booklist

Marissa Meyer's Website:
http://www.marissameyer.com/

Other Recommendations:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis