Bookish Chat – Winter (Lunar Chronicles #4)

Winter by Marissa Meyer
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Series: Lunar Chronicles #4
Published by Macmillan on November 10th 2015
Length: 23 hours 30 minutes
Genres: Adaptations, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 832
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads

The #1 New York Times Bestselling Series! Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

Julie and I have decided that since loads of other bloggers have posted reviews of Winter, we’d take a different approach. We totally stole Bookworm Brandee’s Blogger Chick Chat idea, and went with a chat instead. Spoilers, obvs. And following our usual pattern, Julie’s chatting is in purple. My chatting is in blue. Excuse the lack of proper punctuation!

ready?

  I finished this morning!

 It was awesome!

I finished right before the end of the day. And agree. But I don’t feel all gushy about it.

 Not all gushy? I had to listen at 1.5 speed heh. I had to know!!

 I wanted Levana to get what is coming to her for so long

Have you watched the Lord of the Rings movies? I felt like the end – after the Levana part – was kind of like Return of the Kings with all of the different endings and happily ever afters. It was a lot of built up tension for everything to work out so well.

Not that I wanted anyone to die. But still. Maybe too happily ever after?

is that a thing?

 I have not watched LOTR. Well, the first one only, and I don’t remember a thing.

 It was maybe too happy, but it was a fairy tale retelling after all!

ah, well, then, my analogy is lost on you! And you should totally watch them!

 I mean, people lost fingers, people got deformed, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

true. It was a fairy tale.

And yes, true, not all sunshine and rainbows.

And Winter is even more whackadoodle than when the book started.

so there was some loss

 And honestly, realistic in that when someone so evil has to die, it is all build up and build up and tension and omg what is gonna happen, and then bam, they are dead, and we are all safe now. Kind of hard to get down from that tension high.

I think you are right. It was the crash from the tension high more than anything. Loads of build up. And then the crash

 I loved that each book had a new main character introduced, and this one wrapped them all up and all their story lines intertwined.

I loved that, too!

All the couples worked out!

 I was all OMG I can’t stop listening, and then the last bit was like well, ok, not as exciting, but happy for everyone who gets to finally relax.

and each story built on the previous, but still introduced us to new characters

 I like that in a series, so it has new excitement and not just the same characters doing the same stuff on a different day. This whole series was pretty brilliant.

 yes, I’d have to agree on those points

and now I need to track down the last set of short stories so I can find out what’s in the epilogue.

 Yea did you hear that interview too?

 I like when audiobooks include interviews

but I’m also kind of bummed that the series is over. I’ve really enjoyed them

Yes – I did listen to the interview. It was cool that the narrator was the one conducting the interview.

 I’ve heard one like that with Darynda Jones and Lorelai King, loved it too. I think more narrators should interview the authors!

 And yes, I’m sad this one is over, but hopefully she’ll come up with more amazing stories for us.

I think so, too. Gives us some insight into what was going on with the narrator. And the author.

 And shows that the narrator is a huge fan of the books, it isn’t just another job for them. I love when narrators fangirl over the books.

hmm. Her next series is based on Alice in Wonderland. Which was never a thing I got into.

 I have not yet read a good Alice retelling. So the bar is set high for sure.

yes, true

 I’m really glad I read Fairest right before this one because having that backstory really helped enjoy this final epicness.

yes. That is totally true. I forgot all about that until the confrontation between Cinder and Levana. Levana almost had me convinced she was justified in everything she did. ALMOST.

 I also loved how brave everyone was at the end. How they banded together and had each other’s backs. That was my favorite part.

yes, I agree. Everyone was willing to fight for Cinder. Even Iko and her messed up body tried to save Cinder.

 Iko is too awesome! I’m glad she ended up being such an important character, cause I loved her silly antics even from the first book.

yes, me, too! I love when she swoons over all the male characters – Kai, Thorne. Plus, she’s hilarious.

 I also love how Cinder doesn’t want the title of Queen, but she knows the right thing to do is come forward and get rid of Levana. She does so much for the good of everyone else. So the opposite of her aunt, and really nothing like her mother either.

very true. I was kind of thinking she’d put Winter on the throne in the end, to be with Kai. But I like the idea of a democracy a lot better. I’m not sure Winter could have handled the throne

 I think Winter wouldn’t even want it, even if she wasn’t so delusional.

true.

I don’t think that’s Winter’s thing at all

 She’s such a delicate little thing, and is probably better suited as a liaison between the people.

yes. especially given that she refuses to use her gift. And maybe the inhibitor thing will help her.

 I want to take some time visiting the artwork people make for this series. I’m having a hard time picturing everyone. Especially Winter since she’s got dark skin and I keep thinking of Snow White.

I was thinking the same thing listening to the interview!

I think that’s one of the things I love about tumbler – all the cool fan art!

 I might need to figure out tumblr heh

 The interwebz has too much stuff.

http://thelunarchronicles.com/

truth about the interwebz having too much stuff.

 what do you think about Cinder letting Linn Pearl get the royalties from the inhibitor thing?

I don’t think I would have gone for that if I were Cinder.

But I’m probably more petty and vindictive than she is.

 I think that is the fair thing to do, since that is legally her property, but dang I would have said I’m Queen, you’re a beotch, I confiscate.

 Linn Audrey?

 That’s what is awesome about Cinder, she is so honorable.

oh – yeah – Audrey. I would have been like – here’s $1 for your royalties. Now hit the road

True. She is honorable.

 I would have been like, your payment is me not charging you with abuse of a princess.

yes. for sure.

especially after she was the one who dismantled Iko in the first place. She sure as heck doesn’t deserve anything good to come to her

 Yea she certainly doesn’t deserve to get rich off this. Some people are evil and still get everything.

very true

 I loved the little quote things before each part that kind of foreshadowed the section and reminded us of the actual story, too

yes. I know we talked about that earlier – how Winter seems to really follow the actual fairy tale the most out of all of them. The glass coffin. The poison apple. But all with a twist.

 Yes, so brilliant

 Maybe that’s what made it so enjoyable. Cinder was the same way, not as much, but omg that cyborg foot kept coming up all the time. That scene at the end with the foot!

yes, that damn foot! They should totally bronze that and keep it forever as a new family treasure!

on another note, can I say how sad I was after Wolf’s whole surgery situation? That scene left me a total emotional mess.

 Yes! that was so tragic. But, he was still Wolf, even under all that, he still knew his mate and knew the Queen had to go. I loved that he couldn’t be changed.

true – that Scarlet shined through everything else.

And I kind of loved when Scarlet and Winter were recruiting the other wolves. That was pretty darn hilarious.

And Winter howling.

 Yes Winter howling, and her silly rhymes.

 I just loved how well-developed each character was. So many aspects of interesting tidbits about everyone. That’s good writing.

And Scarlet always being mean to keep Winter in line. Whereas Jacin is always being all smooth and gentle. I kind of think Scarlet’s way is more fun. At least for the reader.

 Totally!

 They both love her, but show it in different ways

yes

and even when Scarlet was a prisoner, I think she showed how much she cared about Winter

have we run out of stuff to talk about? I have.

 I think so. I’m so glad I read this series because it was really unique and fun and stuff. And I think chatting like this was fun too.

I was thinking both of those things today on my drive home. I’ve been enjoying the back and forth chatting about Winter. And Confess.

What are we going to read next!

 We should totally keep that up. OMG I Don’t know! Maybe our readers can suggest our next book?

yes – we should totally ask for suggestions! That would be cool!

Unless we want to talk about Vampire Academy more. I only have 2 books left!

 I’m cool with a series chat on that!

all right!

That wrapped up our chat. So what did everyone else think of Winter? And of our new chatting reviews? Plus, we’re taking suggestions for our next book to read together. So hit the comments!

 

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