Gilded: 1 (Gilded Duology)

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Fowler, Tara (February 14, 2013). "Marissa Meyer talks 'Scarlet,' her worries over 'Cinder,' and a potential movie -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 30, 2013. I did enjoy how the story wrapped up and learning more about the underlying story as it unfolded. Meyer's writing is very good and engaging. I ended up being glad that I pushed through the darkness and found my way to the end of the story. I think Meyer did an incredible job of building this world, the characters, the lore and the action, oh my goodness! This one had so much action, but most captivating was Serilda's character arc over the two books. Purinton, Ellie (November 7, 2016). " 'Lunar Chronicles' Writer Marissa Meyer on New Book, 'Heartless' ". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 3, 2023.

Sailor, Craig. "Tacoma novelist hits it big with her futuristic story "Cinder" ". The News Tribune. Tacoma News - McClatchy Company. Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Staff |, P. W. "Print Sales Jumped 17% in Early November". PublishersWeekly.com . Retrieved January 3, 2023. Author Marissa Meyer on Her Inspiration to Write a Teen Superhero Story". theportalist.com. November 6, 2018 . Retrieved December 2, 2021. Marissa Meyer '04: Living the Dream as a Best-Selling Author". Pacific Lutheran University . Retrieved March 3, 2023.Before my review of the story, I would just like to mention that I love the cover of this book. I think it is absolutely perfect. It is eye-catching and fits the story well. Excellent job with that art work. Gild and Serilda's relationship was honestly so lovely, they are so much fun to see work together to both cause mischief and save their unborn child. They bring out the best in one another and seeing them struggle but then also bloom at the same time was really heartwarming. I wish there had been more time with their relationship that wasn't just in passing in some parts but it all worked out.

Additionally, I did listen to the audiobook for both installments, narrated by the always fabulous, Rebecca Soler. In a classic power move, the Erlking forces Serilda to become his wife. He's hoping to be able to use her powers for his own gain. She plays along, mildly, as she has her own agenda going on under the Erlking's nose; keep your enemies close and all that. The start of Cursed is more sedate, overdescriptive at times, and with more quiet scenes than you'd have been expecting from how Gilded ended. En route to the Erlkönig and Serilda sealing their fate on the day of the Winter Solstice, something is bound to happen, she hopes, but so far nothing seems to be going to happen to throw a wrench into the Alder King's schemes. He and Serilda are keeping up a farce for the benefit of the whole of Adelheid, and it's not clear whether the court is buying it or not, and since nobody's helping her, Serilda is resigned. For half of the story I listened to the audio. Fortunately, the narrator, Rebecca Soler, is also very good. The story was easier to get through in audio format and I would recommend listening to it. awkward laugh* um sorry that was cheesy but um I've gotten my point across so... bye! *falls down the stairs and runs out the door*

Fantasy Author Marissa Meyer Reveals Her Next Book Cover: Gilded". io9 . Retrieved February 27, 2021. In 2013, Meyer received a two-book deal from Feiwel & Friends for a young adult series featuring the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. However, it later ended up being a standalone book called Heartless, which was released in Fall 2016. Utah students adapted the novel into a musical which Meyer attended in 2021. [18] The second 25% is torture, 1-star in every sense. It's a mud puddle to plough through at extra slow speed. Nothing happens there, Marissa Meyer overdoes the descriptiveness even more than usual, and the writing is horrendously basic; so basic many "paragraphs" are one word or three words, no exaggeration. It's so repetitive and soporific I lost 3 days trying to wade through it and losing the battle every time, I nearly abandoned the book in this stretch, and would have if, at approximately 42%, Meyer hadn't dropped a plot bomb, the first of several to come until the end, that enlivened the dull story and made it more interesting, turning the third 25% into another 4 star read.

Media, Mast. "Author, alum Marissa Meyer talks 'Sailor Moon' and 'Cinder' | Mast Media" . Retrieved December 1, 2021. a b "Bestselling YA author Marissa Meyer details her career in writing". HS Insider. December 18, 2021 . Retrieved March 3, 2023. Likewise, Gild’s roguish charm and mischievousness was offset by several nuanced and emotional scenes surrounding the loss of his memories and an unexplainable sense of guilt, which I felt brought new dimension to his character. The chemistry between the pair was still fairly swoon-worthy but their dynamics were certainly angstier this time around.Meyer was born in Tacoma, Washington and attended Pacific Lutheran University, where she received a Bachelors in Creative Writing and Children's Literature. She later attended Pace University and received a Master's in Publishing. [4] Growing up, Meyer admits that she had a strong love for fairy tales and one of her favorite shows was Sailor Moon, both of which later impacted her creation of Cinder. [5] Meyer also says that her love of superheroes helped lead to the creation of Renegades. [6] In an interview with Los Angeles Times, she said she attempted her first novel when she was sixteen. [7] Career [ edit ] Meyer at the 2022 Phoenix Fan Fusion The conclusion to this couldn't have been better. It felt so complete; a true 360. I loved sort of the exploration of the idea of what is in a story, folklore, legends that are passed down over generations. Is there truth in them? From where did these legends come?

Since 2020 she has hosted The Happy Writer with Marissa Meyer, a podcast in which she interviews authors about their work. [26] Personal life [ edit ] Overall, this is a fantastic duology for Fairy Tale fans. It has such a classic feel, but is wholly original; great writing and character development. Haas, Shawnee (January 29, 2022). " 'The Lunar Chronicles' Series Gets Adaption From 'Ron's Gone Wrong' Animation Studio". Collider . Retrieved March 3, 2023. The stakes are high. Can Serilda and Gild figure out how to free themselves from the Erlking's grasp before the Endless Moon finds them cursed forever? In November 2021 she released Gilded, a novel based on the story of Rumpelstiltskin, the first in a duology. [24] It sold 9,000 copies in its first week, and was the top YA title when released. [25] The second book in the series, Cursed, was released in November 2022.

Meanwhile, the Erlking is plotting revenge against the seven gods who trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If he succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever. Now that the story is finished, I can tell that this second book was not needed. The story could've fit in one book if Meyer wasn't a pathological overwriter or had an editor that didn't fear using the editorial hatchet more forcefully. I like her, I like that she is a good storyteller, but I'm not blind to the fact that she isn't a good writer. Like Serilda, she puts in too much, and she always overstays her welcome by cramming in too much and not knowing what to cut and where to stop; perhaps that's why this duology's heroine is the most reflective of her own storytelling. None of which happens! There is no love triangle, thank goodness, and the Alder King stays a bastard till the very end, thank Marissa Meyer. I'd have absolutely loathed either option, and both would've made this book my first DNF in years. That it didn't happen saved the book and made it possible for me to forgive a lot of what did happen, although not everything.