Fairest: Levana’s Story

Meyer, Marissa. Fairest: Levana’s Story. Book 3.5 of the Lunar Chronicles. 2015. 220p. ISBN 978-1-250-06055-6. Available at FIC MEY on the library shelves.

Levana was never supposed to be queen. As the second child of the royal family, her role was to always be a princess, in the background, ready to be married off to cement an alliance. At fifteen, the Lunar King and Queen are assassinated, and Levana’s sister, Channary, ascends to the throne. But Channary is more interested in being the most beautiful queen Luna has seen than by the political necessities of being a monarch. Levana gingerly steps in the role of advisor, wishing that it was she who made the decisions.

Smitten by one of her guard, she conducts an illicit affair with him once his wife dies, and she even adopts his daughter, the new princess Winter. But Evret is not interested in her, and she has to use her lunar gift to manipulate his mind and his emotions. She convinces herself that he loves her, and she forces a marriage on him. Queen Channary is not impressed, but she has her own issues to deal with now that she’s given birth to Princess Celine, who will succeed her. Levana’s hopes for the thrones all but vanish.

Channary, however, suddenly dies due to a particularly virulent disease, and Levana becomes Regent until Celine grows up to take her rightful place. Celine and Winter are best friends, and Evret loves them both. However, Levana’s dreams of being queen are threatened by Celine’s existence, and she comes up with the most dreadful plan to get rid of her. She will do to Celine what Channary did to her, burn her in the flames of a fire. But unlike Channary, who was stopped on time by attendants, Celine will die in this purifying fire and Levana will be forever queen.

This short novella exposes the Lunar Queen’s darkest secrets and explain her character and who she has become. Fans of Cinder, Scarlet and Cress will enjoy witnessing the life of the most terrifying queen Earth has ever seen, and will enjoy the connection to Meyer’s newest entry in the Lunar Chronicles, Winter.