Cress is the third book in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. This book features Cress (loosely based on Rapunzel), and takes place in the Sahara Desert. It was released on February 4, 2014.
Synopsis
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
Characters
Main characters throughout book
- Cress Darnel
- Linh Cinder/Princess Selene
- Carswell Thorne
- Scarlet Benoit
- Wolf/Ze'ev Kesley
- Kai/Kaito (Emperor)
- Iko
- Queen Levana
- Sybil Mira
Supporting characters
- Dr. Erland
- Konn Torin
- Tashmi Priya
- Jacin Clay
- Aimery Park
- Linh Adri
- Linh Pearl
- Linh Peony
- Linh Garan
- Master Charleson
- Jina
- Niels
- Winter
- Nainsi
- Queen Camilla
- President Vargas
- Governor-General Williams
- Prime Minister Kamin
- Prime Minister Bromstad
Notes
In Cinder, the direct communication chip from Kai's droid Nainsi opened to a girl with immensely long blonde hair: Cress. Also in Cinder, Dr. Erland mentioned he had a daughter, Crescent Moon. However, because she was a shell, Queen Levana killed her. He stated that she would have been around Cinder's age if she were still alive; the girl from the D-Comm chip coincidentally seemed to be the same age as Cinder.
Trivia
Similarity with the source material
- Thorne came to Cress' rescue only to play right into the trap of Cress' captor, Sybil Mira, who glamoured herself into looking like Cress.
- The prince tried to aid Rapunzel and escape with her, but was fooled by Rapunzel's captor, the enchantress, who used the hair she cut off from Rapunzel to impersonate her and lure the prince.
- Thorne (and Cress) survived a dramatic drop after Cress' satellite lost its anchor and fell to earth; the fall caused Thorne to become blind.
- The enchantress pushed the prince off the tower that formerly held Rapunzel captive; he survived the fall but became blind as he landed on thorns.
- Cress (and Thorne) ended up in a desert after Cress' satellite lost its anchor and fell to earth. However, the cause of the fall, leading to being stranded in the desert, was of a punishment, for Cress' guardian, Sybil Mira, found out about her treachery and her attempts to escape.
- Rapunzel was banished to a desert because the enchantress (in a twisted way, still Rapunzel's guardian) who kept her locked up found out she tried to escape.
- Thorne and Cress and the prince and Rapunzel were all in a desert at one point.
- Thorne and Cress landed in a desert after their fall.
- Rapunzel was banished to a desert.
- The prince met up with Rapunzel in the very same desert she was banished to at the end of the story
- Cress helps Thorne get his eyesight back by giving him eye drops.
- After being reunited in the desert, Rapunzel cried into the eyes of the Prince and healed them.
Foreign editions
Cress is translated and published in the following countries:
(Czech Republic)
(Russia; paperback)
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