Cinder

You all have been TORTURING me with this one. So many gorgeous pictures of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles. I was raised in the golden years of Disney’s princesses, and so I love fairy tales. And now everyone is coming out with their own version of our favorite girls.

Cinder is another book I had put on hold awhile back, and finally got this weekend–I couldn’t wait to read it. Everyone has been posting the hardcovers online and I’m not gonna lie–I almost just went out and bought the series. They are just too pretty.

I had heard that many bloggers didn’t care much for the first book, but that the second and third books were way better, so I expected to take Cinder in with a grain of salt. No salt needed! I loved this! A scifi Cinderella? This was awesome. Cinder was totally badass, and no fairy godmother needed. There was no bippity boppity boop needed, she took care of things her own self. She did have a little help from slighty ditzy doctor, but not much.

This book kind of reminded me of Wicked, in that it was a more politicized version of the original tale. The prince was no background handsome here. He took care of business. And, there was actually a wicked witch trying to start a war, in addition to the evil stepmother.

I could go on and on, and I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Hurry up, library. I need Scarlet pronto!!

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Huntsman, What Quarry?

I was raised on Disney princesses in the 90s. The ballgowns, princes, and you better believe I have every single song memorized. (Of course the villains were always my favorite…but I was a rebel. I mean, come on, can you get a better song than Be Prepared?)

There’s been a movement in the more recent years not to raise girls on princesses. And I get it–we don’t want our little girls to be reliant on a man, to believe in being whisked off our feet and that’s all it takes to be Happy Ever After. Because that’s not real life. That’s why Frozen is so popular, because the men aren’t the reason for strength. Sure there is a handsome prince, but he’s the villain in the end (spoiler alert…but come on…who HASN’T seen Frozen BY NOW), and even Kristoff doesn’t get true love’s kiss. Ugh. My love for Disney hurt after that one.

I got a kick out of this poem because Millay just GOT IT. She spat all over Happily Ever After. Men are just way too distracted creatures for all that.

Huntsman, What Quarry?

“Huntsman, what quarry

On the dry hill

Do your hounds harry?

When the red oak is bare

And the white oak still

Rattles its leaves

In the cold air:

What fox runs there?”

“Girl, gathering acorns

In the cold autumn,

I hunt the hot pads

That ever run before,

I hunt the pointed mask

That makes no reply,

I hunt the red brush

Of remembered joy.”

“To tame or to destroy?”

“To destroy.”

“Huntsman, hard by

In a wood of grey beeches

Whose leave are on the ground,

Is a house with a fire;

You can see the smoke from here.

There’s supper and a soft bed

And not a soul around.

Come with me there;

Bide there with me;

And let the fox run free.”

The horse that he rode on

Reached down its neck,

Blew upon the acorns,

Nuzzled them aside;

The sun was near setting;

He thought, “Shall I heed her?”

He thought, “Shall I take her

For a one-night’s bride?”

He smelled the sweet smoke,

He looked the lady over;

Her hand was on his knee;

But like a flame from cover

The red fox broke–

And “Hoick! Hoick!”cried he.

–Edna St. Vincent Millay