Book Review: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

June 1, 2024Journal, ReviewsE.S.O. Martin

When Fairy Tales and Science Fiction Collide: From Cinderella to Snow White

“The Lunar Chronicles” is a captivating series by Marissa Meyer that reimagines classic fairy tales in a futuristic world where humans, cyborgs, and supernatural Lunars intertwine. The series skillfully combines science fiction with fantasy, weaving each tale into a larger, cohesive narrative that culminates in a thrilling finale where a gang of unlikely young heroes strive to overthrow a tyrannical government.

Book 1: Cinder: The series kicks off with a futuristic twist on Cinderella. Cinder, a cyborg mechanic in New Beijing, finds her life intertwined with Prince Kai’s and discovers startling secrets about her past that will alter her future forever.

Book 2: Scarlet: Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, this book introduces Scarlet, a bold French farmer who embarks on a quest to find her missing grandmother with the help of Wolf, a street fighter with deep secrets. Their adventure leads to perilous discoveries and a blossoming romance.

Book 3: Cress: Retelling the story of Rapunzel, Cress centers on a brilliant hacker who has been trapped on a satellite. She is rescued by Captain Carswell Thorne, and together they embark on a mission that challenges both their destinies.

Book 4: Winter: The final book wraps up the series with a reimagining of Snow White. Princess Winter and her loyal guard, Jacin, join Cinder and her allies to confront Queen Levana.

Fairest: Although a prequel to “The Lunar Chronicles,” “Fairest” delves into the backstory of Queen Levana, portraying her as a damaged and lonely princess, before she became the notorious Queen seen in the series.

Stars Above: A collection of short stories set in the world of the Lunar Chronicles. This anthology deepens the backstory and futures of beloved characters from the series. It includes tales like “The Keeper,” exploring Scarlet’s grandmother’s protection of Cinder, and “The Queen’s Army,” which reveals Wolf’s origin. The collection also features “The Mechanic,” detailing Cinder’s meeting with Kai, and “Something Old, Something New,” a charming epilogue wrapping up the series with a festive gathering. This collection is a must-read for fans, offering new insights and filling the gaps left by the main series.

Marissa Meyer’s series will enchant readers who enjoy fresh takes on classic tales, particularly those who appreciate a blend of science fiction, romance, and adventure. Each book maintains its own narrative arc while contributing to the series’ overarching plot, making it a compelling read for fans of character-driven stories.

Each book in “The Lunar Chronicles” not only pays homage to its fairy tale origins but also expands the story in unique and intriguing ways. Meyer’s integration of romance, personal growth, and heroic quests against the backdrop of a richly built world makes for an enthralling series. The evolution of Cinder from a mechanic to a revolutionary is particularly well-executed, embodying the series’ theme of self-discovery and empowerment.

If you’re captivated by tales that blend the magical, consider subscribing to my Reader’s Club newsletter for more reviews, sneak peeks at my works in progress, and exclusive insights into the myths and legends that inspire our favorite stories. Whether you’re a fan of fairy tales, fierce heroines, or futuristic settings, join us as we explore new worlds together.

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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.

Devana, Goddess of the Wilderness

May 25, 2024Journal, Slavic Spirits (series)E.S.O. Martin

She Who Runs With Wolves

Devana, Slavic goddess of the hunt, of forests, of wild animals

Known as the goddess of the hunt, forests, and wild animals, Devana is often depicted as the Slavic counterpart to the Roman Diana or the Greek Artemis. Her domain is the untamed wilderness, where she reigns with agility and grace, her presence echoing through the rustling leaves and the quiet steps of forest creatures.

The Essence of Devana

Devana, Slavic goddess of the wilderness

Devana is portrayed as a fierce warrior and protector, her figure often accompanied by the symbols of her reign—the bow and arrow and wolves—emblematic of her role as a huntress. Her connection to the forest is not just one of dominion but also of guardianship. She is the spirit of the wild, nurturing the flora and fauna that thrive under her watchful eyes. Her followers, ancient Slavs who depended on the woods for survival, revered her, seeking her blessings for successful hunts and protection from the perils of the wilderness.

The Dziewonie: Devana’s Handmaidens

Accompanying Devana are the Dziewonie, forest nymphs who serve as her handmaidens. These ethereal beings share Devana’s deep connection with the natural world. The Dziewonie often resided deep in forest glens, looking after bison, aurochs, and deer.

The Dziewonie also play a critical role in maintaining the balance between human agricultural pursuits and the wilds of the forest. They were keenly aware of the diseases that can afflict livestock, often acting as intermediaries to prevent such ailments from spreading to the forest animals. This protective role makes them vital in Slavic myths, embodying the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.

Devana: Our Lady of Thunder Candle

Devana’s tales often depict her roaming the dense forests on moonlit nights, her path illuminated by the glow of her torch, symbolizing enlightenment and the eternal hunt. She embodies the primal and untamed aspects of nature, reminding us of the wild’s raw beauty and its unforgiving, cyclic nature.

In some interpretations, the Slavic Goddess Devana became known as Our Lady of Thunder Candle. Her glowing torch became a powerful candle whose light could protect people from wolves, from lightning strikes, and could ward off storms. The melted wax from these candles was said to tell the future.

On February 2nd, people would attend church and take these blessed candles home with them. These blessed candles were also brought out and lit when a person was sick or on their deathbed, so that it’s light could help guide a person through their current darkness into the light.

Devana and Marzanna

Devana, goddess of the forest, and Marzanna, goddess of magic.

Devana and Marzanna were two independent goddesses in Slavic mythology, who were sometimes mistaken for each other because they both are often depicted with the moon.

Devana was seen as the untamable wild woman, concerned with nature, with healthy forests, and with the hunt. Marzanna was a goddess of winter, magic, and witchcraft. Both were powerful figures that inspired fear and awe.

How The Independent Devana Came to Marry Veles

One of the stories of Devana was that she was so powerful and fiercely independent that she attempted become the supreme goddess of the World Tree and all existence. Devana and Perun, god of the overworld, had an epic battle, and Perun chased her all throughout the heavens and the earth. Devana was a shape-changer. In their battle, she transformed into a lioness, a wolf, a hawk, a fish. At last, Perun’s eagle caught Devana.

In hopes of punishing both Devana and Veles (Perun’s other nemesis), Perun forced them to marry each other, thinking the two of them would make each other miserable for all eternity.

Devana and Veles fell in love over their mutual concern for forests and animals

The last laugh was on Perun, however. Veles wooed Devana by transforming into a basil flower, and with the fact that he did not seek to squash her independence. The two of them also held a mutual interest in the health of forests, livestock, and wild animals. Veles made Devana his queen of the land of Nawia, and the two of them had an amiable partnership.l.

Cultural Significance

Today, Devana’s legacy lives on as a symbol of environmental conservation and natural balance. She inspires a reverence for the natural world, urging modern societies to remember the ancient wisdom that speaks of harmony with nature.

In an age where the wilderness continually recedes before the march of civilization, remembering and revering these deities can remind us of the crucial balance between human needs and the health of our planet.

Devana, with her indomitable spirit and her commitment to the wild, invites us to explore, respect, and protect the natural world, ensuring that the forests she loves so dearly continue to thrive and enchant for generations to come.

If you would like to learn more about Slavic mythology, consider signing up for my Reader’s Club. Reader’s Club members will be notified whenever there is a new entry in my Slavic Spirits series, and will also receive monthly-ish emails with book reviews, updates on my works in progress, and other fun stuff.

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Veles: Shapeshifter God of Earth, Magic, and the Underworld

May 18, 2024Slavic Spirits (series), JournalE.S.O. Martin

Veles: The Enigmatic Shapeshifter of Slavic Mythology

Veles, sitting on his throne at the roots of the World Tree

In the shadowy depths of Slavic lore, Veles emerges as a figure shrouded in mystery and magic. If Perun was the god of the sky, then Veles was the god of everything underneath it.

Veles was the protector of creatures of the earth, of water, of the forests, of livestock, and of wealth.

Where Perun’s favorite tree was the hard and steadfast oak, Veles’s favorite tree was the bendable willow.

Veles’s favorite animals were the wolf, the bear, the snake, the owl, and the dragon.

Every year, Slavic people celebrate Veles during midwinter, between February 11th and February 24th. The Festival of Veles corresponds to the “Day of Saint Blaise,” who was the protector of cattle. After Christianization, worship of Veles transformed into worship for Saint Blaise.” In honor of Veles, people might pray for good health, and bless candles apples in hopes that they would protect them from diseases. Some of these blessed apples would also be fed to cattle, in order to protect the animals throughout the remainder of winter.

Trickster and Shapeshifter

Veles’s most striking ability was his shapeshifting prowess. Legends tell of his transformation into a myriad of forms — from the magestic dragon, coiled in a nest of wool at the roots of the World Tree, into a bear, or a snake, or even a person. The capacity to change form speaks to Veles’s mastery over the natural world and of magic.

Much like Hermes and Loki (of the Greek and Norse mythologies), Veles is a trickster. His tales often involve cunning schemes and clever escapes (particularly after having pulled some prank on Perun). Many of Veles’s transformations seem to show that he has a sense of humor (for example, changing into a pair of underwear hanging on a clothesline in order to hide from Perun after having stolen Perun’s thunderbolt).

This aspect of his character highlights the complexity of Veles’s nature, combining cunning with deceit, creation with destruction.

The Woolen Dragon

Veles, god of the underworld, and Zmej, his dragon

The imagery of Veles as a dragon lying in a nest of wool is rich with symbolism. Wool, a crucial resource, represented wealth, warmth, and protection—particularly in an ancient Slavic society that had to withstand dark, cold winters. Veles’s association with it underlines his role as a guardian of prosperity and comfort, even in the darkest recesses of the underworld.

Alternatively, Veles is sometimes portrayed as having a pet dragon. This dragon, Zmej, was sometimes tasked with sitting on one of the roots of the World Tree and guarding the entrance to Nawia, the Slavic afterlife.

Veles’s connection to the dragon might also be related to his affinity to transform into a snake. Snakes are creatures of transformations in general. They shed their skins, they on the ground but can climb trees, and when the land is warm the reemerge from their winter hibernation.

God of Music and Magic

Veles and Zmej, during their Hair Band phase

As the god of magicians and magic, Veles holds sway over the mystical forces that permeate the Slavic world. His connection to the arcane arts places him as a patron deity for those who seek to move emotions, bring wonder, or see beyond the veil.

God of the Underworld

Veles’s narratives encapsulate the essence of nature’s dualities — life and death, growth and decay, order and chaos.

While one aspect of him presides over the waters, the forests, and the fertile earth, he is also seen as having another solemn role: as the guardian of the underworld.

It is said that Veles is the supreme god over the land of Nav, which was a kind of upside down world that lay beneath the roots of the World Tree.

Some Slavs believed that you could enter Nawia through portals deep beneath the water, which was why people would sometimes pray to Veles to protect the souls of those who had died by drowning.

Nawia was portrayed as a vast green pasture, surrounded by water. This was a paradise where souls would go to rest and recuperate before choosing to be reborn to Earth, or to ascend to Prawia, the land of gods and unborn souls, before being reborn into Yawia, the land of the living.

Veles and Devana, goddess of the wilds

In many stories, Veles and Perun are portrayed as rivals in their mutual courtship of Mokosh, the goddess of the earth and the harvest. Veles and Perun also had a joint-custody arrangement in parenting Mokosh’s twin children, Jarilo and Marzanna.

But in some stories, Veles is the husband of Devana, the goddess of the hunt, the forest, and the wilds. Devana was a fiercely independent goddess, but Veles successfully wooed her by turning into a basil flower. The couple bonded over their mutual love of the forest and the wild.

Discovering the Many Faces of Veles

Veles is a complicated god who invites us to see beyond strict binaries of good and evil. He is a protector and a trickster who seems to delight in crossing boundaries.

If you would like more information on Slavic lore, please consider signing up for my Reader’s Club to get book reviews, updates on my works-in-progress, and monthly-ish notifications whenever I have a new entry in my Slavic Spirits series.

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Book Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

May 11, 2024Journal, Reviews, PolishE.S.O. Martin

Stealing Hope: The Story of The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the story of Liesel Meminger, a girl on the cusp of puberty, living with foster parents, the Hubermanns, in Nazi Germany. The book is narrated by Death, as he jumps back and forth through narrative time.

It is hard to comprehend the horrors of war. What this book attempts to do is step away from the atrocities and war crimes of World War II—which can sometimes seem too huge and horrible to understand—and it seeks to shrink the impact down to the size of one little girl.

This book is written for a young adult audience in mind, and is probably the kind of book that would be assigned in class as part of a World War II unit in junior high or high school. The atrocities of the Holocaust are mentioned, but the book does not go into graphic detail about it. There is a sense of Bad Things happening in the background—bad things are happening to other people—but the horror is never really experienced as a first-person event, as it is in Anne Frank’s diaries, or in Elie Wiesel’s Night. It’s more intellectual and poetically sad—rather than visceral.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, The Book Thief is beautifully written. Without a doubt.

I sympathized with Liesel and the Hubermanns. I felt for the powerlessness of Max Vandenberg, the Jewish fist-fighter that the Hubermanns hid in their basement. I felt for Rudy Steiner, Liesel’s friend. In a lot of ways, these characters were stuck between a rock and a hard place and had no good choices.

But I’ll admit, it was hard for me to read this book. As a Polish-American with living family members who survived Auschwitz, reading about how hard WW II was for these fictional German characters felt a bit disloyal to me.

My real-life family fought in the Polish resistance. I had family members who were killed by Nazis. My family survived the concentration camps and suffered greatly under their German and Russian occupiers. Where is the sympathy for them?

What was redeeming about The Book Thief is that it shows how hard it is to be a moral person and to feel like you are having a good impact when your government is doing terrible things. Sometimes, the whole world goes sideways, and very few of us actually have any power or control in making it better, other than small acts of resistance. For Liesel, her small act of resistance is in stealing books, and in protecting Max Vandenberg and his story.

When I look to the world we currently live in and the heartless choices our own governments make, I have to admit, I feel a little bit powerless and overwhelmed. The humanitarian crisis at our boarders. The wars. The bombings. The terror. The global warming. The overfishing. The factory farms. What power do I have to change these horrible things?

I have voted in every election since I turned 18, but my vote has usually gone to the losing side. Sometimes I feel like my tiny little voice is inconsequential, that nobody cares. I often feel baffled by the choices and attitudes of my fellow Americans.

Books like The Book Thief are a reminder that doing something is better than doing nothing. Any act of resistance is better than being silent and complacent. So I continue to vote. I continue to support causes I believe in.

I continue to eat vegan, because that single choice has the largest real-world impact on my health, on the environment, on feminism, and in the ethics of how we treat animals and other people.

It’s important for my own sense of integrity to feel like I’m doing something.

Because not doing so would feel like giving up.

If cynicism is complacent obedience to The Man, then optimism is civil disobedience.

I refuse to give up, because I believe future generations deserve better. When my future grandchildren come up to me and ask what I did to try to stop the world from burning, I will not be like those complacent Germans in the 1930s and 1940s who did nothing because they “had no idea.” My acts of resistance make it easier for me to look myself in the mirror.

Thank you very much for reading this review of ‘The Book Thief.’ If you would like to be notified about more reviews like these, or if you would like to get updates about my own works in progress, please consider signing up for my Reader’s Club newsletter.

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

May 4, 2024Journal, ReviewsE.S.O. Martin

In the shadowed corridors of grief and adolescence, Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls stands as a beacon of raw emotional storytelling. Originally conceived by Siobhan Dowd during her final days, the novel is a poignant exploration of a child’s journey through loss, brought to life with the haunting illustrations of Jim Kay.

The Heart of the Story:

At its core, A Monster Calls is the tale of 13-year-old Connor O’Malley, who grapples with the impending loss of his mother to a terminal illness. Connor’s life is a battleground of internal and external conflicts—from the bullies at school to the turmoil at home, where neither his estranged father nor his rigid grandmother offer solace. Amidst this turmoil, Connor finds an unlikely confidant in a monstrous Yew tree that comes to life, weaving tales that blur the lines between moral fables and harsh realities.

A Journey Through Grief:

Ness masterfully navigates the labyrinth of Connor’s emotions, portraying a character who is at once vulnerable and resilient. The monster’s tales serve as a mirror to Connor’s psyche, revealing the complexities of human nature and the painful, often messy process of coming to terms with loss. The climax, where Connor confronts his deepest fear, is a cathartic release, a raw acknowledgment of the powerlessness and rage that accompanies grief.

The Power of Storytelling:

What sets this novel apart is its unflinching honesty in addressing the depth of a child’s emotions. Ness does not shy away from the dark and tumultuous; instead, he delves deep, presenting a narrative that is both harrowing and healing. The book’s acknowledgment that children can harbor profound grief and rage, and yet remain innocent, is a narrative feat that resonates deeply.

Jim Kay’s illustrations are more than mere accompaniments to the text; they are narratives in their own right. Stark, evocative, and beautifully unsettling, the artwork enhances the story’s emotional depth, making the monster and Connor’s journey all the more tangible.

A Monster Calls struck a chord with me for its unapologetic exploration of the darker facets of childhood. This novel, while a work of fiction, touches on universal truths about pain, loss, and healing. Grief and loss are too powerful to have to bear alone. If you, or someone you know, is hurting, please reach out to someone you trust for comfort and help.

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Perun: God of Thunder and the Overworld

April 27, 2024Journal, Slavic Spirits (series)E.S.O. Martin

One God to Rule Them All?

In Slavic mythology, there are a variety of gods who are often defined as the “supreme god” in an attempt to shoehorn Slavic polytheism into the Christian monotheistic hierarchy. Each of the slavic tribal lands had their own favorite supreme God—from Perun, to Triglav, to Rod, to Svarog.

One of the favorite Supreme Gods was Perun, God of Thunder.

Perun, Slavic god of thunder, war, and the sky

Perun: God of Thunder and War

Perun was the god of thunder, of the sky, and of the overworld. He was a towering figure, embodying the roaring power of thunder and the fierce flash of lightning.

Perun was also the god of warriors and of war. He is often depicted wearing armor and preparing to go to war. Warriors would pray to him for protection.

Perun’s presence is felt in the rumbling of storm clouds and the strike of lightning that splits the sky.

Guardian of Order and Justice

One of Perun’s jobs was to maintain order in the cosmos, wielding authority over the earth, sky, and rain.

In the Creation by Diving myth, Veles needed Perun’s help to create land because Perun had the ability to bring order and structure to chaos.

Symbolism and Worship

The oak tree, revered for its strength and endurance, is sacred to Perun, symbolizing his connection to the World Tree and to the natural world.

While the Slavs did not necessarily build temples, they would gather beneath the canopy of ancient oaks, where they sought favor with the ancestors and with the gods through offerings, song, and rituals.

Perun’s weapon, the mighty ax or hammer, symbolized his warrior aspect, and his ability to bring justice and order to those beneath him, striking down chaos and evil with the force of thunderbolts.

Perun is also symbolized by the element of fire, which often accompanies lightning and thunder. He also favored the iris flower.

Perun’s favorite animal was the eagle, and he would often take this form as he flew through the clouds. It was also said that he had a giant eagle as his familiar.

Perun is often depicted as an eagle, perched in the crown of the world tree.

The Eternal Conflict

Perun is often depicted in a perpetual struggle against Veles, god of the underworld, waters, and trickery. The conflict represents the enternal battle between sky and earth, order and chaos, mirroring the natural cycle of storms that nourish the earth and then recede.

In artistic depictions of this conflict, Perun often takes the form of a giant eagle, while Veles takes the form of a dragon, or giant serpent. In this way, this is conflict is the Slavic equivalent of the the Christian struggle of St. George and the dragon.

Perun’s Family

In the beginning of the creation story, Perun is depicted as having been one of the consorts of the earth goddess Mokosh, who gave birth to two children, Jarilo and Marzanna. The Great Battle was sparked by Perun’s jealousy over realizing Mokosh had also been seeing Veles (Perun’s chief enemy) as her other consort.

Despite this, Perun claimed both Jarilo and Marzanna as his own children, and he made them welcome in the overworld. Jarilo, he treated as his golden child. Marzanna, as a beloved daughter.

Perun’s wife was the warrior rain goddess Dodola. She was sometimes called Perperuna or Perunitsa or Perunka, signifying her relationship with Perun. Theirs was a much more harmonious partnership than the one between Perun and Mokosh had been. Slavic peoples would sing songs and do rain dances to honor and worship both Dodola and Perun in hopes that they would bring rain to their crops during times of drought.

Unlike the gods of the Greek and Egyptian pantheon, who are all blood relatives to each other, the other main gods and goddesses in the Slavic pantheon all emerged at different times from the chaos of the cosmic egg, to represent different ideas or aspects of the natural world.

Svarog emerged to represent fire. Rod emerged to represent family relations. Veles emerged to represent water and the underworld. Mokosh emerged to represent the Earth.

Some of the gods had offspring of their own, but the main Slavic gods are not blood kin to each other the way the Greek and Egyptian gods were.

Perun in the Modern World

Although the ancient Slavic religions have long since blended into other traditions and beliefs, the figure of Perun continues to inspire cultural and literary works, symbolizing the enduring power of nature an the human spirit’s quest for justice and order.

Perun’s tales are but one chapter in the rich tapestry of Slavic mythology. To delve deeper into these ancient stories and explore the legends of gods, heroes, and mythical creatures, please consider joining my free Reader’s Club. Enter your email, and you will receive monthly updates on my writing progress, book reviews, and new entries in my “Slavid Spirits” series. New Reader’s Club members will also receive a free short story as a thank you gift.

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