After Happily Ever After

Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 by Marissa Meyer

These monsters are after my friends, and I will do anything—absolutely anything—to keep them safe. — Iko

After finishing Winter, I was so excited when Marissa Meyer said that she would be writing this graphic novel as a continuation to The Lunar Chronicles. I am still deeply invested in this series, so I will gladly read anything that will delay the inevitable goodbye.

Even so, I did not give Wires and Nerve five stars just because there was a part of me that recognized the capitalist intention behind its publication. Winter was 824 pages long, and the author released a bonus epilogue in Stars Above to further solidify the happy ending we’d been yearning for. Hence, I felt bummed to read about Cinder and Co. solving another conflict. One would think that they’ve had more than their fair share of political, interplanetary problems.

When I come to think of it, Stars Above should have been published after Wires and Nerve. This might sound confusing, but the events in Wires and Nerve actually happen before the bonus epilogue in Stars Above. In other words, Stars Above is a spoiler to Wires and Nerve. I realized this in Chapter 7, the part where Scarlet and Wolf finally make a “cameo appearance.” Overall, I’m sad that I already have an idea about how the Wires and Nerve series is going to end.

Setting aside the latter issues, I did enjoy this graphic novel. Iko was a cool and badass protagonist, and it was touching to know what she really thought about her comrades. Prejudice against androids was still present her society, so I was also moved by her desire to prove her “humanity” and worth to the people of Earth. As for Iko’s relationship with Liam Kinney, I found it be strange yet intriguing. Does that also make me prejudiced against androids? You tell me. Haha.

I also liked this novel because it gave more depth to Cinder’s character. It was fun to witness her knack for politics, as well as her bravery in the midst of the royals who foolishly treated her with condescension. Even though Cinder wasn’t the star of the show anymore, I loved that she was still given much screen time. The same goes for our beloved Cress and Thorne. They definitely gave the story a touch of sweetness. In the end, Scarlet and Wolf were the true cameos; they only appeared in the last chapter!

Ultimately, Wires and Nerve isn’t an essential addition (or extension) to The Lunar Chronicles. Nevertheless, if you’re a hardcore fan of the series, I won’t dissuade you from reading it.

P.S. I bought the Kindle edition as a compromise. I did not want to pay $22 dollars for a short, capitalist work.