With this lovely anthology of stories, Meyer returns to the world of the Lunar Chronicles, filling in the gaps, revealing angst, sweetness and turning point moments in their lives.

The first story, The Keeper, takes place a few months after the supposed death of Cinder where Michelle Benoit is living a peaceful life in France while dealing with her son’s inability to be a good father. When her son’s father, a Lunar doctor that she had a brief fling with comes back in with an urgent request, protect the barely-living Princess Selene until the time comes for her to come out of stasis.

This was a great story that gives voice to one of the strongest woman and pivotal figures that changed history. But what was most poignant was her quiet interactions with Dr. Tanner which are brief interactions but hold so much warmth and angst and love despite all that is unsaid. The other sweet relationship is the utter love that Michelle holds towards Scarlet, she holds so much dedication and pride toward her. It’s a fierce love, an unending love and I can see why they would give up everything for the other as displayed in Scarlet. Michelle is just the best.

This is quickly followed by Glitches which is Cinder’s first week with Linh family and adjusting to her new life and adaptations. It’s sad to see how confused she is, the disconnection she has to her previous life as we all know most of her memories are implemented but that only adds to the sense of being an outsider. Luckily, Peony is a bright spot but to see young Cinder start tinkerinng because she hopes it will prove herself to be useful to the Linh’s. It’s so sad, she’s a child and she wants so much to belong which only takes a somber turn when Garen contracts letmosis.

Up on Luna, Ze’ev is being recruted to the Queen’s Hunt where Meyer excells in depicting the harshness of the soldier and pack heirarchies, the training and the way the thurmaturges mold them in obedient, ruthless wolves which Ze’ev does his best to follow to avoid being controlled and avoid being tampered with more. It was also insightful in showing the big brother instinct Ze’ev displays to Ran while Ran is just angrily resentful and awful in turn. Another sad reveal that Ze’ev closest family member is just a jerk who can’t see that they should stick together instead of letting his bitter ego get in the way.

On the bright spot, I loved Carswell’s Guide to Getting Lucky. I’ve said it once but once more, I really enjoy Carswell with his quick thinking, quick wit, and copious amount of charm. This story displays them all as Carswell’s schemes to gain money and a passing grade to math class to get his apatheic parents off his back about failing and his lack of dedication. It’s amazing how easy he can use people and its here we see that infamous record of him fighting to defend Kate Fallow’s honor. It’s in this instance where Carswell begins to feel the first itches of conscience about how easy it is for him to flirt and use people for his schemes but it’s not a turning point for him. Not yet as we have Cress but it shows the beginnings of this change and the good person he is underneath when he is not thinking about getting rcih and racing Rampions across the solar system.

After Sunshine Passes By: Here, we see Cress going into her satellite for the first time. It’s a short story and a little bit forgettable but Meyer thoughtfully puts across the utter loneliness Cress feels and the hopelessness of the shells which thurmaturges like Sybil Mira take cruel delight in reminding them how they are so unwanted by Lunar society. But it also shows Cress’ dreamy nature as she envisions her work as a way of proving that shells can be useful, that they can contribute and be reintegrated into society. She is so hopeful, she’s 9 and its just sad again to see her devestation to realize she’ll be alone.

The Princess and the Guard: This tells the stories of much we have already heard like Winter saving an abused woman. The kind act inadvertedly prolonging her agony which motivate Winter to stop using her power and succumbing to Lunar sickness. It also shows how Levana scars her in an attempt to motivate her to use her power as a glamour or a means of stopping the knife. It’s powerful to see Levena so infruiriating by Winter’s defiance and the way she holds her head high. The whole arc is amazing as readers glimpse the imaginative and warmhearted Winter seeing her power as a great gift for good before her eyes are opened to the flipside and the fear that weaker servants have for being used and controlled so easily. Her father’s talk about manipulation adding to that poignancy as we know of his own situation with Levana. It’s easy to see where Winter gets her strong morals. But there is a romantic side to it as well as we see the close bond between her and Jacin, their friendship and their fierce devotion as Jacin chooses to stay and protect her as her hallucinations grow worse.

The Little Android: Meyer takes on the Little Mermaid in this sci-fi tale of android becoming an escort-drone to get close to the man she loves. You see, Mech6.0 is one of those few androids that develops personalities so after she forgoes her original programming to save Dantan, the mechanic realizes the flaw and plans to disable her for spare parts. Unwanting to go into the deep darness when there is so much of the world to see, she escapes and sees Cinder for a new body. I love how the personality chip in the new body isn’t quite a match so it causes blinding pain whenever she walks and the body was abandoned because of a fritzed voicebox so she’s mute, just like the original story. Which I should emphasize it’s the original story, it has a sad end but I love seeing Star (her human name) see the world, experience emotions and have that glimpse of love and sacrifice that shows she is just as human as anyone, beyond her supposed faulty programming.

The Mechanic: This may be the shortest story in this anathology but it gives a glimpse of Prince Kai’s POV of he and Cinder’s first meeting. Such flashbacks, I know. I mentioned before how I did not buy the love at first sight thing present in Cinder but seeing Kai’s perspective does give some credence. It’s not love exactly but interest as Cinder’s polite yet no fuss nature is so unlike everyone else in Kai’s life. Also it’s just Kai’s nature to be curious about people, whether they’re elite or common. I love how it comments that Kai knows his title means nothing if he doesn’t put in the work to living up to his birthright. He means to be a worthy emperor which just speaks so much to Kai’s strong sense of character and why I admire him so much.

Something Old, Something New: As one can guess this a wedding story set a year after Gone Rogue, two years after the events of Winter. Scarlet and Wolf finally get to tie the knot but the media fervor around the first Lunar-Earthen marriage has turned this into a symbolic spectacle that Scarlet hates to entertain. So heartwarmingly, Wolf and the others plan a surprise private ceromony just for them. It’s a lovely full circle moment with everyone together and happy in their new lives, while commemorating Michelle and Cinder getting to show Kai where she was kept. Which brings me to the sweetest wedding speech as Kai officiates that you just have to read: “Of course, we know that the world sees this wedding as a historical event. The first recorded marriage union between a Lunar and an Earthen since the second era. . . Or, maybe. . . this relationship has absolutely nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with our shared human need to find someone who will care for us as much as we care for them. To find a partner who complements us and teaches us. Who makes us stronger. Who makes us want to be our best possible self. . .

But it seems clear that Ze’ev and Scarlet have created their own definition for the word and their relationship has given this word a new meaning for all of us. Being an Alpha means that you’ll stand against all adversity to be with your mate. It means accepting each other, both for your strengths and your flaws. It means forging your own path to happiness and to love.”

It’s all romantic and heartwarming and just a perfect end. Or as they say, it ends on a happily ever after.