Parents' Guide to

Wires and Nerve: The Lunar Chronicles Series, Vol. 1

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Tough female droid fuels fun Lunar Chronicles graphic novel.

Book Marissa Meyer Graphic Novel 2017
Wires and Nerve: The Lunar Chronicles Series, Vol. 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

StudiousStudent
StudiousStudent Adult
October 31, 2017
age 13+

Great Addition to the Series

I'm a huge fun of the Lunar Chronicles series, and I was so excited to get this book back in January. I thought it was an excellent book. Definitely a must-buy if you like the Lunar Chronicles. Though beware it does have quite a bit of violence, so that's really the only reason I would recommend it to older kids.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In WIRES AND NERVE, not long after the end of the big Lunar war that brought Queen Selene (Cinder) to the throne, more trouble is afoot. The wolf-human hybrids that evil Queen Levana smuggled onto Earth have gone rogue, living secretly around the globe and killing humans in packs. Cinder feels responsible for getting them back to Luna and rehabilitating them but doesn't know how to do it. Enter her loyal droid Iko. With some martial arts butt-kicking and a tranquilizer gun, she corrals many of the hybrids. But with each covert raid, a few always get away. One escapee in particular, Alpha Steele, proves to be a much bigger threat than all the rest. He insists that Queen Selene can reverse the hybrids' mutations but doesn't want to. And his way to get revenge against her: target all of Selene's friends, starting with Thorne and Cress.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Here's another fun way to enter the sci-fi fairy tale world of the Lunar Chronicles series: through the butt-kicking, fashion-forward adventures of Cinder's best droid-friend, Iko. Her loyalty to her friends and determination to prove everyone wrong about droids -- they don't have to be obedient, docile servants -- pushes Iko to brave new places. Really, rooting for Iko is akin to rooting for feminism. Not many graphic novels head in that direction.

For readers hoping for glimpses of their old friends from the series. don't worry -- they're all in Wires and Nerve, especially Cinder, Thorne, and Cress. Artist Doug Holgate has a lot of characters to juggle and manages to make them all unique and full of personality. In the style of most graphic novels, a big "To Be Continued" is slapped on the end, leaving much unresolved, including a reunion between Cinder and Kai after some buildup. It's a disappointment but also an assurance that Lunar Chronicles fans will be scrambling for Volume 2.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the art in Wires and Nerve. If you've read the other books in the Lunar Chronicles series, were the characters how you pictured them? Was Luna how you pictured it?

  • How is writing for graphic novels different? Do the story and characters feel as complex?

  • Will you keep reading the Lunar Chronicles? Why, or why not?

Book Details

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