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Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)

Marissa Meyer

Start date: January 15, 2021

Finish date: February 13, 2021

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What Members Thought

Feb 28, 2012 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tale-re-telling, ebook, ya-dystopian-apocalyptic, ya-science-fiction, ebook-p, ebook-m, 2012

The idea of a Sci-Fi Cinderella tale enchanted me from the get go. The reviews came pouring in and everyone loved it! More importantly the Goodreads friends reviews’ I trust praised the book. Then the series kept getting more and more love as each new title released. It was more a poor choice to not purchase the series, that led me to keep putting it off. (That and my fuddy reading year.) So after the first few sentences I was in love.

There's enough twists and flavors of Cinderella to appease m The idea of a Sci-Fi Cinderella tale enchanted me from the get go. The reviews came pouring in and everyone loved it! More importantly the Goodreads friends reviews’ I trust praised the book. Then the series kept getting more and more love as each new title released. It was more a poor choice to not purchase the series, that led me to keep putting it off. (That and my fuddy reading year.) So after the first few sentences I was in love.

There's enough twists and flavors of Cinderella to appease my fairytale remake-loving-soul, while having plenty of originality. You know this really doesn't feel like a “dystopian” this is a futuristic sci-fi. And I'm thankful for that. There's been two more World Wars, people live on the moon called Lunars, humans on earth are facing a mysterious plague with no cure that has devastated the population, and the aforementioned Lunars may attack the earth because of they're evil queen. What I love the most is that on top of all that is tons of political intrigue! Not to mention the mystery of the lost/dead heir of the moon, THE Queen Levana may actually have a cure only if her terms are met, the threat of world domination, and such!

Prince Kai is a heartthrob (even reminds me of the Disney Cinderella's warm personality) and Meyer tries to genuinely build emotions up and make them fall in love. Linh Cinder (AKA Cinderella, best re-name ever!) happens to be a cyborg! Come on the cover tipped you off. Cinder also happens to have a fun side kick Iko, which is probably the best robot in sci-fi ever! Sadly robots and cyborgs are not considered people and it adds a very gritty feel to the world. The story takes place in New Beijing and I love the Asian influences to the story. Every new aspect of the book had me frantically turning the pages for more! More-more-more!

That being said there were some huge gaps in the world building. The smallest gripe is that there is never a true description of the characters. A few hair colors are tossed out, but nothing. Though some of the Lunar guards did get pretty good descriptions and another girl who I think will pop up later. To me I want a complete image of the characters in my mind: how they look, personality, emotions, and all the real stuff. So it left me continuously thinking that both Kai and Cinder were Asian. At one point Cinder does hint that all the nationalities are one, lands have mixed and mingled. Which is awesome. There are hints of kimonos, chopsticks, and stuff. But then there are ball gowns . . . and other stuff. The concept that the home nation still has influences over a mixed society and they've all blended together is—not actually established. My mind kept trying to fill in the blanks.

Also! How did, and when, was the moon made livable. Are the people definitely from earth but because they live on the moon they evolved into “magical” beings. Also, if Cinder can blend into other “countries” if she were to leave new Beijing is the rest of the world just a blend of nationalities. What were the other two World Wars about? Again basic world building stuff. I need more. I want the world to be so well developed that I can completely believe it.

My last issues are about the treatment of Cyborgs. There's a lottery going on that “randomly” picks Cyborgs to be tested for a cure for the plague, because they're not really people. They're property and other people can actually own them. At one point it's even revealed that a worker had to get some cyborg parts after an accident. Which led me to wonder about Vets who might have to have cyborg parts after injuries. Yes, the world has been at peace for well over 100 years. But there are soldiers and “peace times” do not guarantee no conflicts. So does that mean the people who are protecting citizens become loathly creates in the eyes of the very people they're protecting? Even more is that Cinder is cyborg and some scary, down right chilling, things happen to her because of it. Then after a little time and shorter conversation it's all swept under the rug. Even after the big reveal brings to light that the cyborg girls that seemed to keep getting picked in the lottery where indeed not “randomly” being picked. It also bothered me that at no moment was human rights/civil rights or any struggles that humanity has made in the past for equality was never discussed or brought up. No factions that want to help the minority.

That's the problem. Cinder has some amazing ideas here. Meyer is stepping up the game with world wide (and moon) politics and grander story telling outside of the basic fairytale. The follow through should have been solid. Now that I know that the next book also continues Cinder's tale I feel even more about the world and Cinder's story being more developed. More details should have been added to Cinder. Maybe I'm just spoiled, and I'm sure a lot of readers are going to say I'm picky. But when you present something this good I want it to go all the way!

Those frustrations aside, I can't deny that I do love the world Meyer has created—world building holes and all. The characters are all compelling, which is why I want to be able to picture them!! No I mean it. Cinder left me frantic to find out what would happen next, how much would follow the classic tale and the threat of none fairy tale like events. Cinder pulls off some dark elements and I really appreciate it. So far my favorite retellings have always had some grit and not always happy things to reimagine a new kind of magic. It will be said any talk of magic in Cinder is actually science. This is a sci-fi book and I like that even while the Lunars may seem to have magic like powers it's still based in science. In the end Cinder is one of the best genre fusions and reimagining of a fairy tale . . . in quite a while. In the end this quote here should tempt you:

“She was a cyborg, and she would never go to the ball.”

Words I've always dreamed of seeing strung together in one sentence.

Sexual Content: There is some mild fantasies and mild sexual humor in general.

3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.

Originally reviewed at Book Whispers. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 15, 2013 Colleen Scidmore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-on-google-drive, part-of-a-series, fantasy, dystopia, young-adult, notebook, books-to-sell-1

I give Cinder a 4.5. It was really a very good book, easy to read and a different take on a futuristic Cinderella story. I would have given it a 5 except that I have to admit it was easy to figure out the twists.
I was pleasantly surprised to read Cinder. I had no idea I would like this book as much as I did, as I am not a big Sci-Fi reader. I loved how the author added certain familiar parts to Cinderella and then very much made it it's own story. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 13, 2013 Joyce rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: retellings, rereads, books-read, fantasy, books-i-own, dystopian, science-fiction, young-adult, audiobook

Reread in Sep.2020
I read the first one a while back and like the dumbass I am, I never continued on. So here I am now rereading it, because I want to continue on and sadly I don’t remember much of it. I do remember really enjoying it and I still stand upon that statement. I forgot how original and creative this fairytale retelling is. Cinder is an awesome character. I love how determined and head strong she is. Such a unique character. Also, I forgot how much I love Kai. The sci-fi elements were ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2012 Diana S rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books, read-in-2014, 5000-2019, read-2019, ya-fantasy

Wow! What a clever re-telling of Cinderella. In this version, our heroine is known as Lihn Cinder. A smart, fiesty, independent, mechanic in "New" Beijing. Cinder is also a Cyborg, a type of futuristic Bionic woman (part machine, part human). Of course, you still have the evil stepmother and sisters, the prince, the shoe, etc... I loved all the twists and turns in this novel, especially with the plague, the war, the Lunar (Moon) Empire with its evil Queen. A really good read! :D

Review for May 10 ...more

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May 26, 2015 Xee rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book left me pleasantly surprised. For all the series hype on booktube, I expected to be disappointed. Not only was I not, infact I went out to buy the second book(breaking my book buying ban). Why cant booktube hyped YA books all be this refreshing..

So the retelling is of Cinderella as a cyborg in a dystopia/sci-fi? world, where she is an adopted orphan and works as a mechanic to support her family. The pacing, I had heard was slow, but personally it didn't feel that way. Considering I had ...more

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Nov 13, 2016 charlene ✿ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, ebook, 3-stars

3 stars
★★★

Lunar Chronicles
✿ Cinder ★★★
✿ Scarlet ★★★
✿ Cress ★★★
✿ Winter ★★★

Blog ✿ Goodreads ✿ Twitter ✿ Instagram ...more

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Oct 11, 2015 Kimi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, 5-stars, favorites

Reread July 2020 for A Coven of Readers BOTM
Rated: 4.5 STARS

I still love this series and I gave it half a star short because I'm rating my books a little tougher. My first time reading the series I was absolutely in love with it. I think my second reread it feels a little insta love which I feel isn't realistic. Overall, amazing story for those who love re-tellings with a twist.

First time reading Rated 5 STARS ...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Suzanne rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: library-overdrive-audiobook, rrrc-2012-books-read-challenge, september-2012-rrrc-pick-it-for-me, read-in-2012, bookworm-bitches-catch-up-challenge, goodreads-choice-award-2012, top-10-ya-sci-fi-books-2017, bookriot-100-must-read-ya-scifi-bo, may-2018-rrrc-pick-it-for-me

I'm not sure where this book fell short with me. The story was an interesting idea, the world was neat, but the execution of it all just fell really flat and I couldn't get into it. I may try to read the next one and give this author another chance. It's her first book so maybe 2nd time's the charm? ...more

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