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Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

by Marissa Meyer (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 44,972 ratings · 7,722 reviews

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsis...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 387 pages

Published January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

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2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

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Apr 17, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sailor Moon fans and people who love fairy tale retellings

Recommended to Steph by: A wonderful blogger-- I love you forever!

Shelves: sci-fi, netgalley, ebook, fairy-tales, young-adult, e-arc, macmillan, 2012-release, all-time-favorites, 2-am-or-later, 2012-reads, 2012-favs, action-packed, ass-kickin-heroine, alternating-povs, awesome, best-characters, best-relationships, deserves-every-one-of-those-stars, fantasy, i-loved-it, i-need-the-next-book-like-yesterday, i-need-to-buy-this-book, i-totally-saw-that-coming, oh-yeah-baby, original-and-creative, omg-that-ending, pretty-covers, pure-win, smart-heroine, strong-heroine, surprised-me, i-own-it

Why?

WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK SOONER?!

It was so AWESOME!

MY EMOTIONS!!

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

Let me go ahead and get this out of the way. I loved this book. Why in the world did I procrastinate with reading it? I've had Cinder sitting on my Kindle for a few months now and I continued to put it off over and over again. What a HUGE mistake! I even had the nerve to go into my local bookstore twice, pick Cinder up, and put it right back down. But all that doesn't really matter now because I've remedied the problem and...more

205 likes · like · see review

Nov 25, 2011 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fairy-tales, series-dropped-lost-steam, sci-fi, ya, b, ala-ya-2013

As seen on The Readventurer

Let me first give credit where credit is due. A cyborg Cinderella? Wow! It's a bold premise. I applaud Marissa Meyer for thinking this up.

In this re-envisioning of the fairy tale, Lihn Cinder is a cyborg, meaning, she is almost half mechanical - she has prosthetic hands and a foot, a big chunk of her internal organs are wired into her body. Cinder is a mechanic in New Beijing, the capital of the Eastern Commonwealth, a country ravaged by plague outbreaks. One day, the...more

192 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2013 ◕ ◡ ◕ Arooj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covers-to-die-for, own, favorites, books-i-fell-hard-for, have-re-read, kickass-protagonists

Review after re-re-reading from Feb 27th to March 1st 2013:

Read it again for the third time! What can I say, I just love this book. So much that I want to marry it. Seriously. I love Cinder. And Iko. And Kai. And I really want to bitch slap Adri and Queen Levana. I swear, every time I read this book, they seem to get bitchier and bitchier.

I am now ready to start Scarlet! OHMAGERD I'M SO EFFIN' EXCITED XD.

Review after re-reading from Oct 3rd to 4th 2012:

Oh my stars. I didn't think it was possible...more

82 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2012 Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-teen, ya-space-quest-o-mine, wd-and-me, swords-and-lasers, readalong, read-on-kindle, read-in-2012, i-want-to-go-to-there, wishlist-for-books-to-keep

*I know this sounds ridiculous. The whole point of the book is to create a futuristic cyborg Cinderella, right? Meyer is a wonderful writer. Her writing is engrossing and I was engaged throughout the entire book. But it really takes a certain amount of the fun out of a story when a reader already knows a lot of where the story is going. Cyborgs are relatively novel in the YA world. Books set in Asia are relatively novel in the YA world. I still really enjoyed the book the way it was but I think...more

110 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who wants to read a sprawling saga about fairy tales intertwined with "dystopian charm"

Shelves: dystopian-worlds-hells-and-cesspits, 2011-reads, left-me-feeling-drained, left-me-feeling-conflicted, left-me-with-mixed-feelings, could-have-been-better, out-of-the-box-ideas, retellings, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, should-have-loved-it-but-didn-t, reviewed, 2013-reads

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

There has been much buzz surrounding Marissa Meyer's debut novel, Cinder, over the months leading up to its publication. How could there not be? The main hook is Cinderella as a cyborg. Even without reading the synopsis, many people would likely snap to attention at the mention of such an idea, and I was no exception to to the allure of what this book might entail.

In the end, my curiosity felt only half-rewarded. Cinder was an enjoyable read with good (and some really u...more

47 likes · like · see review

Feb 08, 2012 Brandi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: terrible

Super heavy sigh 1.5 stars is more of what I felt for this (actually as time passes I dislike this more and more).

There might be some spoiler-ish information through here, so don't read the tags if you don't want to know, but I will do my best to not spoil it outside of the tags.

I'm in the minority when it comes to the lack of adoration towards this book, and I just don't get it. There were so many things that annoyed me that I couldn't really focus on the story.

Cinder is a cyborg version of Ci...more Super heavy sigh 1.5 stars is more of what I felt for this (actually as time passes I dislike this more and more).

There might be some spoiler-ish information through here, so don't read the tags if you don't want to know, but I will do my best to not spoil it outside of the tags.

I'm in the minority when it comes to the lack of adoration towards this book, and I just don't get it. There were so many things that annoyed me that I couldn't really focus on the story.

Cinder is a cyborg version of Cinderella. Awesome idea, and I have to give the author credit for putting a new spin on an old story, but I just couldn't get invested in Cinder no matter how much I tried to make myself. She was almost tstl for me.

(view spoiler)[Now I'm just going to dump as much of my irritation off into here as I can remember. You guys are so lucky, lol.

So she gets told that the disease can be transmitted on clothes and that it takes an hour or more for it to die. Then tell me why she leaves Peony and goes right to the prince?! She does this shit twice! She gives that boy the antidote without any thought of the repercussions, and I'm not saying he shouldn't have lived, but come on! This chick never thinks!!!!! Like she finds that old car and is determined to fix it but it has no headlights, and the only reason I even mention that is when she points out how she was thankful for the lights from the houses on the way to the palace. Then she crashes...because she can't see. How the hell are you going to get to wherever you are going without being able to see at night? Only travel during the day? Ok fine, but I don't see her doing that since she points out that she will be a fugitive (at least that is what I gathered from her thoughts). Also, how are the roads?!?! Really. If that car is SO old, and the main mode of travel is hovercrafts, than how does she expect to get to Europe and be able to find gas? How far away is Europe from the Commonwealth anyway? I took it to mean that boundaries were changed after WW4 so for all I know the "new"(?) Europe isn't that far. Would it have been too much to ask for some explanations in this book? What the hell does the T.E. stand for?! What in the name of God happened to make the Lunars hate the Earthens? By the way, I liked that name, lol. We get told that they had been people but were no longer, and yet they have the exact looks of humans. The only thing they seem to do is make their appearance better with their energy manipulations. So how is it that they aren't humans but still look, act, and think the way humans do? I just didn't get that. I thought maybe they would have green skin or something, haha. Oh man, there's more but I'm losing my train of thought. How about her wearing Peony's dress, and not even needing to take a moment to be sad about it? She was also GLAD to see the wrinkles, and grease, on the dress and gloves! Then she was totally fine with showing up looking like a damned drowned rat to the EMPERORS effin ball! I would have understood being wet...to a point...but she was knowingly wearing stained clothes to the ball, and just didn't care.

I also got incredibly annoyed with how many times I noticed inconsistencies. For example, Cinder refers to her arms typically in that only one can feel, and then a little bit later she makes a remark about BOTH feeling. She has a computer brain, but her eyes are hers? How did the lights from her scans show up in them? How was she able to remain with her human emotions with a computer for a brain? How did she have dreams anyway? Especially since we all knew that they were dreams of her being burned courtesy of how often she mentioned it (was it supposed to be that obvious, lol. I hope so).

The part when the Emprorer died Kai says he ran all the way there and had to stop to catch his breath, but I have no idea how far he ran. I even left myself a note that said--well how fucking far did he go?!--I get very frustrated with loose books. I want to KNOW damnit, and even more so when the floor number of his room is provided.

Kai was very immature for someone who would have been groomed his entire life for his role. I'm fine with his going to the market in secret, and even flirting with Cinder, but when he can't even show up to a meeting with world leaders I get annoyed. I kept thinking of Prince William funny enough, and how he would never do that, haha. True story. And WHY was he telling Cinder about war plans and such?! Really.

I get that Iko was supposed to be the funny sidekick, and she kind of was for me, but even she fell flat. I was picturing her as a blue robot, but at one point it says she's white. Minor detail I know, but that whole aspect annoyed me. Wow, not much seems like it didn't annoy me eh? haha!

The last thing I will harp on is the whole cyborgs are less than second class citizens. They are told how they aren't human. They are walking investments! More of whom were mainly human from what I could tell. Even Cinder with her electronic brain was the picture of what a human is. She felt all the emotions that humans feel she just couldn't cry or blush. I want to know why they were treated like that. Oh my word, I just checked the notes I made on my Kindle, and I have some 19 notes, and 11 pages of highlights. Almost all of them are the times I caught some inconsistency. Like the guy telling Kai that the Lunars had that army, and following it up with saying they would attack within six months? How did he pick that time frame when they just saw the army? Bah. It was all just too loose. (hide spoiler)]

And well I guess that's about it for me, haha!! I did not realize I would spend the whole review just ranting, but that's how I felt reading this. Just...wait for it...annoyed. Haha.
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33 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2012 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book-kindle, arc-egalley, read-2011, young-adult, sci-fi, saw-it-coming

3.5 stars

I’d venture to say that the version of Cinderella most people of my generation (or thereabouts) were introduced to was Disney’s blonde, blue-dress-wearing wearing, rags-to-riches interpretation. I know that for most of my childhood I associated the name with animated mice, glass slippers and that ‘Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo’ song. (view spoiler)

But Cinderella’s roots lie centuries deeper, and forklore the world over is rich with var...more

61 likes · like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, fairy-tales

When I see retellings of childhood classics I'm automatically a little wary. Can they really live up to a classic? Can they really bring something to the table that hasn't been tried by dozens before? Somehow, someway, Marissa Meyer thought up of a genuinely creative re-imagining of one of the most popular classics--Cinderella. Set in the future, Cinder is now a cyborg--how's that for unique? She's made up of wires and metal--a common way to "fix" humans in this engaging future world. Although s...more When I see retellings of childhood classics I'm automatically a little wary. Can they really live up to a classic? Can they really bring something to the table that hasn't been tried by dozens before? Somehow, someway, Marissa Meyer thought up of a genuinely creative re-imagining of one of the most popular classics--Cinderella. Set in the future, Cinder is now a cyborg--how's that for unique? She's made up of wires and metal--a common way to "fix" humans in this engaging future world. Although she has been bought and is basically no better than a slave to a nasty woman, Cinder is brilliant at what she does. She's smart and resourceful; a true modern day Cinderella cyborg!

Rather than a glass slipper, we have a poorly fitted foot--an android foot. In this very distant future, androids and humans roam the earth where the plague is a thing to fear in every day life. The world building in this book is fantastic. It's unimaginably creative with a way of telling that completely grips you and never lets go. The Lunars and the abilities they possess, along with the fear of death at every corner, is perfectly mixed in with classic elements of Cinderella. It's ingenious. I have never been as satisfied with a fairy tale retelling as I am with Cinder. The characters are witty and fresh, with a love story that has it all: a swoon-worthy prince, a charming personality, great chemistry--a true fairy tale romance.

Even though it's essentially a retelling, the originality in this novel is outstanding. From the futuristic concepts to the interesting turns to the plot, we have a whole new enchanting world to get introduced to. While there are new spins added to the story, these are not especially unpredictable. From the very start it's obvious what the big twist is going to be. However, it's obvious in a way that makes me think this was the author's intention. As if she wants the reader to know what Cinder does not, making us feel wistful; if only everyone knew, things would be so different for her.

This review feels short, but honestly I don't feel there is more to say. The book is a very quick read with already so many reviews out there that I'm not bringing anything new to the table. Clearly, I'm late in this game, but I'm glad I finally bit the bullet and read this delightful novel as it is just that: delightful!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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28 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Colleen Houck added it

Love love loved this book. It's like 7 of 9 meets Cinderella. Only problem is that I wanted to keep reading after it was over. Love Cinder and Kai reminds me of Ren. Technology so creative! Can't wait to get my hands on the next book!

31 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 The Holy Terror rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, asian-characters, borrowed, asia, fairy-tales, favorite-books, 2012, buy-hard-copy, favorite-boys, favorite-girls, retellings, closeouts

I didn't really want to write a review for this one, because there are plenty of other reviews that are pretty much what I would say as well, BUT, I loved this book a lot.

I suggest you read the free prequel, which is actually really good! I think it's best to read it after you've read maybe a chapter or two of Cinder first, so you can get an idea of who's who - that's what I did, although I hadn't planned it that way.

This book is a retelling of Cinderella, which is easy to see, and there is a tw...more

51 likes · like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fairy-tale addicts

Shelves: ya-is-dead, fat-kitty-judges-you, science-and-space-and-crap, d-oh, tails-of-faries, dat-cover-goddammit, yep-it-was-the-cover, reviewed-2012, a-bit-of-mush, excitement, i-am-disappoint, post-apocalyptic, could-have-been-sooo-much-better, great-concept, watch-your-step-cliffs-ahead

Cyborgs!!!! *squeeaaaal*

Androids!!!! *squeeaaaal*

New Beijing!!!! *squeeaaaal*

Cinderella!!!!! *sque—uhm, I’m more of a Beauty and the Beast girl. But not bad.

Cinder was one helluva ride for me. Saying that it was a special one is an understatement. Why I call it special? Because of the ups and downs it had. If you read my Kindle notes for this review you’d thing I’m suffering of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder).

What do you think doctor House? Am I sick? Can it be treated??

Yes???

This book...more

105 likes · like · see review

Jul 28, 2011 Minli rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, speculative

Okay, so, Cinder is full of so many awesome ideas. I say, cyborg Cinderella, you say, hell yea?

The geographic landscape in the indeterminate future is thus: conglomerated continents are the new countries, with the "other" as the strangely mystical humanoid society called the Lunars inhabiting the moon. On earth, Linh Cinder lives in New Beijing, works as a mechanic in a marketplace stall, and deals with her stepmother's daily crap. However, aside from the stepmother and the presence of a ball,...more Okay, so, Cinder is full of so many awesome ideas. I say, cyborg Cinderella, you say, hell yea?

The geographic landscape in the indeterminate future is thus: conglomerated continents are the new countries, with the "other" as the strangely mystical humanoid society called the Lunars inhabiting the moon. On earth, Linh Cinder lives in New Beijing, works as a mechanic in a marketplace stall, and deals with her stepmother's daily crap. However, aside from the stepmother and the presence of a ball, Cinder is actually only a loose retelling of Cinderella, and those parts were the least interesting. When Cinder's stepsister Peony falls victim to a pandemic called leutomosis that has inflicted millions in the Eastern Commonwealth, her stepmother trades Cinder in for research. Cinder is oddly immune to leutomosis. Is it because she has mechanical parts, or is it something else?

Cinder then stumbles into much more than she ever would have known had she stayed in her market stall. There's a lot of good stuff going on--biological warfare, a frightening Lunar queen who can manipulate the emotions of anyone in her presence, a lost princess, political intrigue, and yes, a certain prince.

I don't come across many sci-fi fairytale retellings, and it guts me that I only like the book and don't love it. Cinder is a wonderful protagonist and her compassion, resourcefulness and insistence on the fact that yes, by god, she IS human, is just brilliant. But I wished there was more contrast--how are cyborgs really treated? Cinder does face some prejudice but not nearly as much as we were told (vs. shown).

I think my main issue with Cinder is that, while the setting is amazing when described, the world the story is set in never crystallizes. I was so excited to hear "New Beijing," but aside from a few mentions of market stalls, dumplings, and Chinese honorifics, it didn't have any of the indicators of current Beijing. Where are the complicated kinship dynamics? Did they ever figure out population control and social security in this future version of China? Now that an emperor is once again at this nation's head, what does that mean to socialism and democracy and human rights? Or even cyborg rights? Basically, it felt like New Beijing could have been anywhere--could have been in Europe or North America or any first-nation country, with some Eastern flavour at the edges.

The sci-fi/alien part of Meyer's worldbuilding is stronger, however, though with any good sci-fi I itch for either a) an explanation, regardless of how brief, for how these races or technologies developed, or b) an extensive illustration of how life is different with these technologies. I feel like I didn't get enough of that. I would have been happy to read more about how androids are integrated in everyday life, how people obtain their news on networks displayed in their retina (I think?) and so on.

It's quite possible that I'm overthinking all this, but I judge books as equal and not separated by age group or audience. You'll never hear me say, "this was good YA sci-fi book" as opposed to "this was a good sci-fi book," where "YA" becomes the qualifier or the diminutive. It's true that other readers might be satisfied by the level of depth Meyer portrays in her world and move onto the royal aspect of the story (btw, Prince Kai is noble and sweet, and there are some very pleasant tingly moments, but d'aww, he isn't Eldric from Chime). I wanted it to be a world I could sink into, and I refuse to believe that that level of worldbuilding doesn't exist in YA fiction. Hence, I'm harder on this book than I probably ought to be.

With that said, I kept turning these pages and wanted to know what happened--even if I had guessed the twist a third of the way through the book--it was extremely readable and I read it all in one go.

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37 likes · like · see review

Oct 08, 2012 Kira rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, dystopian, cat-scratch-series, lolwut, lost-the-will-to-live, made-no-sense, will-read-the-next-one

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book can kiss my ass.

description

Harsh? Perhaps.

True? Of course.

You remember Grade 11 math class, where the teacher - this sadist with a washable marker - would tangent off on some huge equation which takes up half of the board, expecting you to follow along while you were in fact lost after the first round of fraction division? I do. I remember sitting at my desk feeling like a fucking idiot while everyone else was scribbling notes and I'd long since given up trying. It was no use. I'm a writer, not...more

40 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2013 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dystopian, fairy tale and sci-fi Fans...

Shelves: dystopian

I read so many reviews and recommendations and I finally decided to read this book...

THANK YOU FOR RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK

Cinder is a cyborg. It says everything, right?! Can a female protagonist be even better? No!
She is a strong-willed, relieable and independant character. But there is even more about her that made me love her so much. She knows how to fix androids and other technical things. She is a very gifted mechanic. A girl? Mechanic?

I love Cinder!
Finally something new and interesting!
Ho...more

18 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2012 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers who can bear unbelievable cliffhanger

Recommended to Erika by: My curiosity

Shelves: young-adult, romance, fairy-tales-retelling, science-fiction

Sometimes in your life, you find books that change you... Wait. Did it sound too dramatic? Oh fine. Sometimes in your life, you find books that change your reading life. Some of them affect you in a good way, while some left you with a bad mood. Well, we know bad mood is not the worst case you can get. When you read a book which you have high expectations for but as the story goes, things go south, dreams are shattered, and you can do nothing about it. It can left you with a broken heart, frustr...more

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May 16, 2012 Jeann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, favourite-books, fairy-tales-retold, 5-star

I started reading Cinder with the expectation that it was going to be pretty much a straight retelling of Cinderella but with the whole Cyborg twist to it. I was surprised to find however, that it is basically a story on it's own with the fairytale inspirations sprinkled throughout it. Fair enough, there's an Asian Prince, a ball, an evil stepmother, but there's also the New Beijing setting! An evil Lunar Queen! Prince Kai! And there's also Cinder, who is just so charming, witty, kind, and head-...more I started reading Cinder with the expectation that it was going to be pretty much a straight retelling of Cinderella but with the whole Cyborg twist to it. I was surprised to find however, that it is basically a story on it's own with the fairytale inspirations sprinkled throughout it. Fair enough, there's an Asian Prince, a ball, an evil stepmother, but there's also the New Beijing setting! An evil Lunar Queen! Prince Kai! And there's also Cinder, who is just so charming, witty, kind, and head-strong.

The characters within this book are so incredibly charming that you can't help but love them. Iko is a stand out for me, she's a cute little robot that believes she's a human. Prince Kai is persistent, honest, caring, and handsome. The evil stepmother and step sister played their parts well, but did not grate so much as the evil Lunar Queen.

Surprisingly, it's not all these things that automatically led to the 5 star rating for me. It was the sudden moment when I realised that the book featured a heavy similarity to my favourite childhood cartoon - Sailor Moon! You've got the evil queen who wants the prince for himself, the Neo Tokyo setting, the headstrong but lovable main character, and even the palace politics. From reading other reviews, it appears that Marissa Meyer is a huge Sailor Moon fan and that is absolutely awesome!

Despite all of that, there are a few downfalls to this book. Firstly, the predictable storyline kind of ruins any sort of major reveal later on. Being inspired by fairy tales sort of chains you in a certain corner, where certain things need to happen in the book. There's also an incredible lack of world building, considering the amazing world that Marissa has created. I did find that there were a few details missing, which I'm glad the free prequel has filled in for me.

These however, won't decrease my love of the book. I'm just left with such a feeling of warmth upon finishing it. It's such a charming little tale, with so much love put into it. I definitely recommend it for anyone who loves a good read.

Check out my blog here for more reviews!(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2012 Dija rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: jan-2012, meh, ya, uf-or-pnr, could-have-been-sooo-much-better, waste-of-anticipation-energy, read-in-2012, my-reviews, first-in-series

Cinder begins with a cyborg mechanic sitting around in her shop as usual, when suddenly, His Royal Highness Prince Kai walks in with his mysteriously broken android, which he wants Cinder to fix. A lot of mumbling and blushing on Cinder's part ensues and the prince leaves thoroughly enchanted with her ~~speaking abilities~~ charming personality.

Unfortunately, that none-too-impressive beginning only leads to more of the same, starting with the dull narration. There's something entirely passive about...more

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 24, 2013 Kristalia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: me-likey-mucho, reviewed, young-adult

Final rating: ★★★★/★★★★★

description

Considering the fact that Cinder is a retelling of Cinderella in dystopia, it was actually more than i expected. And it's also one of the rare dystopias where the setting is not in America, but in Asia, and in New Beijing, where whole Asia united into a Empire called Commonwhealth. The other continents did as well, though only the CW was empire. This i liked, but i also loved the idea that the moon got the name "Luna" and that the people there, Lunar, were not quite right...more

15 likes · like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Lisa Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-library-sj-dead-tree-version, genre-dystopians, genre-ya-young-adult, genre-sci-fi, bom-nbrc, challenge-disney-princess-reading, 2012-in-2012-group-challenge, reviewed-by-me, authors-m

Hyperlink to the YouTube

Italian book trailer for Cinder.

description

★★★★½ I just loved this one! So clever, to take a well-known fairy tale and add a fabulous storyline twist: Cinder is a cyborg – for her that means she’s 36.28% not human. For me, she was 100% all human!

I LOVED that she took her foot off at the beginning of the book and is searching for a new one that is just the right fit. Too clever and too funny! The evil step-mother, the two step-sisters who are indulged while she is denied and ove...more

22 likes · like · see review

Jan 05, 2012 Katya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arc-galley, debut, fairy-tales, fantasy, favorites, i-wanna-write-like-that, kick-arse-heroines, kudos-for-the-worldbuilding, sci-fi, super-awesome, teen-lit, warm-cuddlies, worth-the-hype, the-ya-project

Also found here: http://theninjareader.tumblr.com/post...

Linh Cinder is a cyborg - part girl, part machine. Her unique make-up, combined with her adoptive father's inventions in cybernetics, allowed her to become the best mechanic in New Beijing at the tender age of sixteen. Her talents become so widely known that one day the crown prince himself brings an android for her to fix, and while he tries to make light of the subject, it's apparent that it's a very serious matter.

Unfortunately, Cinde...more

22 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2012 Lissa added it

Shelves: 2012, kick-ass-heroine, love-this-boy

Also appears on Lissa Reads.

I was looking forward to reading this book, but it’s even better than the blurb makes it sound. It’s better than I expected it to be.

I don’t normally like retellings, because most of them aren’t very original. How can you be original, when you’re basically re-working someone else’s work and passing it off as your own? (*cough*fanfiction*cough*) (I don’t actually have a problem with fanfiction, only fanfiction that then gets published and tries to pass itself off as or...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2011 Natalie Garside rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: epic-romance-adventure-with-laughs

I got my hands on a fabulous ARC of this title and read my heart out. I'll keep this spoiler free since it releases in January 2012 :)

Cinder is Book 1 in the Lunar Chronicles Series (4 books total) that combine classic fairytales with futuristic sci-fi, plus generous dollops of adventure, romance and some totally delicious snarky dialogue!

Cinder features Cinderella as a cyborg, a gift mechanic with the requisite wicked stepmother living in the distant future, dreaming of real freedom and finding...more

26 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2012 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult, steampunk, keeper, fantasy

Set in a world were androids and humans walk side by side in the city of New Beijing, a deadly plague looms over the city, with death just around the corner. A young mechanic- Cinder lives with her “wicked” stepmother, and being a cyborg is made more of a second-class citizen. But when her path crosses with Prince Kai and her sister falls ill to the plague, Cinder’s life and past start to intertwine with the future of those of the city and even the worlds.

Marissa Meyer creates a truly engrossi...more Set in a world were androids and humans walk side by side in the city of New Beijing, a deadly plague looms over the city, with death just around the corner. A young mechanic- Cinder lives with her “wicked” stepmother, and being a cyborg is made more of a second-class citizen. But when her path crosses with Prince Kai and her sister falls ill to the plague, Cinder’s life and past start to intertwine with the future of those of the city and even the worlds.

Marissa Meyer creates a truly engrossing take on a this fairytale retelling with technology not being the great end’s all, with good and bad and the effects it has on the everyday person. She also created a the servant class that Cinder belongs to as androids and cyborgs- people who live as second class citizens because of their machine parts. It hurt to see but made the story much richer because of the fences and walls Cinder must climb over and breakthrough. Cinder is a beautiful character with a lot of heart even when treated less then a person, a human being, and to come out without being bitter or hardhearted is amazing on it’s own. There are clues to Cinder’s past that doesn’t come as great surprise but it’s still engaging.
As the story follows Cinder’s it also expands to the world,( that I did smile as the author gave a small nod to her old Sailor Moon fandom) the fear of this sudden plague attacking randomly, the threat of war from the Lunars- those who live on the moon and who have the power to control the emotions and thoughts- creating a multiple layers with a world that can expand.

The characters have many dimensions to Cinder’s wicked stepmother, to the kind and gentle sister Peony and even an adorable android. The Ruler of New Beijing has fallen, and the weight of the world falls on the shoulders of the kind Prince Kai. He’s not some alpha male, but has doubts about himself and trouble coming to terms of being the new ruler after his father’s passing. Kai was amazing because he came off a true person. One who loves and cares deeply, but has to hide this as the Lunar queen has her eye on him, and war on her mind. Kai and Cinder’s budding relationship is blooming in this book- I look forward to seeing what Meyer has in future for these two.
Iko has to be my favorite character, the adorable android whose Cinder helper and at times the one who lifts her up. She’s so cute with her actions, wanting to wear shoes and a pretty dress,plus her crush on Prince Kai is awesome! She can be such a fangirl!

While it does take a little time to truly warm up, the easy pace starts to pick up to a jog then a great run to a great ending that does leave you somewhat hanging. I just couldn’t truly fault it as it left an open for the next in the series – that won’t be out till 2013! * SAD * Still an amazing debut for Marissa Meyer I’ll be looking forward to what else she has next for her readers!

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19 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-ebooks, covergasm, creatively-original, all-time-faves, 2012-faves, amazing-authors, dystopian, faves, heroes-i-adore, heroines-i-adore, made-me-smile, my-emotions-i-cannot, books-i-want-to-marry, deserves-the-hype, fairytale-retellings

This review also appears over at my blog.

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This book. Was. A. Fucking. Blast.

I have to praise the book for its originality. I mean, a cyborg Cinderella in a dystopian world? You gotta give Marissa Meyer props for coming up with that. I personally loved the world she built, and I don't usually critique world building because I'm not really pro at it.

This is a Cinderella retelling, a.k.a. a fairy tale retelling, so I expected insta-love, since all the fairy tale ret...more

24 likes · like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Martha added it

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

All you need to know about this book is that Cinderella is a cyborg.

A cyborg.

That is all.

9 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Meg rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-possessed-me-to-read-this, let-downs, yah-this-is-ya

Mixed feelings roil in my gut.

In the process of reading this book, there were times at which I genuinely, honestly felt that this was the worst book I have ever read in my life. And yet there were other points where I was compelled to read on, interested despite myself. So those two stars up there are simply for vague entertainment value, because yes, it was occasionally entertaining. Especially the end. The end was pretty good.

But everything else... ERHMAGHAD.

First of all, New Beijing? The hell...more

16 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Nitzan Schwarz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone :>

Shelves: favorites, 2012-favorites, reviewed-on-blog

You can also read this review and more on my blog Drugs Called Books

Wow. This book was just AMAZING! From the first page to the last, it was gripping, interesting and mind blowing! I know a lot of people who were slightly disappointed, a lot of people who said this book could do without the Cinderella theme and all that, but I thought it perfect!

Before Reading
I admit, at first I was reluctant to read Cinder. I don’t even know why; it’s just that among the many books on my To-Read list, this was...more

10 likes · like · see review

Nov 24, 2012 Vi Vi rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just kind of felt like writing a review for this, because I'm usually lazy when it comes to reviewing, but I do have a few thoughts concerning it. But, it's past midnight and I promised myself I'd find a way to sleep by 1am, so it'll be short and sweet.

You see, I love this book. This book excites me. When I think about its possibilities, when I think about what might be coming in the next installments, I'm excited. Truly excited. That very rarely happens to me.

I think what excites me most abou...more

7 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Archer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, books-that-bleed-awesome, classics, easy-read, fairly-decent-tbh, fantasy, fiction, kindle, not-bad, sci-fi, young-adult, kick-ass-heroine

Well hello once again…

Let me open with a simple wow…

Fucking wow…

I went into Cinder with a touch or trepidation. Why? Because I’m not normally a fan of retelling classic tales. Especially Fairy-tales. It doesn’t need to be done and nine times out of ten it ruins the story… for everyone. So to say I was a little bit unsure of my choice when I loaded this onto my Kindle is a mild understatement.

So knowing that, imagine my surprise when I find this book to be predictable… every revelation that came...more

35 likes · like · see review

Feb 09, 2012 Mimi Valentine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2012, boys-i-wish-were-real, pure-awesomeness, 5-star, reviewed

Anyone can write a re-telling of Cinderella, but only Marissa Meyer can write a fantastic, original, and completely enchanting Cinderella re-telling as amazing as this one!

To say that I loved this book would be an understatement! Cinder dodged every bullet I worried about when I picked it up. Rather than being a simple Cinderella knock-off, Meyer created a story with lovable characters, a captivating world, and a story line that was a blast to follow from beginning to end.

For a cyborg and the...more

22 likes · like · see review

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About Marissa Meyer

I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my fiancé and our two cats. In addition to my slight obsession with books and writing, I'm big on road-tripping, wine-tasting, and hunting for antiques. I'm represented by Jill Grinberg.

CINDER, my debut novel, is a futuristic re-envisioning of Cinderella in which Cinder is a cyborg mechanic. Release date: 3 Jan 2012.

More about Marissa Meyer...

Books by Marissa Meyer

The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)

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Quotes from Cinder

“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.” — 368 people liked it

“I don't know. I don't actually remember anything from before the surgery."

His eyebrows rose, his blue eyes sucking in all the light of the room. "The cybernetic opetation?"

"No, the sex change."

The doctor's smile faltered.

"I'm joking.” — 249 people liked it

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Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

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