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Cinder
(The Lunar Chronicles #1)
by
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
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsis ...more
Hardcover, First Edition, 390 pages
Published
January 3rd 2012
by Feiwel & Friends
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Start your review of Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)

Oct 22, 2011
Steph Sinclair
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Sailor Moon fans and people who love fairy tale retellings
Recommended to Steph by:
A wonderful blogger-- I love you forever!
Why?
WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK SOONER?!
It was so AWESOME!
MY EMOTIONS!!

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
WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS BOOK SOONER?!
It was so AWESOME!
MY EMOTIONS!!

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

Stuck at home? Got some time on your hands? Want to start a long series? But you don't want a dud?![]()
Check out this booktube video all about which series are worth your time (and which ones aren't)!
Check Out the Written Review!
3.5 stars
A Cinderella story through and through...or is it?
“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.”Everyone knows this story. At this point, I have read so many versions that I have a tough time going through yet another one.
Yet, the fur ...more

“I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.”
In this, my third attempt to read Cinder, I finally made it to the end. But I find myself wishing I hadn't bothered. Going into this book, I thought it was fair to expect a light, probably unremarkable, but ultimately entertaining read. I did not come to this book wanting my mind to be blown with science or to be taken to another world by beautiful prose, but I also did not expect it to ...more

wow. wow. WOW.
I went into this book not expecting to like it. I'm not sure why, but this book completely surprised me! ...more
I went into this book not expecting to like it. I'm not sure why, but this book completely surprised me! ...more

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
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

Jul 15, 2013
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
did not like it
Shelves:
to-read-released
I guess I'm on a year-end quest to be the last person to read popular series. Last week: Hunger Games. This week: Cinder.
Or not. I hated it. No binging this series, sorry, dear friends. You may think it's harsh that I give this book one star when there was nothing offensive about it, but considering the hype, I expected far, far more than that we were given.
Before reading the book, I knew why it came highly recommended to me; in theory, this book should have been awesome. An Asian protagonist (E ...more
Or not. I hated it. No binging this series, sorry, dear friends. You may think it's harsh that I give this book one star when there was nothing offensive about it, but considering the hype, I expected far, far more than that we were given.
Before reading the book, I knew why it came highly recommended to me; in theory, this book should have been awesome. An Asian protagonist (E ...more


Sooooo, Cinder is basically my life now.
I am absolutely kicking myself for not starting this series earlier. Why didn't y'all tell me!?

This is actually my first Marissa Meyer book and I am completely blown away by her imagination. We stan.
The cyberpunk feel was exactly what I needed to become fully immersed within this world.

Our protagonist, Cinder, is a mechanic in the city of New Beijing.
She's also a cyborg, a fact she's kept hidden from the world; the exception being her adoptive family.

She ...more

*4.5*This was amazing!! Why didn't anyone tell me to read it sooner?! Just kidding..
The world and characters are so great, I can't wait to continue on in the series. ...more
The world and characters are so great, I can't wait to continue on in the series. ...more

Nov 11, 2019
Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult-series
“Vanity is a factor, but it is more a question of control. It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”
After finishing “Cinder” I was kind of curious what other reviewers wrote about it and I was pretty surprised when I found out that a lot of my friends gave it only two or three stars. As it seems the main reason for those low ratings were 1.) It’s just not my jam or 2.) I rea ...more
After finishing “Cinder” I was kind of curious what other reviewers wrote about it and I was pretty surprised when I found out that a lot of my friends gave it only two or three stars. As it seems the main reason for those low ratings were 1.) It’s just not my jam or 2.) I rea ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Re-Read On Audio! I love the narrator =)
I'm still loving Cinder, Iko and Prince Kai. I loved one of Cinder's sisters but the other one and her stepmom. Ugggg.
Cinder being a cybor-mechanic is too cool!

There is a deadly disease going around and it kills so many people. They are trying to find a cure by doing some evilness.
Cinder gets to meet Prince Kai and sigh, I felt so happy for her.
Then there is Queen Levana from Luna. Don't even want to talk about her evilness right now. And Cinder finds ...more
I'm still loving Cinder, Iko and Prince Kai. I loved one of Cinder's sisters but the other one and her stepmom. Ugggg.
Cinder being a cybor-mechanic is too cool!

There is a deadly disease going around and it kills so many people. They are trying to find a cure by doing some evilness.
Cinder gets to meet Prince Kai and sigh, I felt so happy for her.
Then there is Queen Levana from Luna. Don't even want to talk about her evilness right now. And Cinder finds ...more

Mar 16, 2019
Zainab
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites,
retelling
Even people living in actual caves had read it so it was about time I did too.
With that said, I probably don't have anything different to say from the rest of the people but my GOD it was good. Sure a bit predictable but it was fun reading it.
Science fiction is not my thing (except for TMR series) so I was not expecting to like it this much.
So good. ...more
With that said, I probably don't have anything different to say from the rest of the people but my GOD it was good. Sure a bit predictable but it was fun reading it.
Science fiction is not my thing (except for TMR series) so I was not expecting to like it this much.
So good. ...more

“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.”
Once Upon a Time,there was an avid reader (let's call her K) who thought she was very clever but she couldn't be more wrong.You see,she'd heard about a futuristic version of Cinderella in which Cinder is a cyborg mechanic that everyone seemed to love but she refused to read it,because she was skeptical and


fairy tales were not something that i was told as a child. my only experience with them was through disney films, so retellings arent usually something i gravitate towards, but this series has been recommended to me so many times, i thought ‘why not?’ and surprisingly, i wasnt disappointed.
i liked how even though i knew the general story of cinderella, this book followed a plot line that felt new and exciting to me. i thought the sci-fi perspective was a great improvement. the writing was a litt ...more
i liked how even though i knew the general story of cinderella, this book followed a plot line that felt new and exciting to me. i thought the sci-fi perspective was a great improvement. the writing was a litt ...more


*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

WHAT?! WHAT WAS THIS ENDING?! NOW I HAVE TO START SCARLET!!! AHHHH!!!

Something interesting is that this book is a sci-fi dystopian fairytale retelling imagining what the story of Cinderella would look like in a version of China hundreds of years in the future, with robots and cyborgs and moon people and hot princes and a sprinkle of magic, and yet it manages to be pretty boring.
So one of the only interesting things about this book is how boring it manages to be, in spite of the odds.
I want to shout out 2015 me for taking one for the team and reading this book, be ...more
So one of the only interesting things about this book is how boring it manages to be, in spite of the odds.
I want to shout out 2015 me for taking one for the team and reading this book, be ...more

Jun 19, 2012
Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Lovers of fairy tales, retellings, CYBORGS, and all other good things
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
4.5 stars
Let’s talk about fairy tales.
I was raised on them and I love them. My favorite collection was a hardback with Arthur Rackham illustrations . . . It was not-your-ordinary book of fairy tales. It had translations of the original German versions of the stories I’d been listening to for years, but were so not the same.
There were also new stories I’d never heard before, like The Seven Ravens.
I haven’t read it in years, but basically it’s about a girl whose evil step ...more
4.5 stars
Let’s talk about fairy tales.
I was raised on them and I love them. My favorite collection was a hardback with Arthur Rackham illustrations . . . It was not-your-ordinary book of fairy tales. It had translations of the original German versions of the stories I’d been listening to for years, but were so not the same.
There were also new stories I’d never heard before, like The Seven Ravens.
I haven’t read it in years, but basically it’s about a girl whose evil step ...more

Wow, I absolutely love when you get a random book without any expectations because yeah you know nothing about it and you end up loving it.
I borrowed this book from the library because the cover caught my eye. And I absolutely do not regret that.
I absolutely love these retellings which are taken as an inspiration and then moved from the original story as much as possible.
I borrowed this book from the library because the cover caught my eye. And I absolutely do not regret that.
I absolutely love these retellings which are taken as an inspiration and then moved from the original story as much as possible.

Well call me surprised. Shocker of the century! I actually loved this book. I could not put it down. I was scared starting it due to what I thought would be inevitable romance but it was pretty minor in this one. But OH MAN did I wanna throw Adri to the wolves. What a terrible human. She got my blood boiling so friggin much. Also, cyborgs? Mind control? Moon people? Get outta here obviously I'm gonna like this book. All seriousness it is just well written. Cinder is a great character and you fin
...more

[I decreased my rating to one star because this book leaves a bad taste in my mouth.]
I didn't want to write this review.
There is SO much hype for The Lunar Chronicles, and I figured it would probably be worth my time. I had tried to pick Cinder up three times before this, but never got past the first page. Cyborgs? I don't think so. Sofia + SF = frustrated screaming.
The main problem I had with Cinder was the world building. I love me a good universe, but this was just not it. This book takes pl ...more
I didn't want to write this review.
There is SO much hype for The Lunar Chronicles, and I figured it would probably be worth my time. I had tried to pick Cinder up three times before this, but never got past the first page. Cyborgs? I don't think so. Sofia + SF = frustrated screaming.
The main problem I had with Cinder was the world building. I love me a good universe, but this was just not it. This book takes pl ...more

Really enjoyed Cinder! It's more of a 4.35 stars in my book! Not 5 because I DIDN'T HEAD OVER HEELS LOVE IT, but i'm super excited as to where this series is going, I have a full booktallk/discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV9x3...
...more

WTF.
I wasn't expecting it to end like that! I mean, I thought this was a series of "stand-alone" books that intertwined with each other, so I kinda expected that Cinder and Kai would end up happily ever after in this one! When I was reaching to the end of the book I was so confused and somewhat infuriated because I really thought this book would have a happy ending and THEN in Scarlet we'll have a new cast of main characters and Cinder and Kai were going to appear a little...
BUT NO.
THIS IS REALL ...more
I wasn't expecting it to end like that! I mean, I thought this was a series of "stand-alone" books that intertwined with each other, so I kinda expected that Cinder and Kai would end up happily ever after in this one! When I was reaching to the end of the book I was so confused and somewhat infuriated because I really thought this book would have a happy ending and THEN in Scarlet we'll have a new cast of main characters and Cinder and Kai were going to appear a little...
BUT NO.
THIS IS REALL ...more

4.5 stars
Cinderella with cyborgs!

So I'm pretty late to be jumping on the bandwagon, but this was really good! I know I normally gobble up any retelling, but when this first came out there were so many iffy reviews that I gave it a pass.
Stupid.
I should have checked it out for myself.
So you have a pretty faithfulish retelling going on here. Of course, since it's sci-fi Cinderella, there are going to be some substitutions to the carriage and glass slipper.
But they were really cool substitutions ...more
Cinderella with cyborgs!

So I'm pretty late to be jumping on the bandwagon, but this was really good! I know I normally gobble up any retelling, but when this first came out there were so many iffy reviews that I gave it a pass.
Stupid.
I should have checked it out for myself.
So you have a pretty faithfulish retelling going on here. Of course, since it's sci-fi Cinderella, there are going to be some substitutions to the carriage and glass slipper.
But they were really cool substitutions ...more

Aug 22, 2018
Tina ➹ the girl who lives in Fandoms
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorite,
fav-of-fav,
2018,
cover,
all-time-fav,
fav-heroine,
reviews,
5-stars,
fav-ship,
golden-stars
4.75 Golden stars
Wow! this book was fantastic! it actually was one of my most-anticipated books so I'm very satisfied & happy it not only "didn't let me down", but also be added to "my FAV series"!
I enjoyed it a lot.
Worth the hype! (in my opinion)
I could've rounded up the rate to 5 stars, but I reserve that after finishing the series (& when it would prove itself to be in my TOP favourite series)
so you see, that actually happened! yes!
■ If you love Sci-Fi,
■ If you love stories about Space speci ...more
Wow! this book was fantastic! it actually was one of my most-anticipated books so I'm very satisfied & happy it not only "didn't let me down", but also be added to "my FAV series"!
I enjoyed it a lot.
Worth the hype! (in my opinion)
so you see, that actually happened! yes!
■ If you love Sci-Fi,
■ If you love stories about Space speci ...more

Now I know what the hype is all about🙈🙉🙊
I didn't expect to love this book so much. But, I'm really glad that I've got the chance to start this series.
Kai❤Cinder❤Iko❤ ...more
I didn't expect to love this book so much. But, I'm really glad that I've got the chance to start this series.
Kai❤Cinder❤Iko❤ ...more

You know when people keep talking about a book. Lah, this is fantastic! OMG, you have to read this! If you don’t read this I’ll shank you and play hackeysack with your kidneys!
The usual…
This is one of those books. I was cruelly declined on netgalley so had mostly buried it in my TBR pile and forgotten about it until people started terrorizing me with demands to read it.
Oh am I so bloody happy I did! I loved this book! I stayed up most of the night to read it! It wasn’t perfect, o ...more
The usual…
This is one of those books. I was cruelly declined on netgalley so had mostly buried it in my TBR pile and forgotten about it until people started terrorizing me with demands to read it.
Oh am I so bloody happy I did! I loved this book! I stayed up most of the night to read it! It wasn’t perfect, o ...more

I’m a sucker for retellings.
I am not sure why it has taken me this long to read a retelling that is so unbelievably popular, but hey, I’ve read it now and even though I am a little late to the party, I am with the hype.
This is a fairy-tale meets robots meets futuristic world. I have never read anything with that description, but if I ever see anything that has it, I won’t pre-judge based off of the fact that I absolutely love the setting in the first installment of The Lunar Chronicles.
It is a t ...more
I am not sure why it has taken me this long to read a retelling that is so unbelievably popular, but hey, I’ve read it now and even though I am a little late to the party, I am with the hype.
This is a fairy-tale meets robots meets futuristic world. I have never read anything with that description, but if I ever see anything that has it, I won’t pre-judge based off of the fact that I absolutely love the setting in the first installment of The Lunar Chronicles.
It is a t ...more

Third Reread Review:
3,7 GLASSY GLOWING STARS
The first time I read this book was way back when I was in high school. I was around 16 and now I'm 21 years old. The whole time when I was rereading this book, it felt so nostalgic. Sure, I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I used to. But it was still a great read nonetheless. It was definitely predictable. But I guess I will always have a soft spot for this series. It felt like being reunited with some good old friends and it was a terrific fee ...more
3,7 GLASSY GLOWING STARS
The first time I read this book was way back when I was in high school. I was around 16 and now I'm 21 years old. The whole time when I was rereading this book, it felt so nostalgic. Sure, I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I used to. But it was still a great read nonetheless. It was definitely predictable. But I guess I will always have a soft spot for this series. It felt like being reunited with some good old friends and it was a terrific fee ...more
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Challenge Corner: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer --> Restarting May 14th, 2022 | 153 | 44 | Jun 10, 2022 10:01AM | |
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❀The Never-ending...: Cinder - Starting February 10th | 145 | 46 | Mar 20, 2022 11:28AM | |
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Cinder by Marissa Meyer?? | 30 | 150 | Mar 07, 2022 01:39PM | |
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I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my husband and beautiful twin daughters. Represented by Jill Grinberg. Learn more about me and my upcoming books at http://www.marissameyer.com.
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