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The Lunar Chronicles #1
Cinder
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Goodreads Author (2012), Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2012)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 stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
390 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2012
About the author
Marissa Meyer
83 books122k followersI 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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September 12, 2013
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 absolutely fallen in love with this wonderful story.
When I first heard of Cinder before it's release, it was gaining quite a bit of buzz known for the retelling of Cinderella. Marissa Meyer, my hat's off to you because a cyborg Cinderella in New Beijing, China? Badass. But then shortly before I read it, another blogger informed me that not only is it a Cinderella retelling, but also had Sailor Moon elements. OMG... someone had answered my prayers! I don't think you can understand my excitement for that.
Sailor Moon was my all-time favorite TV show and manga as a child. Reading Cinder reminded me of a simpler time before responsibilities, when the biggest thing I had to worry about was setting up the VCR (yes, a throwback!) every day because at 4pm, right before Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon would come on. If I were to miss one episode, I would cry my little eyes out because I just had to know what happened next to Serena! I have seen every episode including the fifth season that didn't air in America. I've even seen the live action series in all Japanese. And for those that watch subtitled Japanese shows, you know that there comes a time in your marathon watching where you stop reading the subtitles and start thinking Japanese in your sleep. Yes, I am super fangirling and not ashamed one bit! So I think it goes without saying that the reasons for me loving Cinder so much, aside from being blasted by a rainbow of awesome with its creative premise, is that it has a lot to do with sentimental memories. I tell you this so you can understand one big thing:
I wasn't sure about Cinder at first. As soon as the book started I noticed on every obvious downfall: Predictability. Seriously, the plot twist ran up to me and sucker punched me in the face at only 10% in. This concerned me, but it quickly became a non-issue as I continued to read. Why? Because the story was interesting. It was engaging. It was just plain old fun! And I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a while.
The plot was brilliantly done. Cinder is a mechanic, under appreciated by her mother and one of her step-sisters. The other step-sister adores her. As a cyborg she doesn't have the same rights as a normal person and her step-mother goes out of her way to remind Cinder this whenever she can. One day Prince Kai (*swoon*) requests her services to fix his android. And in true fairy tale fashion he begins to fall for her not knowing she is a cyborg. But this isn't just a love story. Oh no! The world has been suffering from a deadly disease that kills in a matter of days and it starts to become painfully obvious that Earth's only hope for a cure depends on an alliance with the evil Lunar Queen. And as you may have guessed it, she has plans for Earth. Dun, dun, duuuunnnnnn!
I loved all the characters in Cinder, especially the heroine. Cinder was independent, feisty, and relatable. She didn't always make the right decision, but this is a heroine that learns from her mistakes. AndTuxedo Mask Prince Kai? I loved him.
Ah, the memories!
The romance was so sweet. At first Cinder is wary of the Prince's advances because she is cyborg and doesn't want him to find out, but she can't help but develop feelings for him along the way. Basically what I'm saying here is that there's no insta-love. And you know how much I hate insta-love!
Oh, and that ending! Marissa Meyer, how could you do that to my little heart? I need to know what happens now! You took two of my favorite stories and twisted them into this big ball of badass awesomeness and now I'm expected to wait until next year for book two?! And just look at the character line-up for the next books in the series: Scarlet , Cress and Winter . Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White?! I am so there. Just so we are clear, I'm not above stalking.
I will have the next book and I will have it soon...
An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
More reviews at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
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 absolutely fallen in love with this wonderful story.
When I first heard of Cinder before it's release, it was gaining quite a bit of buzz known for the retelling of Cinderella. Marissa Meyer, my hat's off to you because a cyborg Cinderella in New Beijing, China? Badass. But then shortly before I read it, another blogger informed me that not only is it a Cinderella retelling, but also had Sailor Moon elements. OMG... someone had answered my prayers! I don't think you can understand my excitement for that.
Sailor Moon was my all-time favorite TV show and manga as a child. Reading Cinder reminded me of a simpler time before responsibilities, when the biggest thing I had to worry about was setting up the VCR (yes, a throwback!) every day because at 4pm, right before Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon would come on. If I were to miss one episode, I would cry my little eyes out because I just had to know what happened next to Serena! I have seen every episode including the fifth season that didn't air in America. I've even seen the live action series in all Japanese. And for those that watch subtitled Japanese shows, you know that there comes a time in your marathon watching where you stop reading the subtitles and start thinking Japanese in your sleep. Yes, I am super fangirling and not ashamed one bit! So I think it goes without saying that the reasons for me loving Cinder so much, aside from being blasted by a rainbow of awesome with its creative premise, is that it has a lot to do with sentimental memories. I tell you this so you can understand one big thing:
I wasn't sure about Cinder at first. As soon as the book started I noticed on every obvious downfall: Predictability. Seriously, the plot twist ran up to me and sucker punched me in the face at only 10% in. This concerned me, but it quickly became a non-issue as I continued to read. Why? Because the story was interesting. It was engaging. It was just plain old fun! And I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a while.
The plot was brilliantly done. Cinder is a mechanic, under appreciated by her mother and one of her step-sisters. The other step-sister adores her. As a cyborg she doesn't have the same rights as a normal person and her step-mother goes out of her way to remind Cinder this whenever she can. One day Prince Kai (*swoon*) requests her services to fix his android. And in true fairy tale fashion he begins to fall for her not knowing she is a cyborg. But this isn't just a love story. Oh no! The world has been suffering from a deadly disease that kills in a matter of days and it starts to become painfully obvious that Earth's only hope for a cure depends on an alliance with the evil Lunar Queen. And as you may have guessed it, she has plans for Earth. Dun, dun, duuuunnnnnn!
I loved all the characters in Cinder, especially the heroine. Cinder was independent, feisty, and relatable. She didn't always make the right decision, but this is a heroine that learns from her mistakes. And
Ah, the memories!The romance was so sweet. At first Cinder is wary of the Prince's advances because she is cyborg and doesn't want him to find out, but she can't help but develop feelings for him along the way. Basically what I'm saying here is that there's no insta-love. And you know how much I hate insta-love!
Oh, and that ending! Marissa Meyer, how could you do that to my little heart? I need to know what happens now! You took two of my favorite stories and twisted them into this big ball of badass awesomeness and now I'm expected to wait until next year for book two?! And just look at the character line-up for the next books in the series: Scarlet , Cress and Winter . Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White?! I am so there. Just so we are clear, I'm not above stalking.
I will have the next book and I will have it soon...
An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
More reviews at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
December 10, 2020
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 further I read, the more I was delighted. This book was unexpectedly sweet, endearing and enjoyable.
My younger sibling had this book on a shelf for the longest time and (finally) at the nudging of one of my friends, I picked it up. I'm glad I did.
Cinder is a cyborg mechanic living in New Beijing who, along with her best friend (a robot named Iko) and sister (a fully human gal named Pearl), fall in love with Prince Kai.
But, life isn't all cleaning and singing, there's a ravaging plague and crippling poverty. The plague can strike anyone at any time.
Aside: Does no one know basic disease prevention? The plague is detected in a public area, everyone ALWAYS scatters. Gee, I wonder why this hasn't been contained.Cyborgs (like Cinder, our heroine) are recruited at a rate of one-per-day to be sacrificed for plague research. Their families are given a hefty sum for their 'sacrifice.'
Since cyborgs aren't considered true citizens, they can be turned in at any time. When Cinder's stepmother was pushed just a little bit too far, she decides to turn Cinder in. From there, she's interviewed by the doctor and set up to be sacrificed.
“I don't know. I don't actually remember anything from before the surgery."Despite the humor, the treatment of the cyborgs by humans really threw me off. There's longstanding prejudices that cyborgs are living on borrowed time and thus owe their lives to society if need be (i.e. cyborg draft).
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.”
Now, I could see the logic against cyborgs if all of them had wiring in their brains - thus rendering them incapable of independent thought (or something of the like).
One could conceivably claim that their brains are ruined (or some other nonsense). But the book treated all cyborgs the same. (i.e. Some poor guy lost his foot and got a replacement? Disgusting creature. Sacrifice him.)
Other than that, this was an entertaining retelling of Cinderella.
I liked how the relationship with Prince Kai is more of a crush than an end-all-be-all sort of love. It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so.
Kai cleared his throat. Stood straighter. "I assume you are going to the ball?"I've heard from others that the remaining books still follow the characters from the first. I'm hoping for a more slow build sort of thing.
"I-I don't know. I mean, no. No, I'm sorry, I'm not going to the ball."
Kai drew back, confused. "Oh well... but... maybe you would change your mind? Because I am, you know."
"The prince."
"Not bragging," he said quickly. "Just a fact.”
There was one thing that just completely blew me out of the water:
Our main character was burned in a fire (thus requiring cyborg surgery) at a very young age. She lost ~30% of her body and needed to live in a suspended animation tank for months.
And what do we name her? Cinder.
Just let that sink in.
Audiobook Comments
Read by Rebecca Soler - and she absolutely rocked it. I loved listening to her tone/characterizations (especially Iko! That was literally the cutest little robot voice I ever did hear).
If you are curious about Rebecca Soler, check Tucker the Reader's interview!
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November 25, 2011
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 heir to the throne of the Commonwealth, Prince Kai, steps into Cinder's shop to get his android fixed, and everything changes for Cinder. She falls in love, she becomes a center of multiple intrigues, she discovers her own well hidden (even from her) secrets.
As much as I appreciate an author willing to think outside the box, I am afraid in this case Marissa Meyer bit off more than she could chew. The world of Cinder is very imaginative and full of potential. New Beijing, royalty, plague, cyborg falling in love, a war with the Lunar (Moon) Empire. I mean, just think about the possibilities here. Too bad, these possibilities are never explored to their best advantage.
Let's take Cinder, for example. She is almost half robot, there is stuff wired into her brain and body. Is she a human? Does she have artificial intelligence? Does she think of herself as human? How can she love? Are her emotions real or programmed? None of this is explained with any kind of depth. I compare this book to The Adoration of Jenna Fox, and Cinder fails miserably.
How about the setting? New Beijing! Futuristic China! Is there any Chinese flavor in this story? Any infusion of Eastern cultures, customs? Not really.
Ok, maybe there is something to this Lunar business then? Who or what are these Lunar people? How did they get there? How do they live on the Moon? Why exactly are they at war with Earth? I still have no clue.
My general impression after finishing Cinder is that every good idea in this story is developed very superficially. It's like Cinder is... Ship Breaker's ugly cousin. What Paolo Bacigalupi managed to do in his fairly short book with great depth - the world ruined by environmental changes, genetically altered human beings, poverty - is all done here, but in the most shallow way, as if the author was determined to keep the plot moving at a break-neck pace, afraid that any paragraph spent on layering the world or characters' personalities would bore readers.
There is still some entertainments value in Cinder, and I did get all the way through it to find out how the story would unfold. (BTW, you can predict the novel's outcome at about page 50 and it all ends with a cliffhanger.) But the novel fails miserably at being thought-provoking, challenging or truly engaging, even though the ideas are all there. Squandered potential.
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 heir to the throne of the Commonwealth, Prince Kai, steps into Cinder's shop to get his android fixed, and everything changes for Cinder. She falls in love, she becomes a center of multiple intrigues, she discovers her own well hidden (even from her) secrets.
As much as I appreciate an author willing to think outside the box, I am afraid in this case Marissa Meyer bit off more than she could chew. The world of Cinder is very imaginative and full of potential. New Beijing, royalty, plague, cyborg falling in love, a war with the Lunar (Moon) Empire. I mean, just think about the possibilities here. Too bad, these possibilities are never explored to their best advantage.
Let's take Cinder, for example. She is almost half robot, there is stuff wired into her brain and body. Is she a human? Does she have artificial intelligence? Does she think of herself as human? How can she love? Are her emotions real or programmed? None of this is explained with any kind of depth. I compare this book to The Adoration of Jenna Fox, and Cinder fails miserably.
How about the setting? New Beijing! Futuristic China! Is there any Chinese flavor in this story? Any infusion of Eastern cultures, customs? Not really.
Ok, maybe there is something to this Lunar business then? Who or what are these Lunar people? How did they get there? How do they live on the Moon? Why exactly are they at war with Earth? I still have no clue.
My general impression after finishing Cinder is that every good idea in this story is developed very superficially. It's like Cinder is... Ship Breaker's ugly cousin. What Paolo Bacigalupi managed to do in his fairly short book with great depth - the world ruined by environmental changes, genetically altered human beings, poverty - is all done here, but in the most shallow way, as if the author was determined to keep the plot moving at a break-neck pace, afraid that any paragraph spent on layering the world or characters' personalities would bore readers.
There is still some entertainments value in Cinder, and I did get all the way through it to find out how the story would unfold. (BTW, you can predict the novel's outcome at about page 50 and it all ends with a cliffhanger.) But the novel fails miserably at being thought-provoking, challenging or truly engaging, even though the ideas are all there. Squandered potential.
February 14, 2016
“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 be so painfully boring. Which it was.
Cinder takes a bold and fascinating premise, sketches out a basic outline of it, and then never fleshes it out with any substance.
Let's look at the wonders we have here. A part-cyborg protagonist, a loose Cinderella retelling in a future/alternate universe, a setting in New Beijing, and a potential war with a kingdom of Lunar people (a race who live on the moon). This sounds like a recipe for a fantastic science-fiction novel, and yet we get very little info beyond what I've provided here.
Who are these Lunar people? What about their history? How did they come to be on the moon? How disappointing it was that we never found out ANYTHING about them beyond the fact that they have an evil ruler - Queen Levana.
And this setting in a future/alternate world. In New Beijing, even! Do we ever get an exciting look into its culture? Any beautiful or ugly visuals? Any insight into its history, customs... anything? Nope.
And even if I forgive that, if I say that maybe all that goodness is being saved for later series installments, I simply cannot forgive the lack of personality in our principle characters. Cinder and Prince Kai are empty, self-sacrificing heroes with little-to-no hopes, fears, desires and thoughts of their own. Adri is the classic evil stepmother. Iko was the not-so-funny sidekick.
I'm also not sure I understand why part-cyborg people are considered second class citizens when they're basically regular humans who've had parts added to save them. But let's imagine I suspend that disbelief for a second - why did Meyer waste this perfect opportunity for Cinder to consider what it means to be human? For example, how much of a person can be replaced before they stop being a person and start being a machine? Are there really any differences between humans and machines beyond the materials they're made from? So many fascinating questions not being asked.
Though really, I could have forgiven many things if only the plot had been compelling, the conflicts engaging, and the characters vaguely interesting. I honestly had to force myself through.
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January 17, 2015
wow. wow. WOW.
I went into this book not expecting to like it. I'm not sure why, but this book completely surprised me!
I went into this book not expecting to like it. I'm not sure why, but this book completely surprised me!
December 2, 2015
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 (Everyone knows Khanh loves Asian shit!!!!), an alternate universe, plenty of opportunities to spin a beautifully-woven (Asian!!!!) setting! A fairy tale retelling (Khanh loves retold shit!!!!).
Yet for years, I resisted the many, many "KHANH, YOU GOTTA READ CINDER" because of one reason. The main character is an cyborg. I don't like cyborgs, I don't like androids. Not the Google-based operating system, the concept of part-human, part-machine. No, thank you. I like my main characters purely organic and carbon-based.
Let's get one thing straight. I have nothing against technology, it's just the concept of a human meshed with a robot that bothers me. I don't think such a being can have the same emotions, the same characteristics, the same failings that makes human so, well, human. Here is where the book could have changed my mind; Cinder could have been made to be more than a inhuman robot (what she is, in my mind).
What's ironic to me is that Cinder is too human. I know she is part machine, but it never felt like that part of her was explored as much as her humanity is sold to us.
Furthermore, the KHANH LOVES ASIAN SHIT part of me was so not sold on this. Yes, it's cute that the MC is Asian. Yes, it's cool that the new world is New Beijing. Those are just names, this is not an Asian-based book. You know how you go to one of those super chic Asian fusion restaurants and you order a fusion dish that costs $100 on a beautiful plate, and the only thing that's "Asian" about it is the one drop of lemongrass essence that they add to the sauce? This book is like that.
There is no explanation about New Beijing's culture. There is no explanation as to why it became that way. It was a world that was entirely unexplored, and unworthy of the hype, and of the "Asian" label slapped onto it. Sorry, guys, this series is not for me.
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 (Everyone knows Khanh loves Asian shit!!!!), an alternate universe, plenty of opportunities to spin a beautifully-woven (Asian!!!!) setting! A fairy tale retelling (Khanh loves retold shit!!!!).
Yet for years, I resisted the many, many "KHANH, YOU GOTTA READ CINDER" because of one reason. The main character is an cyborg. I don't like cyborgs, I don't like androids. Not the Google-based operating system, the concept of part-human, part-machine. No, thank you. I like my main characters purely organic and carbon-based.
Let's get one thing straight. I have nothing against technology, it's just the concept of a human meshed with a robot that bothers me. I don't think such a being can have the same emotions, the same characteristics, the same failings that makes human so, well, human. Here is where the book could have changed my mind; Cinder could have been made to be more than a inhuman robot (what she is, in my mind).
What's ironic to me is that Cinder is too human. I know she is part machine, but it never felt like that part of her was explored as much as her humanity is sold to us.
Furthermore, the KHANH LOVES ASIAN SHIT part of me was so not sold on this. Yes, it's cute that the MC is Asian. Yes, it's cool that the new world is New Beijing. Those are just names, this is not an Asian-based book. You know how you go to one of those super chic Asian fusion restaurants and you order a fusion dish that costs $100 on a beautiful plate, and the only thing that's "Asian" about it is the one drop of lemongrass essence that they add to the sauce? This book is like that.
There is no explanation about New Beijing's culture. There is no explanation as to why it became that way. It was a world that was entirely unexplored, and unworthy of the hype, and of the "Asian" label slapped onto it. Sorry, guys, this series is not for me.
January 7, 2023
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 doesn't recall any of her life prior to the operation that resulted in her cyborg status, but has never questioned it much either.
After all, what is the point of trying to remember? The past is the past.
When a highly contagious plague sweeps over the city, her beloved stepsister, Peony, becomes infected.
Peony was visiting a market with Cinder just prior to coming down with the illness, so of course Cinder's wicked Stepmother blames her for Peony's infection.
In the most heinous of acts, one she considers a righteous punishment, the wicked Stepmother donates Cinder to be used for scientific research finding a cure for the disease.
Apparently, in this world, cyborgs are considered no more than property. Add in the fact that people have not been surviving the research process, and it is clear her Stepmother never wants to see Cinder again. She's basically handed her a death sentence.
Cinder feels alone and betrayed, but in a way, she blames herself for Peony's sickness.
Once experimentation begins however, it is revealed that How could that be?
Prince Kai is intrigued with Cinder from the moment he drops off his android at her shop to be repaired. In fact, he asks her to the royal ball, but of course she cannot accept.
The cutest crush ever ensues and once
Our villain, Queen Levana, descends from the moon, otherwise known as the 'planet' Luna. She is an extraordinary enemy with a ton of power, only rivaled by her ambition.
She discovers something about Cinder, before Cinder even knows herself, and will stop at nothing to take her down, as Cinder's true nature threatens Levana's power.
I adored this. I loved all the delicious SciFi elements that somehow paid perfect homage to the original tale.
You could definitely tell this was the story of Cinderella, just bumped far into the future.
I thought the pace was great. I enjoyed Cinder as a character and also loved her relationship with Dr. Erland and Peony; and of course, her android, Iko, who was hilariously sweet.
I cannot wait to continue on with this series. Scarlet is calling to me!
December 9, 2015
*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.
The world and characters are so great, I can't wait to continue on in the series.
January 8, 2020
“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 read too many retellings. Sometimes even a combination of both. XD
Well, I guess it’s kind of good then that I wasn’t all too big on retellings over the last few years because I definitely enjoyed this! I don’t know if I would have liked it less if I would have read more retellings, but as some sort of “newbie” to the scene I actually ended up loving it to bits and pieces!
This was just amazing! <3 I mean a cyborg Cinderella who’s a mechanic and lives in a futuristic world?! Sign me f*** up! I loved the entire New Beijing vibe and I was so down for all those “Star Wars” moments! XD (And just in case you wondered, I’ve been a Warsie AND a Trekkie since my early childhood days! *lol* Being a fan of both is impossible? Hah! I’m your living and breathing proof it’s not! ;-P) Anyway! I relished the breath of fresh air this retelling gave me and after reading all those “normal” fairy tales with my kid this was balm for my soul. *lol*
Finally something different! Finally a break from “Cinderella” who lost her glass slipper on the stairs. This so wasn’t your ordinary fairy tale and Cinder certainly wasn’t your ordinary heroine either. Before I go into more detail, I’ll head into my characters section though. Wouldn’t want you to get spoiled, right?! (Is it even spoiling if we all know about Cinderella’s story? *lol*)
The Characters:
Fair Warning: This is a spoiler well. If you lean forward you might tumble into the rabbit hole. I urge you to exercise caution. Proceed at your own risk. ;-P
Cinder:
“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.”
Haha! I loved Cinder! She was such a cool character and totally down-to-earth! Funnily enough she didn’t seem to enjoy beautiful dresses (the real Cinderella would have been shocked!) and rather preferred to stay in her room working on androids instead of going out. Which in all honesty made her a very relatable character. XD I liked that she was so strong-willed and had her own opinion about everything, but I also felt very sorry for her. Aside from Prince Kai and Dr. Erland, Peony was probably the only person who ever showed her some kindness and to lose her must have been a more than just hard blow. >_< Especially because Peony was just lovely and kind! I don’t know how it came to be that Peony was the only one who accepted Cinder the way she was but I was really glad that she had at least one sister that cared. XD Still, no matter how sad her death made me I think Cinder would have never dared to be so bold if she would have been around to see it, so I guess there’s at least one positive thing that came out of it. Poor Cinder though! T_T
A flash of hurt crossed his face. “What? I can’t buy you a gift?” he asked, in a tone that nearly stopped the electric pulses of her wiring.
“No. Not after I’ve ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?”
“So you did get them!”
Prince Kai:
Kai stepped closer to Torin, ignoring a group of lab technicians that were forced to swarm around them. "I have a plan. My plan is to not marry her. Diplomacy be damned. There. End of discussion.”
WHAT. A. HOTTIE! *swoons* I adored him right from the moment he appeared in the book! GAH! Prince Kai was just awesome! I loved that he didn’t back down and fought Queen Levana with every breath he took. There was so much at stake for him but he stayed true to himself and this even though Levana and the other countries certainly didn’t make it easy for him. So much pressure! Poor boy! =(( Plus can we acknowledge how caring he was even though his own life turned upside down. I mean he lost his father to the plague and yet he still managed to keep Levana at bay, served his country, tried to persuade Cinder and wanted to find a cure. XD Not to mention his adorable humour and enticing defiance. *lol* The perfect prince for sure! ;-)
”I will –“ He paused again, straightened, and focused his eyes on some distant, invisible point. “I will do whatever needs to be done to ensure the well-being of my country. I will do whatever needs to be done to keep you all safe. That is my promise.”
Iko:
Iko rolled to her side, clasping her metal grippers over her chest. “Prince Kai! Check my fan, I think I’m overheating.”
IKO!!! <333 She was one of the best sidekicks ever and she definitely asked the right questions. *LOL* The idea of an android with feelings might have been nothing new but the way it was executed in here was perfect! XD When you read about Iko you involuntarily see her as a normal person, well until some body parts of her are mentioned and you’re reminded that she’s actually a machine with a soul. ;-) I can’t believe Adri destroyed her and my poor heart bled when Cinder found her in her room. I really hope Cinder will find a new body for her and that this time around it will be a human looking one. Iko deserves it and she’d be so happy if she’d have curves to wear all those pretty dresses. *lol*
Cinder flinched. “Can we please not talk about the prince?”
“I don’t think that will be possible. You’re working on his android, after all. Just think about the things she knows, the things she’s seen and –“ Iko’s voice sputtered. “Do you think she’s seen him in the nude?”
Queen Levana:
”I want her found and brought to me.”
“Right,” said Kai, “that’ll be no problem in a city of two and a half million people. Let me just go dig out my special Lunar detector, and I’ll get right on that.”
Levana tilted her head back so she could peer down her nose at Kai, even though he was taller than she was. “You do not wish to try my patience with your sarcasm, young prince.”
Queen Levana is no fun! Seriously, that woman has a stick up her ass. >_< The way she treated Kai and all her machinations… I really despised her for it! How can anyone be so cruel and heartless? I mean that moment with the mirror on her plate? ARGH! If I’d have been Prince Kai I’d have flipped her the bird multiple times. *lol* I guess in his own way he actually kind of did it. Haha! Considering how Cinder reacted to her once she saw through her glamour she must be as ugly on the outside as she’s on the inside and I really hope she won’t get Kai.
Adri:
”I think it a fair solution. After all, you bought it with my money, therefore it is mine to do with as I please. In some cultures they would cut off your hand, Cinder. Consider yourself fortunate.
“But it’s my foot!”
“And you will have to do without it until you can find a cheaper replacement.” She glowered at Cinder’s feet. Her lip curled with disgust. “You are not human, Cinder. It’s about time you realized that.”
There were moments when I wasn’t sure which one of them is worse. Adri or Queen Levana? And honestly sometimes I was even inclined to give Adri first place. For some of the things she did, she would have deserved to stand on the pedestal. *shakes head* I really don’t know what’s eating her but after reading “Glitches” I’m fairly certain that it had nothing to do with Cinder. As it seems she was always that hostile and I have no idea why Garan married her. That woman is just horrible and I hope she never meets Queen Levana! I don’t even want to think about what would happen if those two would join forces. *shudders*
The relationships & ships:
Cinder & Prince Kai:
”I shouldn’t be telling you all this anyway. It isn’t your problem to worry about. It’s just … you’re easy to talk to.”
She shuffled her feet. “It is kind of my problem. I mean, we all have to live here.
“You could move to Europe.”
“You know, I’ve actually been considering that lately.”
Kai laughed again, the warmth returning to the sound. “If that’s not a vote of confidence, I don’t know what is.”
I’m totally on board of this ship! Those two were soo cute together and I loved their easy banter. <3 Poor Prince Kai though! I have no idea how Cinder managed not to give into his advances. I mean there’s this amazing Prince who is determined to take her to the ball with him and she crushes his hopes again and again! WTH?? You might be a cyborg Cinder but I don’t think Prince Kai would have loved you any less if you would have told him the truth about yourself. I think if anything he might have loved you even more. If she would have just told him on her own terms. The way it was revealed was just too much for Kai and I can understand him, really. His words at the end of the book killed me but I get why he was so disappointed. There were plenty of opportunities to come clean with him, but Cinder never told him. =( Also I think that his last words were meant in the sense of it hurts him more to look at her than at Levana because he felt betrayed by her and at least Levana put her cards on the table. I’m really worried about him now because who knows what he might agree to now that Cinder is out of the picture. >_< He’s strong willed but the longer he stays in Queen Levana’s presence the harder it will get to resist her and I just don’t want him to give up on himself!! ARGH!!! I’m so afraid of what will happen to him in those next few books!
”It’s gone now,” she said. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” said Kai. “What causes it? What can we do to make it stop?”
Kai peeled his eyes away, finding some place of resignation off in the glistening garden. “You’re even more painful to look at than she is.”
Cinder’s heart shrivelled inside her until she was sure it would stop beating altogether.
Queen Levana & Prince Kai:
She was still battling Kai across the table, her eyes cold and calculating, and he unable to look away. “I have learned something valuable about you tonight, young prince. I hope you have learned something about me, as well.”
“That you prefer to rule through fear rather than justice? So sorry, Your Majesty, I’m afraid I already knew that about you.”
“No, indeed. I hope you noticed that I am capable of choosing my battles.” Her lips curved, her beauty returning full force. “If that’s what it takes to win the war.”
Those two were like cat and mouse! Unfortunately Kai was the mouse in this scenario and even though he held his own I’m afraid that Queen Levana might be able to persuade him to marry her. It’s not just her glamour but also the cure she offers. He always said that he only wants what’s best for his people and if it saves them he might even consider making a deal with the devil. =( Plus now that Dr. Erland vanished with Cinder he has no one that would continue his research for an antidote. To him it might look like there’s only one option left and I DON’T WANT HIM TO CHOOSE THAT FREAKIN OPTION! GOSH DARN IT!!! *dies*
Conclusion:
I LOVED this!!! “Cinder” read like a unique mixture of “Cinderella” featuring “Star Wars” and even though I didn’t know it when I started to read the book this was exactly what I needed! XD Give me more of this and I might overcome my growing aversion to ordinary fairy tales. *lol* Maybe one day my kid will read those books too! ;-) This said: I can’t wait to continue with “Scarlet”!!!
Happy reading and enjoy!
_________________
Okay, so here’s the thing: At the moment, my daughter is crazy about fairy tales and every night I have to read a story to her. Since I’ve been doing this the last few months I’m pretty sure that I know them all by heart by now. *lol* (The things we do for our children… XD)
Which is the main reason why I crave for a really, really untypical fairy tale and Cinder seems to be the right choice. I mean a cyborg Cinderella who’s a gifted mechanic? Sounds perfect!
Give me this modern fairy tale because I can’t read the typical Cinderella anymore!
Hopefully the old tales will get a new appeal after I’m done with this! ;-P
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 read too many retellings. Sometimes even a combination of both. XD
Well, I guess it’s kind of good then that I wasn’t all too big on retellings over the last few years because I definitely enjoyed this! I don’t know if I would have liked it less if I would have read more retellings, but as some sort of “newbie” to the scene I actually ended up loving it to bits and pieces!
This was just amazing! <3 I mean a cyborg Cinderella who’s a mechanic and lives in a futuristic world?! Sign me f*** up! I loved the entire New Beijing vibe and I was so down for all those “Star Wars” moments! XD (And just in case you wondered, I’ve been a Warsie AND a Trekkie since my early childhood days! *lol* Being a fan of both is impossible? Hah! I’m your living and breathing proof it’s not! ;-P) Anyway! I relished the breath of fresh air this retelling gave me and after reading all those “normal” fairy tales with my kid this was balm for my soul. *lol*
Finally something different! Finally a break from “Cinderella” who lost her glass slipper on the stairs. This so wasn’t your ordinary fairy tale and Cinder certainly wasn’t your ordinary heroine either. Before I go into more detail, I’ll head into my characters section though. Wouldn’t want you to get spoiled, right?! (Is it even spoiling if we all know about Cinderella’s story? *lol*)
The Characters:
Fair Warning: This is a spoiler well. If you lean forward you might tumble into the rabbit hole. I urge you to exercise caution. Proceed at your own risk. ;-P
Cinder:
“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.”
Haha! I loved Cinder! She was such a cool character and totally down-to-earth! Funnily enough she didn’t seem to enjoy beautiful dresses (the real Cinderella would have been shocked!) and rather preferred to stay in her room working on androids instead of going out. Which in all honesty made her a very relatable character. XD I liked that she was so strong-willed and had her own opinion about everything, but I also felt very sorry for her. Aside from Prince Kai and Dr. Erland, Peony was probably the only person who ever showed her some kindness and to lose her must have been a more than just hard blow. >_< Especially because Peony was just lovely and kind! I don’t know how it came to be that Peony was the only one who accepted Cinder the way she was but I was really glad that she had at least one sister that cared. XD Still, no matter how sad her death made me I think Cinder would have never dared to be so bold if she would have been around to see it, so I guess there’s at least one positive thing that came out of it. Poor Cinder though! T_T
A flash of hurt crossed his face. “What? I can’t buy you a gift?” he asked, in a tone that nearly stopped the electric pulses of her wiring.
“No. Not after I’ve ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?”
“So you did get them!”
Prince Kai:
Kai stepped closer to Torin, ignoring a group of lab technicians that were forced to swarm around them. "I have a plan. My plan is to not marry her. Diplomacy be damned. There. End of discussion.”
WHAT. A. HOTTIE! *swoons* I adored him right from the moment he appeared in the book! GAH! Prince Kai was just awesome! I loved that he didn’t back down and fought Queen Levana with every breath he took. There was so much at stake for him but he stayed true to himself and this even though Levana and the other countries certainly didn’t make it easy for him. So much pressure! Poor boy! =(( Plus can we acknowledge how caring he was even though his own life turned upside down. I mean he lost his father to the plague and yet he still managed to keep Levana at bay, served his country, tried to persuade Cinder and wanted to find a cure. XD Not to mention his adorable humour and enticing defiance. *lol* The perfect prince for sure! ;-)
”I will –“ He paused again, straightened, and focused his eyes on some distant, invisible point. “I will do whatever needs to be done to ensure the well-being of my country. I will do whatever needs to be done to keep you all safe. That is my promise.”
Iko:
Iko rolled to her side, clasping her metal grippers over her chest. “Prince Kai! Check my fan, I think I’m overheating.”
IKO!!! <333 She was one of the best sidekicks ever and she definitely asked the right questions. *LOL* The idea of an android with feelings might have been nothing new but the way it was executed in here was perfect! XD When you read about Iko you involuntarily see her as a normal person, well until some body parts of her are mentioned and you’re reminded that she’s actually a machine with a soul. ;-) I can’t believe Adri destroyed her and my poor heart bled when Cinder found her in her room. I really hope Cinder will find a new body for her and that this time around it will be a human looking one. Iko deserves it and she’d be so happy if she’d have curves to wear all those pretty dresses. *lol*
Cinder flinched. “Can we please not talk about the prince?”
“I don’t think that will be possible. You’re working on his android, after all. Just think about the things she knows, the things she’s seen and –“ Iko’s voice sputtered. “Do you think she’s seen him in the nude?”
Queen Levana:
”I want her found and brought to me.”
“Right,” said Kai, “that’ll be no problem in a city of two and a half million people. Let me just go dig out my special Lunar detector, and I’ll get right on that.”
Levana tilted her head back so she could peer down her nose at Kai, even though he was taller than she was. “You do not wish to try my patience with your sarcasm, young prince.”
Queen Levana is no fun! Seriously, that woman has a stick up her ass. >_< The way she treated Kai and all her machinations… I really despised her for it! How can anyone be so cruel and heartless? I mean that moment with the mirror on her plate? ARGH! If I’d have been Prince Kai I’d have flipped her the bird multiple times. *lol* I guess in his own way he actually kind of did it. Haha! Considering how Cinder reacted to her once she saw through her glamour she must be as ugly on the outside as she’s on the inside and I really hope she won’t get Kai.
Adri:
”I think it a fair solution. After all, you bought it with my money, therefore it is mine to do with as I please. In some cultures they would cut off your hand, Cinder. Consider yourself fortunate.
“But it’s my foot!”
“And you will have to do without it until you can find a cheaper replacement.” She glowered at Cinder’s feet. Her lip curled with disgust. “You are not human, Cinder. It’s about time you realized that.”
There were moments when I wasn’t sure which one of them is worse. Adri or Queen Levana? And honestly sometimes I was even inclined to give Adri first place. For some of the things she did, she would have deserved to stand on the pedestal. *shakes head* I really don’t know what’s eating her but after reading “Glitches” I’m fairly certain that it had nothing to do with Cinder. As it seems she was always that hostile and I have no idea why Garan married her. That woman is just horrible and I hope she never meets Queen Levana! I don’t even want to think about what would happen if those two would join forces. *shudders*
The relationships & ships:
Cinder & Prince Kai:
”I shouldn’t be telling you all this anyway. It isn’t your problem to worry about. It’s just … you’re easy to talk to.”
She shuffled her feet. “It is kind of my problem. I mean, we all have to live here.
“You could move to Europe.”
“You know, I’ve actually been considering that lately.”
Kai laughed again, the warmth returning to the sound. “If that’s not a vote of confidence, I don’t know what is.”
I’m totally on board of this ship! Those two were soo cute together and I loved their easy banter. <3 Poor Prince Kai though! I have no idea how Cinder managed not to give into his advances. I mean there’s this amazing Prince who is determined to take her to the ball with him and she crushes his hopes again and again! WTH?? You might be a cyborg Cinder but I don’t think Prince Kai would have loved you any less if you would have told him the truth about yourself. I think if anything he might have loved you even more. If she would have just told him on her own terms. The way it was revealed was just too much for Kai and I can understand him, really. His words at the end of the book killed me but I get why he was so disappointed. There were plenty of opportunities to come clean with him, but Cinder never told him. =( Also I think that his last words were meant in the sense of it hurts him more to look at her than at Levana because he felt betrayed by her and at least Levana put her cards on the table. I’m really worried about him now because who knows what he might agree to now that Cinder is out of the picture. >_< He’s strong willed but the longer he stays in Queen Levana’s presence the harder it will get to resist her and I just don’t want him to give up on himself!! ARGH!!! I’m so afraid of what will happen to him in those next few books!
”It’s gone now,” she said. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” said Kai. “What causes it? What can we do to make it stop?”
Kai peeled his eyes away, finding some place of resignation off in the glistening garden. “You’re even more painful to look at than she is.”
Cinder’s heart shrivelled inside her until she was sure it would stop beating altogether.
Queen Levana & Prince Kai:
She was still battling Kai across the table, her eyes cold and calculating, and he unable to look away. “I have learned something valuable about you tonight, young prince. I hope you have learned something about me, as well.”
“That you prefer to rule through fear rather than justice? So sorry, Your Majesty, I’m afraid I already knew that about you.”
“No, indeed. I hope you noticed that I am capable of choosing my battles.” Her lips curved, her beauty returning full force. “If that’s what it takes to win the war.”
Those two were like cat and mouse! Unfortunately Kai was the mouse in this scenario and even though he held his own I’m afraid that Queen Levana might be able to persuade him to marry her. It’s not just her glamour but also the cure she offers. He always said that he only wants what’s best for his people and if it saves them he might even consider making a deal with the devil. =( Plus now that Dr. Erland vanished with Cinder he has no one that would continue his research for an antidote. To him it might look like there’s only one option left and I DON’T WANT HIM TO CHOOSE THAT FREAKIN OPTION! GOSH DARN IT!!! *dies*
Conclusion:
I LOVED this!!! “Cinder” read like a unique mixture of “Cinderella” featuring “Star Wars” and even though I didn’t know it when I started to read the book this was exactly what I needed! XD Give me more of this and I might overcome my growing aversion to ordinary fairy tales. *lol* Maybe one day my kid will read those books too! ;-) This said: I can’t wait to continue with “Scarlet”!!!
Happy reading and enjoy!
_________________
Okay, so here’s the thing: At the moment, my daughter is crazy about fairy tales and every night I have to read a story to her. Since I’ve been doing this the last few months I’m pretty sure that I know them all by heart by now. *lol* (The things we do for our children… XD)
Which is the main reason why I crave for a really, really untypical fairy tale and Cinder seems to be the right choice. I mean a cyborg Cinderella who’s a gifted mechanic? Sounds perfect!
Give me this modern fairy tale because I can’t read the typical Cinderella anymore!
Hopefully the old tales will get a new appeal after I’m done with this! ;-P
October 29, 2016
*mild spoilers*
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).
This book looked so much better in my head. I replaced this
With this
I’m sure Cinder would prefer to be the uncool version.
Dude, you’re a freakin’ cyborg... I wouldn’t hide this from the world, I’d enhance it. Probably add some cool gadgets and make everyone drool over me. Imagine the possibilities since you’re a badass mechanic! Imagine what you could create!!!!
And Mrs. Meyer, please boost your universe. There are so many things you missed in this new world you have created. I want to know more about their infrastructure, more about what type of transportation they have, what clothes, toys, gadgets, what food even! There are so many possibilities out there!
The book’s weakest element was Kai. His POV made me almost fall asleep. He’s weak, not charming, and not funny and he bores me to tears. I wish Cinder transforms him into a brainless zombie in the coming book.
But, in the end, I have to say that I didn’t mind this book at all. It was a very interesting one, kept me entertained and didn’t piss me off. Much.
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 looked so much better in my head. I replaced this
With this
I’m sure Cinder would prefer to be the uncool version.
Dude, you’re a freakin’ cyborg... I wouldn’t hide this from the world, I’d enhance it. Probably add some cool gadgets and make everyone drool over me. Imagine the possibilities since you’re a badass mechanic! Imagine what you could create!!!!
And Mrs. Meyer, please boost your universe. There are so many things you missed in this new world you have created. I want to know more about their infrastructure, more about what type of transportation they have, what clothes, toys, gadgets, what food even! There are so many possibilities out there!
The book’s weakest element was Kai. His POV made me almost fall asleep. He’s weak, not charming, and not funny and he bores me to tears. I wish Cinder transforms him into a brainless zombie in the coming book.
But, in the end, I have to say that I didn’t mind this book at all. It was a very interesting one, kept me entertained and didn’t piss me off. Much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2017
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 out who she really is... eeep!
Here's a really cool fan art of Cinder by MiraPau ↓
This book was so good. I remember when I read it the first time that it was so amazing. Listening to it, I find that it is still amazing. I'm loving these audio re-reads. Well, unless I get a bad narrator!
I'm still in awe and I'm still in love! Oh, the joy of a re-telling with cyborgs and all kinds of different things! And there is a war brewing. Isn't there always a war brewing! It's just the beginning to an amazing series. In my opinion anyway. =)
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
***2015***
I LOVED this book so much!
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 out who she really is... eeep!
Here's a really cool fan art of Cinder by MiraPau ↓
This book was so good. I remember when I read it the first time that it was so amazing. Listening to it, I find that it is still amazing. I'm loving these audio re-reads. Well, unless I get a bad narrator!
I'm still in awe and I'm still in love! Oh, the joy of a re-telling with cyborgs and all kinds of different things! And there is a war brewing. Isn't there always a war brewing! It's just the beginning to an amazing series. In my opinion anyway. =)
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
***2015***
I LOVED this book so much!
June 23, 2021
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.
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.
January 22, 2016
“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
Oh my stars,she really was an idiot.Because there can be only one reaction towards a book that narrates a classic tale that takes place in the future after the Forth World War,when androids are a part of daily life and a plague kills thousands of people and the Earth is threatened by the cunning and inhumanly beautiful Queen of the Moon who has mind-controlling powers:
“Soon, the whole world would be searching for her--Linh Cinder.
A deformed cyborg with a missing foot.
A Lunar with a stolen identity.
A mechanic with no one to run to, nowhere to go.
But they will be looking for a ghost.”
K was mesmerized by Cinder.Even though it was a fairytale retelling,there were twists and turns in the story she could not predict.As she was reading next to the fireplace,eating chocolate and drinking chocolate flavored cappuccino,she forgot about her responsibilities and instead she grew wings and she flied to the East.She visited labs and sick people while they were sleeping,she laughed with Iko's witty retorts,she heard Evil Queen Levana scheming,she smelled the fear towards the Lunars and their unholy abilities,she saw spacecrafts take off,she swooned over a prince who was not ready to rule and give up his freedom but deep down he knew he would sacrifice even himself for the sake of his people and finally,she landed on a basement,hiding in a corner,watching a stained with grease mechanic named Cinder working and dreaming that one day her life would be hers,that she would be considered a human and not an emotionless machine.
“Do your kind even know what love is? Can you feel anything at all, or is it just... programmed?”
K loved the multiple POVs because they gave her the chance to witness both Cinder's life and the politics of the Empire.She was aggravated by the social injustice,she was hurt by some characters' malice and hatred,she felt giddy when Kai tried to flirt with Cinder and frustrated with all the secrets and the hidden agendas.Even though she loved the romantic element,she was actually happy it wasn't overwhelming and many other themes were explored,like Cinder's journey to finally accept herself,Levana's reign and plots,Kai's struggles regarding his new role,the part androids and cyborgs played in the society and the attempts to find a cure.In the end,K couldn't help but admit that Marissa Meyer is more than capable of enchanting the reader,even in a technology dominated world.
There are two reasons she didn't give Cinder 5 stars though.First,she found Cinder's behaviour towards Kai extremely infuriating because how can you keep saying no to a sweet prince that practically begs you to go the ball with him?If she just stopped hiding the truth and acting like a child on a whim things would be so different!And second,K had a gut feeling that the next books would be even better so she decided to save the fifth star for them.
If you're one of the few people who haven't read Cinder yet,don't hesitate to try it.It's different,unique and extremely enjoyable!
P.S. I know it may be a little hard to see through the lines
July 16, 2018
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 little simplistic, but it made it very easy to breeze through this. i thought cinder was a wonderful character (even if certain aspects of her story were extremely predictable) and found her to be very relatable.
i know the following books each have their own fairy tale twist, but are still connected as a whole, so im looking forward to see how the series plays out! in particular, ive heard about thorne. im quite fond of kai at the moment, so im interested to see what all the fuss is about. :P
↠ 3.5 stars
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 little simplistic, but it made it very easy to breeze through this. i thought cinder was a wonderful character (even if certain aspects of her story were extremely predictable) and found her to be very relatable.
i know the following books each have their own fairy tale twist, but are still connected as a whole, so im looking forward to see how the series plays out! in particular, ive heard about thorne. im quite fond of kai at the moment, so im interested to see what all the fuss is about. :P
↠ 3.5 stars
February 22, 2020
WHAT?! WHAT WAS THIS ENDING?! NOW I HAVE TO START SCARLET!!! AHHHH!!!
April 24, 2019
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, because in 2015 I read books as if I were a goat. Like, a goat eating. You know how a goat eats anything, including trash, with no real preference, or at least there is a children’s book that gives that indication and allows for me to believe in it as if it is science even today, as an adult person? That’s how I read books in 2015. I would just force myself through whatever, caring not if it was boring or terrible, only if it was nearby and had pages and I could toss it on the ol’ reading challenge.
Even in 2015, when I had no discernible taste of any kind, I knew this book was no higher than 3.5 stars. Because it is uninteresting. Because there are only two things about this book that are, in fact, interesting:
1) space hijinks (this book is pre-space hijinks)
2) certain characters (these characters are not present enough, or on some occasions present at all, in this book)
The reason this is a 3.5 star read, and not, say, a 2 star one for the crimes against entertainment it has committed, is the Sheer Potential my dear boy.
This is a reallyreallyreally interesting idea. I love fairytales. I love retellings. I don’t really love space and I definitely don’t love sci-fi and I surely am not interested in cyborgs of any kind, but even I can admit the interest level of this concept is High AF.
Also, it gets so good later on. When all the fairytales get all tangled up and all the fairytale people are friends and some of them are hot space pirates and some of them are hacker nerds with creepy-long hair.
This book is not exciting, but if you allow yourself to get distracted and also you are rereading the series and you know what is coming, you can get excited using your own energy about what is to come.
I don’t know what 2015 me’s reasoning was in giving this 3.5 stars. Maybe I thought it sounded good?
Bottom line: WHO CARES??!! Also, I care.
---------
pre-review
list of things 2015 me and current me agree on:
- One Direction Take Me Home Yearbook Edition is a musical masterwork
- the idea that you can get salmonella from eating cookie dough is a myth perpetuated by the government to prevent people from having a good time
- Cinder is a 3.5 star read.
review to come!!
---------
currently-reading update
i've always said that the best time to begin a reread of a very long and addicting series is right as the busiest part of the semester begins :)
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, because in 2015 I read books as if I were a goat. Like, a goat eating. You know how a goat eats anything, including trash, with no real preference, or at least there is a children’s book that gives that indication and allows for me to believe in it as if it is science even today, as an adult person? That’s how I read books in 2015. I would just force myself through whatever, caring not if it was boring or terrible, only if it was nearby and had pages and I could toss it on the ol’ reading challenge.
Even in 2015, when I had no discernible taste of any kind, I knew this book was no higher than 3.5 stars. Because it is uninteresting. Because there are only two things about this book that are, in fact, interesting:
1) space hijinks (this book is pre-space hijinks)
2) certain characters (these characters are not present enough, or on some occasions present at all, in this book)
The reason this is a 3.5 star read, and not, say, a 2 star one for the crimes against entertainment it has committed, is the Sheer Potential my dear boy.
This is a reallyreallyreally interesting idea. I love fairytales. I love retellings. I don’t really love space and I definitely don’t love sci-fi and I surely am not interested in cyborgs of any kind, but even I can admit the interest level of this concept is High AF.
Also, it gets so good later on. When all the fairytales get all tangled up and all the fairytale people are friends and some of them are hot space pirates and some of them are hacker nerds with creepy-long hair.
This book is not exciting, but if you allow yourself to get distracted and also you are rereading the series and you know what is coming, you can get excited using your own energy about what is to come.
I don’t know what 2015 me’s reasoning was in giving this 3.5 stars. Maybe I thought it sounded good?
Bottom line: WHO CARES??!! Also, I care.
---------
pre-review
list of things 2015 me and current me agree on:
- One Direction Take Me Home Yearbook Edition is a musical masterwork
- the idea that you can get salmonella from eating cookie dough is a myth perpetuated by the government to prevent people from having a good time
- Cinder is a 3.5 star read.
review to come!!
---------
currently-reading update
i've always said that the best time to begin a reread of a very long and addicting series is right as the busiest part of the semester begins :)
August 11, 2020
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.
September 7, 2017
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 stepmother turns her seven brothers into, yes, ravens, and she (a little girl) has to go on a perilous journey to save them, a journey in which she ultimately CUTS OFF her own finger to unlock some door.
And that is a for-real Grimms’ Fairy Tale, folks.
Anyway, I heart fairy tales and I always have. Also, I wanted to be an astronaut my entire childhood, until I had to get glasses in the fourth grade (destroying that dream), AND I was a fan of dystopian lit long before THE HUNGER GAMES.
THE POINT: CINDER by Marissa Meyer is a Sci-Fi/Dystopian retelling of . . . wait for it . . . C-I-N-D-E-R-E-L-L-A. Or Aschenputtel if you wanna get German.
I admit it, I was leery at first.
My previous experiences have lead me to conclude that most retellings are lazy writers standing on the shoulders of other peoples’ greatness.
*laughs pompously*
No so, CINDER.
And to my surprise and delight, CINDER follows the more German tradition of fairy tales (vs the Disney version).
Cinder, not just the book title, but also the name of the MC, not only has a nasty stepmother and two stepsisters (kind of--it’s a guardianship, and one of the “sisters” isn’t bad at all), but she is a CYBORG.
*cackles with glee*
And not only is Cinder a CYBORG, but she lives in a plague-riddled, post-apocalyptic world.
New Beijing is the Capital of the Eastern Commonwealth and is governed by an Emperor, which is where we get our prince.
In addition to a prince, we also get an evil, A-L-I-E-N queen.
An evil. A-L-I-E-N. Queen.
Well . . . A-L-I-E-N in that she’s from the Moon. Apparently Earth colonized the Moon centuries ago, and those colonists evolved. We’re talking GENETIC MUTATIONS people. Like X-Men. Only the queen is Magneto, not Xavier (thus the evil).
LOVED it.
And even if you don't ordinarily go for YA books, if you like fairy tales, science fiction, and/or dystopian novels, then I would definitely give CINDER a chance, b/c it doesn't read like a typical YA book. Cinder's not in high school, dealing with high school issues. She works full-time as a mechanic and is reviled by society for being a CYBORG. The issues that Cinder is faced with are very adult issues--as far as I can tell, CINDER is only YA by virtue of having a sixteen year old MC, and no scenes-to-make-you-blush. Highly recommended.
My other reviews for this series:
Glitches (Lunar Chronicles 0.5)
The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)
Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5)
Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
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 stepmother turns her seven brothers into, yes, ravens, and she (a little girl) has to go on a perilous journey to save them, a journey in which she ultimately CUTS OFF her own finger to unlock some door.
And that is a for-real Grimms’ Fairy Tale, folks.
Anyway, I heart fairy tales and I always have. Also, I wanted to be an astronaut my entire childhood, until I had to get glasses in the fourth grade (destroying that dream), AND I was a fan of dystopian lit long before THE HUNGER GAMES.
THE POINT: CINDER by Marissa Meyer is a Sci-Fi/Dystopian retelling of . . . wait for it . . . C-I-N-D-E-R-E-L-L-A. Or Aschenputtel if you wanna get German.
I admit it, I was leery at first.
My previous experiences have lead me to conclude that most retellings are lazy writers standing on the shoulders of other peoples’ greatness.
*laughs pompously*
No so, CINDER.
And to my surprise and delight, CINDER follows the more German tradition of fairy tales (vs the Disney version).
Cinder, not just the book title, but also the name of the MC, not only has a nasty stepmother and two stepsisters (kind of--it’s a guardianship, and one of the “sisters” isn’t bad at all), but she is a CYBORG.
*cackles with glee*
And not only is Cinder a CYBORG, but she lives in a plague-riddled, post-apocalyptic world.
New Beijing is the Capital of the Eastern Commonwealth and is governed by an Emperor, which is where we get our prince.
In addition to a prince, we also get an evil, A-L-I-E-N queen.
An evil. A-L-I-E-N. Queen.
Well . . . A-L-I-E-N in that she’s from the Moon. Apparently Earth colonized the Moon centuries ago, and those colonists evolved. We’re talking GENETIC MUTATIONS people. Like X-Men. Only the queen is Magneto, not Xavier (thus the evil).
LOVED it.
And even if you don't ordinarily go for YA books, if you like fairy tales, science fiction, and/or dystopian novels, then I would definitely give CINDER a chance, b/c it doesn't read like a typical YA book. Cinder's not in high school, dealing with high school issues. She works full-time as a mechanic and is reviled by society for being a CYBORG. The issues that Cinder is faced with are very adult issues--as far as I can tell, CINDER is only YA by virtue of having a sixteen year old MC, and no scenes-to-make-you-blush. Highly recommended.
My other reviews for this series:
Glitches (Lunar Chronicles 0.5)
The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)
Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5)
Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
January 21, 2016
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 find yourself really associating with her plight, which kept me engaged. I can't really think of anything that bothered me about this book. But yea, wow.....never would have thought I would enjoy this as much as I did. 5 stars, A+, some other arbitrary ranking system maximum etc etc. Read it!
April 15, 2014
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...
April 16, 2017
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 REALLY A SERIES (DUH FOR ME!!!).
But well... as for the book, it was all right. I never really got into it, it wasn't until the part of the ball/festival that I couldn't put it down (and those was the last 70 pages or so). That last bit of the book was REALLY GOOD, and it earned it a whole star for me (before the ball, I was going to give it only 3 stars). I enjoyed the book, but it was quite predictable. Everything I thought it may happen actually happened! And it was kind of dissapointing because it didn't surprised me. I don't know, for me, everything was pretty obvious...
Everyone says that "Scarlet" is way better, so I'm eager to read it :).
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 REALLY A SERIES (DUH FOR ME!!!).
But well... as for the book, it was all right. I never really got into it, it wasn't until the part of the ball/festival that I couldn't put it down (and those was the last 70 pages or so). That last bit of the book was REALLY GOOD, and it earned it a whole star for me (before the ball, I was going to give it only 3 stars). I enjoyed the book, but it was quite predictable. Everything I thought it may happen actually happened! And it was kind of dissapointing because it didn't surprised me. I don't know, for me, everything was pretty obvious...
Everyone says that "Scarlet" is way better, so I'm eager to read it :).
June 19, 2018
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! And you could still definitely tell that this was the Cinderella story.
And the ending was soooo good! It seems that Cinderella won't be the only fairytale that gets retold in the Lunar Chronicles...
If you've been putting this off because of bad reviews, you may want to reconsider.
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! And you could still definitely tell that this was the Cinderella story.
And the ending was soooo good! It seems that Cinderella won't be the only fairytale that gets retold in the Lunar Chronicles...
If you've been putting this off because of bad reviews, you may want to reconsider.
February 1, 2022
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 species & spaceships,
■ If you love Retellings,
■ If you love Disney (& want to see some action in them!),
■ If you like to see some kind of Magic in Dystopia (I name this as a factor, because most Dystopian stories don't have magic, they're just about how "dystopian" their world is.)
■ If you want to see some awesome heroines & in general, characters (& have a good laugh!)
with lots of riddles & secrets & twists & actions & thrills!
you probably will enjoy this series.
Cinderella is always one of my top favourite Disney cartoons & Nostalgia & my favourite heroine, my first crush & probably my first ship.
...so this is Love, mmm...
Meyer did a great job in retelling it.
I'm so happy!
Thank you!
now I stop fangirling over Cinderella & telling more about this book:
(please also consider these are merely my opinions, if we have similar interest in books & characters, it "might" appeal to you too.)
in the book world of nowadays fantasy Cliche with annoying, stubborn, stupid heroines, medieval-like world buildings & love triangles & instalove, Meyer broke all the Cliches; with Awesome, lovely, badass heroines, futuristic world & space sci-fi & perfectly-built romances.
the World was fascinating; future society & technology (& space evolution). & still has the sense of being familiar by the right use of elements of creating a dystopian world. great mixture to please me! I love Sci-Fi!
& the palace & pretty dresses & maids weren't the main part of it. (thank goodness!)
Characters were great & realistic; their behaviors & answers & comebacks made sense! (well, yeah, I had these kind of problems in some other books that I didn't understand why someone should reply like that, so when it made sense, it made me happy)
the Heroine had a strong personality. she was smart & witty with comebacks. also Bonus Points because; the author didn't make her a Criminal or a thief for living (I feel it's a new cliche in YA to show heroine is strong... well, it's unrealistic & I can't be sympathize with them. so here, I'm glad the author didn't give in to that path.)
she was not annoying, not that kind to jump into worst-case conclusions or being judgemental (she was thoughtful) also the author did not made her clumsy (to motivate reader's pity in order to like her...) she was exactly the opposite indeed!
of course, she made mistakes, sometimes even stupid, & she had flaws, but not that kind that make you want to pull out your hair! all I'm saying that she was realistic & deep.
sums it up: Cinder was caring, kind, funny & sassy & I really like her! she's been added to my list of fav heroines! end of story! (well, no, it's just the beginning! *wink*)
(Now I'm thinking, she kind of reminded me of Violet Baudelaire in A Series of Unfortunate Events; Genius, mechanic, witty)
Iko & doctor Erland were so cool!
I liked Kai too.
the integrity of the story was good. I could relate to the story & the characters quickly & easily. & the fact that Author used correct scientific words (Physiology or computer-related) made this book even more interesting for me, with an appreciation & respect toward her.
the book begins funny & interesting. & went on just like that, intriguing.
their decisions & the events make the story interesting. & I guessed some events that I was right but that knowing didn't make the event less interesting.
the fact this story was a retelling of one of my favourite nostalgia & how the whole story went on feels amazing.
& It was beautifully written.
plus fun!
this series probably ends up my favourite retelling!
-
the Cover is gorgeous!
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
Writing style: ★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
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 species & spaceships,
■ If you love Retellings,
■ If you love Disney (& want to see some action in them!),
■ If you like to see some kind of Magic in Dystopia (I name this as a factor, because most Dystopian stories don't have magic, they're just about how "dystopian" their world is.)
■ If you want to see some awesome heroines & in general, characters (& have a good laugh!)
with lots of riddles & secrets & twists & actions & thrills!
you probably will enjoy this series.
Cinderella is always one of my top favourite Disney cartoons & Nostalgia & my favourite heroine, my first crush & probably my first ship.
...so this is Love, mmm...
Meyer did a great job in retelling it.
I'm so happy!
Thank you!
now I stop fangirling over Cinderella & telling more about this book:
(please also consider these are merely my opinions, if we have similar interest in books & characters, it "might" appeal to you too.)
in the book world of nowadays fantasy Cliche with annoying, stubborn, stupid heroines, medieval-like world buildings & love triangles & instalove, Meyer broke all the Cliches; with Awesome, lovely, badass heroines, futuristic world & space sci-fi & perfectly-built romances.
the World was fascinating; future society & technology (& space evolution). & still has the sense of being familiar by the right use of elements of creating a dystopian world. great mixture to please me! I love Sci-Fi!
& the palace & pretty dresses & maids weren't the main part of it. (thank goodness!)
Characters were great & realistic; their behaviors & answers & comebacks made sense! (well, yeah, I had these kind of problems in some other books that I didn't understand why someone should reply like that, so when it made sense, it made me happy)
the Heroine had a strong personality. she was smart & witty with comebacks. also Bonus Points because; the author didn't make her a Criminal or a thief for living (I feel it's a new cliche in YA to show heroine is strong... well, it's unrealistic & I can't be sympathize with them. so here, I'm glad the author didn't give in to that path.)
she was not annoying, not that kind to jump into worst-case conclusions or being judgemental (she was thoughtful) also the author did not made her clumsy (to motivate reader's pity in order to like her...) she was exactly the opposite indeed!
of course, she made mistakes, sometimes even stupid, & she had flaws, but not that kind that make you want to pull out your hair! all I'm saying that she was realistic & deep.
sums it up: Cinder was caring, kind, funny & sassy & I really like her! she's been added to my list of fav heroines! end of story! (well, no, it's just the beginning! *wink*)
(Now I'm thinking, she kind of reminded me of Violet Baudelaire in A Series of Unfortunate Events; Genius, mechanic, witty)
Iko & doctor Erland were so cool!
I liked Kai too.
the integrity of the story was good. I could relate to the story & the characters quickly & easily. & the fact that Author used correct scientific words (Physiology or computer-related) made this book even more interesting for me, with an appreciation & respect toward her.
the book begins funny & interesting. & went on just like that, intriguing.
their decisions & the events make the story interesting. & I guessed some events that I was right but that knowing didn't make the event less interesting.
the fact this story was a retelling of one of my favourite nostalgia & how the whole story went on feels amazing.
& It was beautifully written.
plus fun!
this series probably ends up my favourite retelling!
-
the Cover is gorgeous!
-
World building: ★★★★★/5
Characters: ★★★★★/5
Writing style: ★★★★/5
Plot: ★★★★★/5
General idea: ★★★★★/5
June 23, 2012
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, of course. There are several things I might have liked to be changed about it but I feel the characterization of the two main protagonists was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the story.
There’s really not much for me to do here. I mostly just want to find everyone else who read this book and give them the highest of fives.
I mean… yeah, if you want to get technical, it annoyed me that all the antagonists were women (and that there were only two positive female characters outside of the main protagonist) and they were all horrible people. That breeding of distrust for the sisterhood always raises my hackles and most people won’t be bothered by that. I would have liked the atmosphere of New Beijing to feel more… atmospherey, ya know? The actual location felt a little under developed in that regards. Sure I don’t expect every sentence would be filled with reminders to the location but I wanted to feel the city and the people and the world – which I often didn’t.
I hope there’s more cyberpunk in the next one. Hovercars, screens, id bracelets, androids and cyborgs is cool but let’s amp up the imagination! Let’s build that world and make it even more fantasmagorical!
But mostly, Meyer is seriously on my shitlist for that ending! I can’t believe I have to wait until Scarlet! SO UNFAIR!
How could you?! Do you hate us? Are you trying to punish us? What, oh WHAT did we ever do to deserve the agony of having to wait for Scarlet?
I may never forgive. Unless, ya know, Scarlet is REALLY awesome.
I will await my sentencing until then!
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, of course. There are several things I might have liked to be changed about it but I feel the characterization of the two main protagonists was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the story.
There’s really not much for me to do here. I mostly just want to find everyone else who read this book and give them the highest of fives.
I mean… yeah, if you want to get technical, it annoyed me that all the antagonists were women (and that there were only two positive female characters outside of the main protagonist) and they were all horrible people. That breeding of distrust for the sisterhood always raises my hackles and most people won’t be bothered by that. I would have liked the atmosphere of New Beijing to feel more… atmospherey, ya know? The actual location felt a little under developed in that regards. Sure I don’t expect every sentence would be filled with reminders to the location but I wanted to feel the city and the people and the world – which I often didn’t.
I hope there’s more cyberpunk in the next one. Hovercars, screens, id bracelets, androids and cyborgs is cool but let’s amp up the imagination! Let’s build that world and make it even more fantasmagorical!
But mostly, Meyer is seriously on my shitlist for that ending! I can’t believe I have to wait until Scarlet! SO UNFAIR!
How could you?! Do you hate us? Are you trying to punish us? What, oh WHAT did we ever do to deserve the agony of having to wait for Scarlet?
I may never forgive. Unless, ya know, Scarlet is REALLY awesome.
I will await my sentencing until then!
August 24, 2018
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❤
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❤
March 4, 2021
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 tiny bit slow in the beginning, but JUST DO NOT STOP.
Cinder, my Cinder. What in the world is on your leg and hand, Cinder?
“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.”
Oh so our heroine is a cyborg. That’s fine, right? I mean sometime in the future, we are bound to have robotic parts replacing human parts that don’t work.
She’s a mechanic too. So she’s basically a robot doctor. Or doctor. She's a doctor. For cyborgs.
“Do your kind even know what love is? Can you feel anything at all, or is it just... programmed?”
Well the prince brings her a, err, client to fix. Literally the first chapter is the two meeting. And guess what? IT IS NOT INSTA-LOVE AND IT IS THE BEST!
One of Cinder(ella)’ sevil step sister’s has “the plague” and Cinder is blamed for her having it. Even though she doesn’t have it. Why doesn’t she have it? Beats me guys, read the book.
So let me just send out a list of things that don’t technically change from the original story.
There is a dramatic entrance.
Even though I think we glazed over the "until midnight part," there is the dramatic "everyone turns and looks," just like the story everyone knows and loves.
There’s a pretty dress and a, err, foot/shoe problem.
Foot problem, we will just go with that.
We have the prince, and might I say he is very sarcastic and a gem to read about.
Prince Kai is a hoot. I need more princes like him.
There is a ball that we are all just so anxious to get to.
And BONUS there’s an evil queen.
Now I might be mistaken, but I think she has something to do with the Snow White thread. Because she has an aversion to mirrors. I hope that she lives up to all the talk in the book. She didn't seem all that evil to me. I mean, I don't HOPE she's going to be super evil... but I kind of do.
AND TWIST there isn’t an happily ever after.
Because there are like three other books plus probably some novellas.
I just… my Disney-based heart is full. I need book two please.
Oh, and who is Thorne?
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 tiny bit slow in the beginning, but JUST DO NOT STOP.
Cinder, my Cinder. What in the world is on your leg and hand, Cinder?
“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.”
Oh so our heroine is a cyborg. That’s fine, right? I mean sometime in the future, we are bound to have robotic parts replacing human parts that don’t work.
She’s a mechanic too. So she’s basically a robot doctor. Or doctor. She's a doctor. For cyborgs.
“Do your kind even know what love is? Can you feel anything at all, or is it just... programmed?”
Well the prince brings her a, err, client to fix. Literally the first chapter is the two meeting. And guess what? IT IS NOT INSTA-LOVE AND IT IS THE BEST!
One of Cinder(ella)’ s
So let me just send out a list of things that don’t technically change from the original story.
There is a dramatic entrance.
Even though I think we glazed over the "until midnight part," there is the dramatic "everyone turns and looks," just like the story everyone knows and loves.
There’s a pretty dress and a, err, foot/shoe problem.
Foot problem, we will just go with that.
We have the prince, and might I say he is very sarcastic and a gem to read about.
Prince Kai is a hoot. I need more princes like him.
There is a ball that we are all just so anxious to get to.
And BONUS there’s an evil queen.
Now I might be mistaken, but I think she has something to do with the Snow White thread. Because she has an aversion to mirrors. I hope that she lives up to all the talk in the book. She didn't seem all that evil to me. I mean, I don't HOPE she's going to be super evil... but I kind of do.
AND TWIST there isn’t an happily ever after.
Because there are like three other books plus probably some novellas.
I just… my Disney-based heart is full. I need book two please.
Oh, and who is Thorne?
April 30, 2020
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 feeling.
Upon this 3rd reread, I realized that I saw the book differently. I mean, it was still the same story that I had read nearly 5 years ago. But, the feelings and how I looked at the book was not really the same. For instance, I used to love the romance in this book. But after rereading it for the 3rd time, it was still cute. But, it was rather ... juvenile or at least I felt it was kind of too young for me. lol. This is honestly the first time for me saying this hahaha. I guess I am growing up after all.
What I really liked from this book was that it's the retelling of Cinderella. To be honest, Cinderella was not my favorite childhood tale. But, I love retelling in general though. So, the characterization of Cinder was refreshing. She was kind but not entirely selfless! and it was great to see this characterization as I do not really often read this kind of characterization. I also loved how Cinder stood up and fought for what she believed in and how determined she was to achieve what she wanted. She was a pretty inspiring character.
Overall, it was a good read. I found it easy for me to immerse myself in the world of the book and just read it for hours and hours. Yes, the plot was predictable but it was fun. The characters were also good and you need to meet Iko! she's a funny android. If you haven't read this book, I think you should give it a try. It's really fun! especially the technological advancement within the book and also the story.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
REVIEW TO COME TODAY
My heart : Are you ready to be broken twice by this series?
Me : SSSSSSHHHHHHH, I LOVE BEING BROKEN BY BOOKS.
I'm rereading it
I WILL REREAD THIS SERIES THIS YEAR
First Read Review :
Second Read Review :
4,5 stars
"Then my only mistake was in waiting too long to be rid of you," Adri said, running the washcloth between her fingers."Believe me, Cinder. You are a sacrifice I will never regret."
Before I start reviewing this book, I want to say thank you to my big sister, who recommended me this book back in 2015 and she said it's awesome but that time I kind of ignored her recommendation because I thought this book wouldn't be fun and I wouldn't like this book but few months later, I decided to read it because I didn't have any books to read or I didn't know what to read and I remember that time, I realized I should've read this book sooner and I should've trusted my big sister's recommendation and my big sister was also the one who helped me to become a reader when I was a person who hated books. So thank you and I love you so much, sis. ❤❤
okay, now let's talk about the book!
this book tells us about a 16 year old girl named Linh Cinder. She is a mechanic and a cyborg. She lives with her stepmother, Linh Adri and two stepsisters, Linh Pearl and Linh Peony and the Peony gets infected by Letumosis, the disease that has killed so many people and Cinder's stepmother blames her and then Adri volunteers Cinder to the plague research that no one has survived the testing and soon Cinder realizes that she is not just a mechanic and a cyborg. She is something more. Something more important ...
you must be wondering, what happened until Cinder become a cyborg? Does Peony survive Letumosis? Does Cinder survive the testing? and what happens next?
well, of course, I won't tell you anything. just read the book. it was soo good!
now, I'm going to tell you why I gave this book 4,5 stars
The Story and The Pacing
to be honest, the story or the plot was predictable and I remembered the first time I read the book, I already could predict the plot twist but even though it's a bit predictable, it still managed to make me entertained and it wasn't boring at all! I never felt bored reading it, even though it was the second time I read it and it was sooo interesting.
and I love the pacing! it's not fast but it's not slow either. the pace was perfect! and I enjoyed this kind of pace. not too slow or too fast. I like slow pacing books so I can get to know the characters but if it's too slow then I will get bored but if it's too fast then I'll get annoyed. so the pacing in this book was perfect. not too slow and not too fast. I enjoyed it so much.
The Romance
The romance was great and it's slow burn and no love triangles. just like I said this book was a reread so I know which guy that I love most but he's not Kai. he's not even in this book, he's in the second book and the romance in this book was fine. I don't have any problem with it. sometimes, Kai and Cinder made me smile and sigh and the romance was quite sweet but to be honest, Kai and Cinder's romance isn't really my favorite. it was just fine and a little bit sweet.
The Characters
I LOVE IKO!! OMG! SHE IS THE CUTEST! God, I wish she were real, I would be very happy to have an android like her in my real life. she's really funny and most of the time, Iko could make me laugh and I rarely laugh when I read. just read the book and you'll know how cute she is. you'll feel like you want to hug her forever. she is the cutest! Cinder is so lucky to have her.
and all the characters in this book seem real. like the villain even made me so angry and I wished she died already. she was really evil and cruel and I wanted to kick this b*tch in face!
this book isn't my favorite in this series but I still enjoyed it and I can't wait to reread the second book! *jumps up and down*
thank you guys for reading and liking this review and I hope you all have a great day! ❤❤❤
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 feeling.
Upon this 3rd reread, I realized that I saw the book differently. I mean, it was still the same story that I had read nearly 5 years ago. But, the feelings and how I looked at the book was not really the same. For instance, I used to love the romance in this book. But after rereading it for the 3rd time, it was still cute. But, it was rather ... juvenile or at least I felt it was kind of too young for me. lol. This is honestly the first time for me saying this hahaha. I guess I am growing up after all.
What I really liked from this book was that it's the retelling of Cinderella. To be honest, Cinderella was not my favorite childhood tale. But, I love retelling in general though. So, the characterization of Cinder was refreshing. She was kind but not entirely selfless! and it was great to see this characterization as I do not really often read this kind of characterization. I also loved how Cinder stood up and fought for what she believed in and how determined she was to achieve what she wanted. She was a pretty inspiring character.
Overall, it was a good read. I found it easy for me to immerse myself in the world of the book and just read it for hours and hours. Yes, the plot was predictable but it was fun. The characters were also good and you need to meet Iko! she's a funny android. If you haven't read this book, I think you should give it a try. It's really fun! especially the technological advancement within the book and also the story.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
My heart : Are you ready to be broken twice by this series?
Me : SSSSSSHHHHHHH, I LOVE BEING BROKEN BY BOOKS.
First Read Review :
Second Read Review :
4,5 stars
"Then my only mistake was in waiting too long to be rid of you," Adri said, running the washcloth between her fingers."Believe me, Cinder. You are a sacrifice I will never regret."
Before I start reviewing this book, I want to say thank you to my big sister, who recommended me this book back in 2015 and she said it's awesome but that time I kind of ignored her recommendation because I thought this book wouldn't be fun and I wouldn't like this book but few months later, I decided to read it because I didn't have any books to read or I didn't know what to read and I remember that time, I realized I should've read this book sooner and I should've trusted my big sister's recommendation and my big sister was also the one who helped me to become a reader when I was a person who hated books. So thank you and I love you so much, sis. ❤❤
okay, now let's talk about the book!
this book tells us about a 16 year old girl named Linh Cinder. She is a mechanic and a cyborg. She lives with her stepmother, Linh Adri and two stepsisters, Linh Pearl and Linh Peony and the Peony gets infected by Letumosis, the disease that has killed so many people and Cinder's stepmother blames her and then Adri volunteers Cinder to the plague research that no one has survived the testing and soon Cinder realizes that she is not just a mechanic and a cyborg. She is something more. Something more important ...
you must be wondering, what happened until Cinder become a cyborg? Does Peony survive Letumosis? Does Cinder survive the testing? and what happens next?
well, of course, I won't tell you anything. just read the book. it was soo good!
now, I'm going to tell you why I gave this book 4,5 stars
The Story and The Pacing
to be honest, the story or the plot was predictable and I remembered the first time I read the book, I already could predict the plot twist but even though it's a bit predictable, it still managed to make me entertained and it wasn't boring at all! I never felt bored reading it, even though it was the second time I read it and it was sooo interesting.
and I love the pacing! it's not fast but it's not slow either. the pace was perfect! and I enjoyed this kind of pace. not too slow or too fast. I like slow pacing books so I can get to know the characters but if it's too slow then I will get bored but if it's too fast then I'll get annoyed. so the pacing in this book was perfect. not too slow and not too fast. I enjoyed it so much.
The Romance
The romance was great and it's slow burn and no love triangles. just like I said this book was a reread so I know which guy that I love most but he's not Kai. he's not even in this book, he's in the second book and the romance in this book was fine. I don't have any problem with it. sometimes, Kai and Cinder made me smile and sigh and the romance was quite sweet but to be honest, Kai and Cinder's romance isn't really my favorite. it was just fine and a little bit sweet.
The Characters
I LOVE IKO!! OMG! SHE IS THE CUTEST! God, I wish she were real, I would be very happy to have an android like her in my real life. she's really funny and most of the time, Iko could make me laugh and I rarely laugh when I read. just read the book and you'll know how cute she is. you'll feel like you want to hug her forever. she is the cutest! Cinder is so lucky to have her.
and all the characters in this book seem real. like the villain even made me so angry and I wished she died already. she was really evil and cruel and I wanted to kick this b*tch in face!
this book isn't my favorite in this series but I still enjoyed it and I can't wait to reread the second book! *jumps up and down*
thank you guys for reading and liking this review and I hope you all have a great day! ❤❤❤
December 29, 2020
“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.”
I hardly ever reread anything (apart from Harry Potter) because I'm constantly missing out on books. Too many classics, too many new releases, too many unread books on my shelves and too many books that I'll never ever get to read in my life! Cause I'll die! So. See why I don't do rereads?
Anyway. It was way too long ago that I read Cinder and I wanted to freshen up my memory. And since I just finished my reading challege for 2017 I wanted to congratulate myself with a reread. I have zero regrets.
I'm still in awe how fast and easily this book is read. I don't think it took me more than three, maybe four hours to finish the 400 pages. It's fast-paced, it never gets boring, it's unpredictable. The characters have depth, the writing is great, the dialogues are fun. And this book is the first one out of six (including Levana's story and the short story collection). I'm so glad I picked this book up a few years back. I love the characters in this series, I love the strong, diverse, multi-talented and lovely female leads. I believe that our heroines set a prime example for their readers and I adore the friendships and bonds they share.
In a nutshell: this book has it all. Action, mystery, drama, romance, superpowers and brains. And more is to come.
Find more of my books on Instagram
I hardly ever reread anything (apart from Harry Potter) because I'm constantly missing out on books. Too many classics, too many new releases, too many unread books on my shelves and too many books that I'll never ever get to read in my life! Cause I'll die! So. See why I don't do rereads?
Anyway. It was way too long ago that I read Cinder and I wanted to freshen up my memory. And since I just finished my reading challege for 2017 I wanted to congratulate myself with a reread. I have zero regrets.
I'm still in awe how fast and easily this book is read. I don't think it took me more than three, maybe four hours to finish the 400 pages. It's fast-paced, it never gets boring, it's unpredictable. The characters have depth, the writing is great, the dialogues are fun. And this book is the first one out of six (including Levana's story and the short story collection). I'm so glad I picked this book up a few years back. I love the characters in this series, I love the strong, diverse, multi-talented and lovely female leads. I believe that our heroines set a prime example for their readers and I adore the friendships and bonds they share.
In a nutshell: this book has it all. Action, mystery, drama, romance, superpowers and brains. And more is to come.
Find more of my books on Instagram
February 8, 2012
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.
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.
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.
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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