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Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)

Marissa Meyer

Start date: January 1, 2016

Finish date: January 15, 2016

Discussion leader: Taylor

Why we're reading this: We had a vote for which book to read in January, and Cinder won! This book is fantasy and it has a great …more
[close] We had a vote for which book to read in January, and Cinder won! This book is fantasy and it has a great storyline with very likeable characters.

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Jul 25, 2015 Lexie rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-stars, reviewed-books

ACTUAL RATING 3.5 STARS

Ok, so here's the deal. This was yet another Cinderella appropriation with an admittedly unique and imaginative twist. For me personally this book was good but it wasn't great. I liked it but didn't love it, I'm just really in the middle. While Cinder was done well, I do think it's a little overhyped, I don't really get all the hype about it. But I've been told the series gets better as it goes along, so I will continue it. I'll read the next book and see what it is like, ACTUAL RATING 3.5 STARS

Ok, so here's the deal. This was yet another Cinderella appropriation with an admittedly unique and imaginative twist. For me personally this book was good but it wasn't great. I liked it but didn't love it, I'm just really in the middle. While Cinder was done well, I do think it's a little overhyped, I don't really get all the hype about it. But I've been told the series gets better as it goes along, so I will continue it. I'll read the next book and see what it is like, based on that, I will see whether I read the whole series.

The idea for the book was really interesting, the futuristic technological world of New Beijing was really cool. It was a good and well developed world. And the author did really well with writing about all of the technology stuff and androids and all. The setting and all the hierarchy and all that was all well done, I had no problem with the world of the book I really liked it. The concept of the Lunars was awesome and really interesting too, their powers were cool. I'm interested to learn more about the Lunars. I do want to see where this series goes, I want to continue Cinder's story and see what happens.

The story was set out well, but I don't know overall, I personally just felt like it was slightly slow and a little boring in parts. Sometimes it kinda dragged a little. I liked the story but sometimes I wasn't fully engaged in it, overall it was a little too slow paced and uneventful in my personal opinion. Not to mention despite the futuristic twist and the element of the plague, the story was still insanely similar to Cinderella, and it was kinda noticeable. Also not to mention the thing that was supposed to be the big shock at the end was totally predictable. I don't really like how it ended either honestly, could have been a little better. Truthfully, I kind of got to a point where I was reading because I had to finish it, not because I really wanted to know what happened. It was a good story but not great, some parts just bored me slightly.

As for the characters though, they were very good. They were really well developed and I was really able to connect with them. I did like that it was a third person book, that is my preferred writing style, and that we got more than one POV. Cinder was a great character, I liked her snark and her attitude and she really has determination and endurance, all she's had to go through. The fact that she is a cyborg was really cool and interesting. Though sometimes she did annoy me on certain things, such as some certain situations with Kai, but overall I liked her. Of course I lived Kai, absolute sucker for princes. I just loved his personality too though, he was so cute and beautiful. I loved every chapter in his POV. Kai goes through a lot and I just found him an awesome character, so benevolent and kind. And then to become a young emperor, so awesome. Yeah, loved Kai. I liked Peony as well she was adorable. Poor poor Peony, so sad. I hated Pearl, she was irritating, and of course I hated Adri, Cinder's stepmother, however in saying that, there is a certain level you can connect with her. She's not just all bad for no reason, she has depth, and she simply just blames Cinder for everything. She's a well built character, but yeah of course she's still terrible. There sort of the only characters that I can really talk about, oh the Queen Levarna I hated, she is evil I want her to die. Hated Sybil the thauturmage or whatever you call it. Oh Dr Erland was a good character, interesting. And Torrin, Kai's advisor, I don't know I feel a little suspicious of him, I don't really like him. Probably nothing though. Oh and I have to say, I adored Iko! But yeah the characters were very good.

The writing style was nothing special, it was a little plain but it was alright. Again I did like how it was third person, and it was written well, especially with a the futuristic stuff. However I was a little confused at the beginning, it took a bit to get into. I don't know though, for me personally the story felt a little TOO similar to Cinderella in a lot of aspects. But I did still like this book, Cinder was a good character, it was a well set out story and was imaginative and unique, and I am interested to see what happens next for Cinder. I will definitely continue this series, though, see how it goes.

I'll give Cinder a 6/10. I was kind of torn between a 6 and 7 but I feel 6 is the appropriate scored for my own personal enjoyment. There were parts of the story where I wasn't fully engaged. For me the book didn't blow me away and I feel it's a little overhyped. But maybe my mind will change a little when I read Scarlet. I do want to see what happens next. What will Cinder do? Will we see more of Kai? I do have questions, like I said, I did like this book, just didn't love it. I'll continue on and see how it goes.

SPOILERS
I'm sorry but that ending, where we find out from Dr Erland that Cinder is actually the Lunar Princess Selene, entirely predictable. I wasn't surprised at all. I literally mumbled to myself sarcastically, "Oh what a surprise..." Overall I didn't really get massive feels in any part of that book, wasn't engaging enough. I feel the whole ending could have been done a bit better. I liked the characters and the world, but the story wasn't amazing. Just my personal opinion.

Thank you for reading my review. ...more

24 likes · Like · see review

Feb 27, 2018 Alia Ros rated it really liked it

Cinder.

What. A. Book.
I don’t even know where to start.
Just.
W. O. W

I can’t even. Im still processing on what happened and how it ended.
I just freaking knew it that was her!!!
And it was not your typical fairytale ending duuhh

Omggg Cinder was such an addictive read.
After being away from fantasy so long I found it quite hard to start a different genre than the current ones I’ve been into like contemporary romance.

But Marissa Meyers did it! I was addicted to the end and It was so hard to put down. I ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

Sep 15, 2015 Olivia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, all-time-favorite, lang-en, literature-usa, favorite-series

After all the good things I've heard about Cinder (or more precisely, The Lunar Chronicles), I finally took my time to start reading it at the first month of January. And I'm glad I did start it with Cinder.

Cinder is a fairy-tales retelling based- or so it said. Though in fact, you wouldn't feel like reading any Cinderella stories from this. Yes, the main lead's name is Cinder. Yes, there's a prince charming who wants to dance with her. Yes, there's a piece of her which was left at the prince's ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2015 Jessie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This book IS AMAZING!!! New fav series

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Apr 27, 2016 Sharoza rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Awesome!

I can't believe I waited this long to read this book. Marissa Meyer captured my interest with "The Little Android" and now she has my undivided attention.

The struggles and secret, politics and emotions, make this book a must read. And right now, I'll cut this review short just so I can read the next one in the series. ...more

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Oct 01, 2015 Natalia rated it really liked it

Like sci-fi, futuristic planet of earth, romance, little suspense, romance and a spice of mystery? This is the book you'll like to read. Need to get my hands on the next book. ;-) ...more

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