Shantala (Shanaya Tales)'s Reviews > Cinder

I read this book 2 - 3 years back, and then re-read this entire series multiple times over the past couple of years, because I loved it THAT much.

Though I never got around to writing a review of this book or the series, and it's mostly because I could not find the words to review this book series without sounding like a blithering idiot (I have no defense except to admit that I have a hard time reviewing books / series' I fall in love with).

Anyway, I have now finally resolved to share my thoughts about the entire series on the blog, and I'll share a link to that post here when it's up. But in the meanwhile, I am just going to record my thoughts on the individual books of this series here on Goodreads.

Starting with Cinder..

Cinder is the first book of The Lunar Chronicles Series, and is admittedly a fantastic start to a series this awesome.

It's clearly inspired by / based on the Cinderella story that we all know and love, but like the author says - it's not the story you remember. Though this one will be a story you wouldn't forget.

And I cannot agree more. I adored the characters, Cinder, Iko, and Prince Kai too - so dreamy! Though I have to say Cinder definitely stole this show! Part human, part cyborg, she was 100% a total rockstar!

Then there was the fantastic world building. As readers, we get a very good sense of time and place, which is no mean feat, especially when dealing with a world so very different from our own. So the author definitely deserves a 10/10 for world building.

That being said, some may feel that the world building overshadowed the plot, and that there was very little actual action. And this is partly true, but I feel that for a series this big, and a world this elaborate and different, all the world building was very necessary. And anyway this is kinda standard for a first book of a big sci-fi / fantasy series.

The only grouse I had with this book was that it ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. I mean I was still okay with it, because I was bingeing this series and had the next book ready to go.

But I wonder how do the people who read these books in real time go on with their lives? No, really! It's the reason why I never read incomplete series.

Though just so you know, this is a completed series, so you have no reason to worry on that account.

Start with Cinder, and thank me later!