Cinder: Book One in the Lunar Chronicles (original 2012; edition 2012)

This fun, edgy retelling of the classic Cinderella story is sure to capture the hearts of teenage girls, fairy tale lovers and science fiction fans. The setup of the story is clever, and while predictable (it's Cinderella), I was thoroughly consumed by the characters and setting. Set in future Asia, it follows Cinder, a cyborg living as an outcast in her own family and society, who struggles to escape her family and gets thrown into a world of politics, palace intrigues and flirtatious princes along the way.

Meyer took the best parts of Cinderella and developed them in such a way that the story was both modernized and at its core essentially the same. While I had a few minor qualms with the teen melodrama narration and question some of the science these things were so minor that they become irrelevant in the wake of how much I enjoyed reading this book. My only real disappointment is that I wish it were a stand alone book, but that's a different issue entirely. ( )

In short: Cinder by Marissa Meyer was compulsively readable and quite simply, the BEST fairy tale retelling I've ever read.

Cinder was the second most urgently recommended book after Shadow and Bone from the commenters in my Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy... But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread post. And so, considering how well my reading experience went with Shadow and Bone (it was my JAM), I decided to make Cinder my next read when I next found the time between review books.

I knew pretty early on that Cinder was going to be a WIN for me. With a futuristic Asian setting, a plucky cyborg for a heroine, and the intrigue behind the mysterious Lunars, I was hooked from the start. Cinder is compulsively readable, equal parts comforting as a retelling of a well known fairy tale and exciting as an original futuristic world. As a fairy tale retelling, Cinder was definitely predictable, but there was still enough excitement and creativity in the setting and concept to ensure I was never bored despite this. Also, the final reveal was SO obvious, right from the beginning, that I have to imagine that Marissa Meyer meant it to be predictable. And in that sense, I thought the obviousness added to the fairy tale feel as fairy tales are quite predictable themselves.

Cinder is a standout as a protagonist. I felt instant sympathy for her as a cyborg orphan who is essentially a slave to her step-mother. I didn't pity her mind you, because Cinder is above pity. Cinder is one capable cyborg! She was not one to rest on her laurels and be emo about her situation, as terrible as it was. She rebels subtly, in her own way, and I loved her for it. The romance was pretty swoon-worthy, as well. Prince Charming has got NUTHIN on Prince Kai.

Cinder wasn't perfect... Of course - being me - I took issue with the flimsiness of some of the so-called scientific explanations (it was really just magic). But I can't say it matters much when I take into consideration how much I enjoyed myself while reading Cinder. It was SUCH a fun and addictive read. I loved picking out all the nods to Cinderella as well as making note of the interesting spins on the original story. Cinder is most definitely the BEST fairy tale retelling I've ever read. I cannot wait to see what is in store for the characters and the story in Scarlet! ( )

Cinder is a Cinderella retelling unlike any I've read before. This story opens with the mechanic girl Cinder, a girl/cyborg sitting at her booth at the market getting cold stares from passerby (for being a cyborg) and feeling the dread of going home to her un-motherly stepmother and step-sister when Prince Kai, in disguise, asks her to repair something for him. From the Prince talking to her to her non-awful stepsister contracting the deadly disease later in the same day, the story is action packed from the beginning. I couldn't put it down. Cinder is a unique protagonist and a very lovable one at that. She is strong. This is not the Cinderella who silently held up the burden of an unloving family, but neither is she a brat who whines at her circumstances. Instead, she is a girl who has plans and drive to get beyond her situation. She just doesn't know what everyone else around has in store for her....
If you like retellings, read this. If you don't, read this anyway, because this is not a typical fairy tale by any means. 5/5 stars. Fabulous. ( )

Ok this book was just brilliant. Slightly incredibly predictable but it didn't matter. The imagination Marissa Meyer has is extraordinary and I loved every second I spent reading Cinder. The characters were amazing and larger than life. The only thing that bugged me but not enough for me to not give this 5 stars is that I couldn't envision Iko, I just didn't get what she looked like but I will reread the Iko bits in case I missed anything! Waiting for Scarlet to arrive in the post :) ( )

I listened to the audiobook version of Cinder by Marissa Meyer for my neoclassical fiction. I have always loved retellings of fairy tales. Especially the less starry-eyed versions like Zel by Donna Jo Napoli, everything might work out in the end but the characters are less one dimensional, they are more human than character. Cinder is not that. The characters are true characters, rarely deviating from the standard prescription of good and bad. Also, even though everything is awful most of the time, being a shunned member of society and having a heinous “b” of a step moth…legal guardian will do that to you, it doesn't have the awful quality of despair that seems evident in many fairy tales. That said I really enjoyed Cinder. Despite its character development short comings and the lack of despair I love so much in books, it was a really fun and fast paced. In the Publishers Weekly review also mentions it’s less than stellar plot as well, “Though foreshadowing early on makes it fairly clear where the story is headed, it unfolds with the magic of a fairy tale and the breakneck excitement of dystopian fiction.” VOYA gave Cinder a perfect 10, 5Q and 5P. While I would absolutely recommend this to any teen who expressed an interest in fairy tales, fantasy, science fiction, intrigue, etc. I do not think it merits a 5 for quality. I give it a 4Q and 5P.

Publishers Weekly Review: http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-312-64189-4

VOYA Review: http://www.voyamagazine.com/2012/02/03/voya%E2%80%99s-perfect-tens-2011/ ( )

I really got into this futuristic take on Cinderella.

The retelling was quite inventive, very entertaining, and I am looking forward to read the other books the author has planned. I haven't had this much fun reading a retelling of an fairy tale since my last [a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg] book.

It wasn't the first time in my reading that I read an classic novel set in a futuristic world, somehow if written well the two just click in my mind.

If you haven't made up your mind to try out this book, give it a try you might be surprised.

( )

This was an interesting redo of the classic tale of Cinderella. It took me a little while to get into the story. I am not sure if that is because of the way it was written or because I am unused to listening to books in an audio format. As I got into the meat of the story however, I was hooked. There are the similar constructs to the cinderella story, evil stepmother, 2 stepsisters, a handsome prince, and an upcoming ball. There is so much depth, so many interesting futuristic pieces which are integral to the story, and so many twists, that I was never bored. Often I could imagine what would happen later in the story as there is quite a lot of foreshadowing, but there were also several surprises so that made things interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to any science fiction lovers. It is well crafted and inventive. ( )

5Q 5P

This was a great re-imagining of the classic Cinderella story. In this version Cinder is a cyborg in a land where cyborgs are treated as second-class citizens, a plague is raging throughout the land, and the people live under constant threat from the vicious lunar people watching from the moon. She still meets her prince, but finds herself amidst an interstellar power struggle. Cinder is a smart, resourceful cyborg, fighting and thinking her way through tricky situations.

Even though the basic outline of the story is highly familiar, the characters and setting that Meyer creates are unique and interesting. From the originality of the characters to the high-paced story, this book will keep readers hooked from the start. This is an excellent book for teens and would be an easy one to sell them on. This book will appeal to fans of sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and fairy tales. ( )

I love adaptations of every sort and type, and so I loved this pretty automatically. It definitely lived up to my first impression, which is to say it was fantastic. I wasn't thrilled with the New Beijing/ Lunar aspect, but the story itself was fascinating. Cyborg Cinderella? I'm sold. Likable characters, cool story line, good writing. Pretty much in love with this rn. ( )

“Cinder” was a unique take on the whole Cinderella fairy tale. I really enjoyed it and now I’m looking forward to the second Lunar Chronicle installment “Scarlet”.
It has the classic elements of the original fairy tale and enough new elements to make it non-boring and very interesting. I cannot say at this time just how well I know the ending. I’m just glad we aren’t there yet because it also leaves you not wanting the story to end.
It was a very fun read. ( )

I was surprised by how much I liked this story. I always go for fairy tales, but I wouldn't expect to like the setting of this one so much. Even though it wasn't my thing, it was well-written and I was drawn in. I'm excited for the sequels beyond them covering different fairy tales (although I'm excited to see how they play in), because I want to know how they'll solve the problem of the Lunar queen. ( )

Cinder is a re-imagining and retelling of the classic Cinderella story. As such I was curious to see how predictable the story would be. Would it be creative enough to hold my attention? Considering that the main character, Cinder, is a cyborg – a person considered abhorrent by most and who barely has any rights in her society – I’d say the creativity and originality within the framework of the established storyline is fantastic.

Cinder is the top robot mechanic and one day the prince arrives at her booth in the market wearing a disguise and needing her services to repair his personal robot. Within minutes of his departure an outbreak of a plague is discovered the plot speeds right along from there.

Between the threatened spread of plague, the truly evil plans her stepmother concocts, and the possibility of the lunar colony attacking earth, there is a lot to keep the plot moving forward. And of course there’s a ball – it wouldn’t be a Cinderella story without her having to struggle to find a way to get to the ball. I was worried that this element of the story might seem cheesy or not fit well into the futuristic storyline, and although it was probably the weakest plot element, it didn’t keep me from enjoying the overall trials and adventures of Cinder.

There was one main plot element that was supposed to be a big reveal at the end, but I had guessed it early on in the book because of a little bit of hinting and foreshadowing. But the story had more to it than just the revelation of that secret, and ended on quite a cliffhanger (it’s the first in a series of four books).

Cinder is a fast-paced and fun sci-fi read that happens to touch lightly on serious ethical topics such as:

What constitutes humanity?
How much can a person be altered as a cyborg and still be considered human?
Children’s rights vs. those of a guardian.

I enjoyed this story far more than I was expecting, and recommend it to fans of science fiction and those who like fairy tale retellings. ( )

This sci-fi retelling of the Cinderella story is well written, imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable. ( )

A futuristic twist on the Cinderella fairy tale - this was a book that I quite enjoyed. I really liked that Cinder was a tough, resilient character, AND that she was so mechnical. Will definitely read book two. ( )

For those teens that would enjoy the classic Cinderella tale told with a steampunk twist. Highly enjoyed. ( )

I love reading retellings of different fairy tales. This was probably one of the most original I had read in a long time. The main character Cinder is both lovable and one you cheer on throughout the book. I definitely was not disappointed with the writing or concept of the story. The premise is about a Cyborg, Cinder, in the traditional Cinderella role (not well liked or embraced in the community). ( )

One of my prolific reading teen patrons recommended this ("It's really cool. You should read it!") when I told her that I liked Alex Flinn. The premise seemed a little bizarre, but I checked it out and got to reading.

I was pleasantly surprised: this is a very organic combination of sci-fi and fantasy themes, melding a traditional fable to a pan-Asian futuristic skeleton. The book itself is a cyborg, bits and pieces of other concepts, and it works quite well.

I like Cinder more than I like many incarnations of Cinderella, who is alternately passive, masochistic, and self-flagellating as she allows her agency to be stripped away. Exceptions to this are usually in YA, come to think of it: the trope of the passive Cinderella is subverted in Ella Enchanted and Just Ella, and inverted in Bewitching. So perhaps it comes as little surprise that the latest adaptation of Cinderella's story features a determined heroine with a (literal) backbone of steel. Yes, her stepmother rages against her and controls her life. However, in Meyer's tale, this is because Cinder is a cyborg, a sort of under-caste of laborers relegated to dependent status.

If this weren't an adaptation, it would still be a fun story. Cyborg mechanic meets prince, fixes his android, learns that she is a key pawn in an interstellar espionage operation, combats the day to day effects of prejudice, lack of agency, and existence in a pandemic-touched society. Throw in some nonsensical court politics, dedicated scientists, and several nods to current status quo (disenfranchisement of the disabled, overcrowding, AIDS, the beauty myth, streamlined information, internalized racism, the draft, the list goes on) and you have a very well-planned, well thought out narrative. I'm almost afraid to talk about it too much for the fear that I'll give the plot away.

The nods to the Cinderella story are amusing and well-timed. In fact, several become plot elements that exasperate Cinder, causing her to wonder why everyone is so caught up in going to the stupid festival/ball when there are obviously more important things to think about. The carriage made me laugh aloud, and the shoe was clever indeed. There were some plot elements I figured out fairly quickly, but they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

There is some moral ambiguity here as well, just enough to point to some interesting shades of gray in the upcoming novels. I, for one, will reserve the book as soon as it comes out. ( )

Voya:
The book has reasonable pacing and good characterization, but the predictability of many aspects of the plot brought it down to a 3Q. I would rate it as high as a 4Q, because the fairy tale genre, dystopian future genre, and robots as characters are all very popular right now. It misses a 5 because i doubt many male teens will be anxious to read it.

My Review:
I wasn't surprised to learn that the author is a big fan of Firefly, because this book takes place in a very similar world, only on Earth rather than in space. Cinder lives in New Bejing, where cyborgs are second class citizens, everyone longs to marry the prince, and a mysterious plague is killing everyone. Elements of the old story are blended with the new: the cyborg is adopted after being saved by machinery/medical science and her "stepmother" doesn't like the idea of taking her in, she's a mechanic rather than a maid, her planned escape is an orange junker that she fixes up, and rather than losing her shoe at the ball she loses an entire foot (it wasn't replaced as she grew out of her cyborg parts, and so is very tiny). You can see a lot of other fairy tales at work in the lives of other characters, and I would read the next in the series (which just came out).

I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to teens, though it wasn't a perfect book. The big plot twist should have been revealed from the beginning, because having the main character know about it would have heightened the suspense of the danger she's in, and it was also so painfully obvious that I doubt many readers will be surprised by the big reveal anyway. I was also sorry that the prince doesn't have much banter with her, or much of a relationship at all other than love at first sight. They could have used something to make their romance stand out from any other romance. However, Iko the too-human android was funny, and I liked the world that was created, so overall a pleasant read. ( )

Cinder, a cyborg living in New Beijing, is treated as a second-class citizen for not being "human" and is legally the property of her demanding stepmother. When Cinder's path crosses with Prince Kai's, she is motivated to use her unique abilities to save him and the Commonwealth from the tyranny of the Lunars, a manipulative race of people from the moon. I really, really loved this book. It's not easy to take a classic fairy tale and give it an interesting twist, but Meyer succeeded beautifully. I loved that, for once, Cinder is the strong, heroic one that must save the prince, instead of the other way around. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. ( )

From my blog On Starships and Dragonwings

Cinder by Marissa Meyer was exceedingly popular last year, so it had to go on my Christmas wishlist ;-). I however had a massive number of books that I needed/wanted to read, so it wasn’t until the sequel Scarlet was set to come out that I finally got my butt in gear, haha. I’m a bit late to the game, but I agree with what many have said before: Cinder rocks! Who would have thought to combine cybords, moon people, a plague, and a Cinderella retelling all together?? Marissa Meyer, that’s who :D.

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Length: 387 pages (hardcover)
Genre-ish: Sci-fi/Fairytale retelling YA (with cyborgs!)
Rating: ★★★★☆- so original, slowed in the middle

Strengths:
Cinder has cyborgs and moon people who have separated from Earth’s population long enough to develop some interesting traits. How awesome of a future is that :D. Sure, maybe I don’t want to live there, but I sure want to read about it!
In addition to the awesome sci-fi elements, there is a plague; nothing says compelling like a plague.
Omg the crazy plot twists! I can’t actually count all the cool plot developments in Cinder right now. Nothing is as it seems >.> I always worry with retellings that the story will be predictable because the book will follow the retelling too closely. This is not the case with Cinder!
The romance is so adorable *sighs*.
Weaknesses:
I am probably in the minority here, but I found that the pacing slowed in the middle of Cinder. I had to push a bit to get to the good stuff at the end.
There is only so much bad news that I can take at one time, and Cinder started pushing my limit. It’s not really a happy book at times….
Wow, such a cliffhanger. You’ve been warned.
Summary:
If you are craving a fresh and amazing sci-fi with a touch of Cinderella retelling and a hint of dystopia, get Cinder. I know that it might seem like a crazy combination of story elements, but there is a reason so many people have been raving about this one folks! I will admit that I’m not actually addicted to Cinderella or cyborgs, but even beyond the cool ideas thrown together, Cinder is a solid story about a girl kicking butt against adversity and making friends in the most unusual places. ( )

This book was sweet and even though it followed a basic over-told and over-rewritten story, it had a true spark of originality. Cinderella story aside it was still utterly predictable. But i shed a couple tears, laughed out loud and all in all had great fun reading this book. ( )

The only thing holding CINDER back from 5 stars is that I don't think I'll reread it, but the first time through was impressive enough all on it's own.

This is a beautifully imagined story in it's own right and when you add in the elegant hints of the Cinderella fairy tale, I was blown away. Can't wait for book two! ( )

Marissa Meyer’s Cinder is a sci-fi retelling of the Cinderella story and is the first in a series, with each book representing a different fairy tale. This version of a classic features a strong, resourceful heroine fighting against difficult odds – as a cyborg she has no rights and actually belongs to her stepmother, and most of society has a deep prejudice against her kind. In addition, a plague is sweeping across the world and cyborgs are being “volunteered” as research subjects for an antidote. When Prince Kai brings one of his androids to her mechanics shop for repair, Cinder also finds herself caught up in a political intrigue that endangers everyone around her and may cost her her life.

Meyer’s universe is well-developed and her vision of Earth after several centuries and two more world wars feels realistic. The characters are relate-able, although the Lunar people are taken a step further and given the ability to manipulate others with their minds. Cinder and Kai are sympathetic characters, yearning to live life on their own terms but unable to do so because of their positions. Some of the story is told from Kai’s point of view, so we get a first-hand look at how he struggles to do what is best for his people against the threat of war with Lunar. Shout-outs to the original fairy tale include a “pumpkin carriage” that Cinder uses to get to the ball, along with a “glass slipper” falling off in a very untimely fashion. A sweet twist in this series is that the heroine may eventually rescue the prince – if she can remain alive long enough.

The one weakness in this story is that the clues to Cinder’s past are very obvious, so many readers will find the revelation at the end rather anti-climatic. However, the fully-realized characters and the captivating storyline are well worth it. I am anxious to see what happens next to Cinder and Kai, and look forward to the rest of the journey Meyer is taking us on. Book two, Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood), will definitely be on my pre-order list in 2013. ( )

Background: Cinder is a cyborg adopted by a strange family in New Beijing. She is responsible for the family income now that her father has died of a plague that is ravaging the country. Cinder works as a mechanic, one of the best, for her stepmother and two stepsisters; until one day when the Prince shows up to have work done on an Android. Now Cinder is starting to lead two lives and she is not sure how to balance them...maybe she will just run away.

Review: I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, yes I know almost everyone enjoyed it, but I am not really a sci-fi person and wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a childhood classic being made into a cyborg. I loved it, the story was unique compared to a normal Cinderella story. I think Cinder is strong and a great role model, not obsessing over a boy, but trying to protect her country and self.

I found that it was hard to listen to the audiobook at times while I was at work, it almost stressed me out. I wanted to kill the stepmother and one of the sisters, and the Lunar Queen for all being rude and self centered and witchy with a B.

Other than the fact that I wanted to kill these characters, Cinder, the Dr. and the Prince are all great to follow and I loved when they were all together in the story.

The plot was interesting and I could see where they were going but the ending still surprised the heck outta me, so overall great read/listen. ( )

[b:Cinder|11235712|Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)|Marissa Meyer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317794278s/11235712.jpg|15545385] was a quick, light and entertaining read. Maybe some plot elements were predictable but that did not make her boring. And I personaly think that [a:Marissa Meyer|4684322|Marissa Meyer|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1299542096p2/4684322.jpg] did a great job in retelling a known fairy-tale in a new and unorthodox way. All of the important parts of the plot were there - evil stepmother, abused and neglected caring heroine, charming prince...

Cinder gave an unusual aspect to this book at least for me. This was a first book I read where the main heroine is a cyborg. It was weird when you read description of events from someones point of view and then she tells you that indicator for lying in the corner of her vision is flashing. A very unusual Cinderella that's for sure. :D

Prince Kai was so much better developed than original character of Prince charming that I think Cinderella would be jealous of Cinder. He is kind, noble and has a good sense of humor.And a huge point for him is that he actually liked Cinder in her ordinary clothes and asked her to the ball. He did not fall in love in some dazzling vision but in a real girl (if you can call Cinder a real girl). :D

The only downside for the book is that it ends with most of the major plot points unresolved. I hate cliff-hanger endings. Now I have to wait for next year until I find out what will happen next... ( )