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cecerachel's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really liked this retelling of Cinderella. It was familiar, but also unique. Parts that I expected would be in the story weren't there, which made me more curious about how the story would progress.
The characters are well put together. Their interactions made the story more lively and fun, especially Iko. The fact that Kai wasn't a cocky stubborn prince was also refreshing.
Definitely looking forward to the other stories in the series!
The characters are well put together. Their interactions made the story more lively and fun, especially Iko. The fact that Kai wasn't a cocky stubborn prince was also refreshing.
Definitely looking forward to the other stories in the series!
cora40's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
eilidhblight's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kathydavie's review
5.0
First in the The Lunar Chronicles futuristic steampunk series and revolving around a Cinderella of a girl. It's five years after "Glitches".
In 2014, Cinder was nominated for the Abraham Lincoln Award; in 2012, it was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction.
My Take
Meyer is using the plotline of Cinderella as the basic framework for Cinder with the wicked stepmother and one stepsister, the pumpkin-turned-into-carriage, the prince and the ball, and the "shoe" she loses. Meyer also throws in a wicked queen, which made me think of another fairytale: Snow White.
There are so many conflicts built into Cinder…where to start? The prime conflicts within this story are Cinder's fears of what Kai will think of her and the machinations of the Lunar queen. I believe the series conflict is Cinder's two issues, one of which is being a second-class citizen simply because she's a cyborg and the other is the truth she learns about herself. Then there's the home conflict with Adri, which sends her into Dr. Erland's company.
The technology in Cinder is futuristic even though there's a feel of it being years in our past. Tech-wise, it can be handy to be a cyborg when it comes to detecting lie from truth. Not so handy is that ability to replay those disastrous memories like a video. More coolness is the security built into the palace, which is pretty amazing.
That Adri is concerned with money first, her daughters are secondary. Mother expects results from the TWO gowns, otherwise what's the point of spending the money. Cinder doesn't even enter the picture except for the times Adri wishes she'd never been burdened by her moneymaker. This from the woman whom Cinder believes has never worked a day in her life.
If Cinder has no rights and "belongs" to Adri, why doesn't she get Dr. Erland to help her out with this issue? I'd also like to know why Kai allows Levana to be so bossy in his palace! Why didn't he challenge her on that key word "knowingly"? How can she think she can threaten to kill his servants and send her own law enforcement into Kai's territory? That woman is so incredibly insulting, right along with that Sybil. I want to take a hatchet to both of them!
I can't help but like Kai. He's so egalitarian and concerned for his people. And he doesn't hold back all his "distaste" for Levana. Go, Kai! Most of me likes Cinder. She's had some really hard knocks, and yet I also dislike how whiny she is. Which is really NOT fair of me, because Meyer has painted her troubles very well, and I should remember that she's only 16. Of course she's suffering angst as a teenager and as someone treated so very badly.
Even though androids and cyborgs roam the streets with humans, they are not considered people, but things. And a major reason why Cinder hides her differences. It is also those differences that make Cinder the best full-service mechanic around.
It's that reputation that brings Prince Kai to her market booth. And the one specifically invited to the ball. An invitation that is impossible to accept between Peony's troubles, Dr. Erland's warnings, and Cinder's own fears of Prince Kai's reactions, and the ruthless Lunar queen waiting to pounce.
No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl.
The Characters
Cinder, a cyborg, is a full-service mechanic in New Beijing these days, and the only income her nasty bitch of a stepmother has. Iko is an android whom Cinder repaired way back when. Linh Adri is her stepmother. I cannot wait to see her face when she learns the truth about Cinder! Pearl (Meyer should've named her Persimmon for how sour she is!) is the oldest daughter; Peony is the youngest and a friend of Cinder's. Garan, Adri's husband, died of the plague a few weeks after bringing Cinder home.
The Eastern Commonwealth is…
…most of Asia with Prince Kai is the crown prince, heir to his father, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Rikan. His mother has already died of the plague. Konn Torin is the emperor's advisor. Nainsi is the tutor android Kai brought for repair to Cinder.
The royal letumosis research team is…
…desperately hunting for a cure for the plague. Dr. Dmitri Erland is the head of the research team. He'd had a daughter. Crescent Moon. Li and the too-tall Fateen are two of his assistants.
Lunar is…
…Earth's moon on which a colony of humans evolved into beings who can manipulate bioelectric energy, detecting it in others and controlling it. The ruthless Queen Levana rules them all, and mostly through her abilities. Princess Winter is Levana's daughter, but has no royal blood. How does that work? That Winter is Levana's daughter but is of another mother with her father a palace guard?? Sybil Mira is witchy ambassador and head thaumaturge to the Lunar Crown…and a spy. The queen's programmer (Sybil is her guardian and owner) is a whiny, weepy thing. Queen Channary is the older sister whom Levana murdered. Princess Selene had been Levana's niece who was burned to death in a nursery fire.
A shell is a Lunar born without the gift; Levana has them killed because she can't glamour them. Most parents of such children try to escape to Earth. There is a rumor that Dr. Logan Tanner brought the princess to Earth four months after her "death". He committed suicide after he checked himself into Xu Ming Psychiatric Hospital.
The alliance is composed of…
…six other Earthen countries. Prime Minister Kamin of Africa; President Vargas of America; Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom; Prime Minister Bromstad of Europe; Governor-General Williams of Australia; and, the South American.
Sunto is the son of the baker, Chang Sacha, who hates cyborgs.
Letumosis is the plague that has been killing Earthens for decades. Jiĕ is an honorific for a woman. The despised cyborgs and servant androids are property to be sold or dismantled on a whim. The Peace Festival is a celebration of the end of World War IV 126 years ago. Somehow, in her twisted-up mind, Levana thinks the war didn't affect the citizenry…
The Cover and Title
The cover is definitely a tip-off about Cinder with the metal calf within the flesh of a normal human leg with the foot in that bright red high-heeled shoe. The background is simple in its gradient of pale grey to the purple shadow of her shoe to the deepest gray at the top.
The title is in an embossed silver Gothic font. It's simple. Cinder is her name and being Cinderella is her unwanted game.
In 2014, Cinder was nominated for the Abraham Lincoln Award; in 2012, it was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction.
My Take
Meyer is using the plotline of Cinderella as the basic framework for Cinder with the wicked stepmother and one stepsister, the pumpkin-turned-into-carriage, the prince and the ball, and the "shoe" she loses. Meyer also throws in a wicked queen, which made me think of another fairytale: Snow White.
There are so many conflicts built into Cinder…where to start? The prime conflicts within this story are Cinder's fears of what Kai will think of her and the machinations of the Lunar queen. I believe the series conflict is Cinder's two issues, one of which is being a second-class citizen simply because she's a cyborg and the other is the truth she learns about herself. Then there's the home conflict with Adri, which sends her into Dr. Erland's company.
The technology in Cinder is futuristic even though there's a feel of it being years in our past. Tech-wise, it can be handy to be a cyborg when it comes to detecting lie from truth. Not so handy is that ability to replay those disastrous memories like a video. More coolness is the security built into the palace, which is pretty amazing.
That Adri is concerned with money first, her daughters are secondary. Mother expects results from the TWO gowns, otherwise what's the point of spending the money. Cinder doesn't even enter the picture except for the times Adri wishes she'd never been burdened by her moneymaker. This from the woman whom Cinder believes has never worked a day in her life.
If Cinder has no rights and "belongs" to Adri, why doesn't she get Dr. Erland to help her out with this issue? I'd also like to know why Kai allows Levana to be so bossy in his palace! Why didn't he challenge her on that key word "knowingly"? How can she think she can threaten to kill his servants and send her own law enforcement into Kai's territory? That woman is so incredibly insulting, right along with that Sybil. I want to take a hatchet to both of them!
"Proper is such a subjective word. This solution is effective, and that can hardly be argued with."Just as Cinder wants to know, so do I, why the ID chips in the dead are taken. Is it for the blackmarket money, really?
Wanna bet?
I can't help but like Kai. He's so egalitarian and concerned for his people. And he doesn't hold back all his "distaste" for Levana. Go, Kai! Most of me likes Cinder. She's had some really hard knocks, and yet I also dislike how whiny she is. Which is really NOT fair of me, because Meyer has painted her troubles very well, and I should remember that she's only 16. Of course she's suffering angst as a teenager and as someone treated so very badly.
"You're even more painful to look at than she is."The Story
Even though androids and cyborgs roam the streets with humans, they are not considered people, but things. And a major reason why Cinder hides her differences. It is also those differences that make Cinder the best full-service mechanic around.
It's that reputation that brings Prince Kai to her market booth. And the one specifically invited to the ball. An invitation that is impossible to accept between Peony's troubles, Dr. Erland's warnings, and Cinder's own fears of Prince Kai's reactions, and the ruthless Lunar queen waiting to pounce.
No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl.
The Characters
Cinder, a cyborg, is a full-service mechanic in New Beijing these days, and the only income her nasty bitch of a stepmother has. Iko is an android whom Cinder repaired way back when. Linh Adri is her stepmother. I cannot wait to see her face when she learns the truth about Cinder! Pearl (Meyer should've named her Persimmon for how sour she is!) is the oldest daughter; Peony is the youngest and a friend of Cinder's. Garan, Adri's husband, died of the plague a few weeks after bringing Cinder home.
The Eastern Commonwealth is…
…most of Asia with Prince Kai is the crown prince, heir to his father, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Rikan. His mother has already died of the plague. Konn Torin is the emperor's advisor. Nainsi is the tutor android Kai brought for repair to Cinder.
The royal letumosis research team is…
…desperately hunting for a cure for the plague. Dr. Dmitri Erland is the head of the research team. He'd had a daughter. Crescent Moon. Li and the too-tall Fateen are two of his assistants.
Lunar is…
…Earth's moon on which a colony of humans evolved into beings who can manipulate bioelectric energy, detecting it in others and controlling it. The ruthless Queen Levana rules them all, and mostly through her abilities. Princess Winter is Levana's daughter, but has no royal blood. How does that work? That Winter is Levana's daughter but is of another mother with her father a palace guard?? Sybil Mira is witchy ambassador and head thaumaturge to the Lunar Crown…and a spy. The queen's programmer (Sybil is her guardian and owner) is a whiny, weepy thing. Queen Channary is the older sister whom Levana murdered. Princess Selene had been Levana's niece who was burned to death in a nursery fire.
A shell is a Lunar born without the gift; Levana has them killed because she can't glamour them. Most parents of such children try to escape to Earth. There is a rumor that Dr. Logan Tanner brought the princess to Earth four months after her "death". He committed suicide after he checked himself into Xu Ming Psychiatric Hospital.
The alliance is composed of…
…six other Earthen countries. Prime Minister Kamin of Africa; President Vargas of America; Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom; Prime Minister Bromstad of Europe; Governor-General Williams of Australia; and, the South American.
Sunto is the son of the baker, Chang Sacha, who hates cyborgs.
Letumosis is the plague that has been killing Earthens for decades. Jiĕ is an honorific for a woman. The despised cyborgs and servant androids are property to be sold or dismantled on a whim. The Peace Festival is a celebration of the end of World War IV 126 years ago. Somehow, in her twisted-up mind, Levana thinks the war didn't affect the citizenry…
The Cover and Title
The cover is definitely a tip-off about Cinder with the metal calf within the flesh of a normal human leg with the foot in that bright red high-heeled shoe. The background is simple in its gradient of pale grey to the purple shadow of her shoe to the deepest gray at the top.
The title is in an embossed silver Gothic font. It's simple. Cinder is her name and being Cinderella is her unwanted game.
simone_cerium's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
msreadsall_92's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
nguy524's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is my second time reading Cinder. I read it a few years ago and decided to pick it back up. It’s a story I very much enjoy and I love the plot and character growth. I enjoy the plot twists, even though I knew they were coming! I really love Marissas writing and can’t wait to pick up the next one!
squidopedia's review
4.0
I've been putting off reading this book for quite some time and I honestly don't even know why! But the other day I decided to just FINALLY order it and dig in!!! So glad I did.
Other than the cheesy ending twist where you find out she's the missing princess (I just knew it was coming, that's the only reason I rated this book a 4 instead of a 5) the book was just awesome. 'Awesome' is seriously the right word to use here. The world was super cool, honestly, it was probably the best part. I loved the way it's futuristic earth in a way that is not the norm of thinking when it comes to most books. Like, technology has advanced but so much else has either stayed the same or gone backwards. The plague was a pretty cool tie in to that. It's the kind of futuristic earth I actually imagine we will have one day. Plagues and all will still follow us but our technology will be the one thing that will advance. Super neat!
The characters also weren't too cheesy and could hold their own heads on their shoulders. Cinder herself was pretty decent which is good because most of the time I find female protagonists to be written as useless. I really liked her though! Prince Kai was also not awful & Iko was probably my absolute favourite character! I wish I could have my own Iko now :p
The actual Cinderella tie ins were there but it was just done in such unique ways, so definitely an epic way to re tell the classic fairytale. I loved when she lost her foot on the stairs... her literal foot.
The lunar world is interesting too and I really liked how their 'magic' was described as not actually being, well, magic. Just a manipulation of energy. LOVE IT. It really tripped me out to think that one day we could look at our moon, gazing fondly, when there's people up there. How weird is that??? Really neat aspect of the story.
I read a lot so for me to find pieces of books new and exciting is, for lack of better words, so new and exciting for me!
Super glad I finally read this book and I can understand why it's so popular. I've got to get my hands on the next of the series!
Other than the cheesy ending twist where you find out she's the missing princess (I just knew it was coming, that's the only reason I rated this book a 4 instead of a 5) the book was just awesome. 'Awesome' is seriously the right word to use here. The world was super cool, honestly, it was probably the best part. I loved the way it's futuristic earth in a way that is not the norm of thinking when it comes to most books. Like, technology has advanced but so much else has either stayed the same or gone backwards. The plague was a pretty cool tie in to that. It's the kind of futuristic earth I actually imagine we will have one day. Plagues and all will still follow us but our technology will be the one thing that will advance. Super neat!
The characters also weren't too cheesy and could hold their own heads on their shoulders. Cinder herself was pretty decent which is good because most of the time I find female protagonists to be written as useless. I really liked her though! Prince Kai was also not awful & Iko was probably my absolute favourite character! I wish I could have my own Iko now :p
The actual Cinderella tie ins were there but it was just done in such unique ways, so definitely an epic way to re tell the classic fairytale. I loved when she lost her foot on the stairs... her literal foot.
The lunar world is interesting too and I really liked how their 'magic' was described as not actually being, well, magic. Just a manipulation of energy. LOVE IT. It really tripped me out to think that one day we could look at our moon, gazing fondly, when there's people up there. How weird is that??? Really neat aspect of the story.
I read a lot so for me to find pieces of books new and exciting is, for lack of better words, so new and exciting for me!
Super glad I finally read this book and I can understand why it's so popular. I've got to get my hands on the next of the series!