Cinder by Marissa Meyer
I loved this book! I read it for my Young Adult Book Club this month and can't believe I waited this long to read it. I actually won it recently and Scarlet so it is perfect timing. Plus both my copies (Cinder and Scarlet) even include a short story. Here is the goodreads description:
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.
Let's be honest, I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings. Also.. another reason I should've read this boo sooner is that Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale character. So a retelling with a Cinderella cyborg is even better!! I read this book super fast. If I had known it was going to be so good I wouldn't have started reading it at 6 at night. I would've started reading it in the morning so that I didn't have to go to bed and could've read it in one sitting. Yes that is how good it is to me.
One of the things I really loved is that this is a cyborg Cinderella in New Beijing China! So the descriptions in the book was a lot of Asian culture. I love that since I haven't read a lot of books that take place in Asian locations. I like Cinder's character... she is feisty, independent, and what I love the most is she is trying to be successful on her own. I enjoyed the elements of the story that were similar to the original fairy tale. I kept waiting for the plot lines that would go a long those lines... like the ball, the slipper, the pumpkin, the fairy godmother. When those parts did occur I was excited to know if I had guessed right or wrong what would happen.
I thought the world building in this book is fun. We get to see a futuristic Beijing.. with androids and cyborgs and humans.. ALSO a race of people who are magical from the moon. The Lunar People. I was really excited about this. I hope that in the future of the series we get to actually travel to the moon and see the colony there.
I can't wait to get started on Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood).. I went ahead and but Cress (Rapunzel) on hold at the library and am really excited for Winter (Snow White). I know I haven't read books 2 and 3 yet but seriously I don't even see how they could be terrible books. You need to read this book now!
The Crystal Ball says:
Sun is shinning!!! Great day to go outside and read this book.
My other book reviews from the series:
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Here are the book club discussion questions we used in my book club- click on image to enlarge:
Yes, Cinder, and the whole Lunar Chronicles series is soooo amazing. I love it so much. Glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteOn man, I had this book in my list, removed it because of totally negative reviews... And now I'm gonna have to put it back? *sigh* I better just read it and get it over with.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm so happy that you've finally read this and loved it! Now you can read Scarlet and Cress and go through the pain of waiting for the last book with me! LOL I agree with all the points of your review - this book is such a smart retelling of Cinderella!
ReplyDeleteCinder is awesome! I hope you like Scarlet. I liked it more than Cinder, and that is saying something. Shadows on the Moon is a great book for more Asian culture, and Cindy Pon's books.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great review. I have had this on my to-read list for a long time now. Maybe I should get to this soon.
ReplyDeleteWow, you really LOVED Cinder. :) I enjoyed it too, but well, not as much as you (probably because I'm not that big on fairy tales/retellings) But yes, turning Cinderella into a cyborg was a brilliant idea and while I'm not that excited about Scarlet, I kinda want to check out Cress (since I do <3 Rapunzel)
ReplyDeleteAnd Kai? He was...okay. I don't know... I loved Cinder but I didn't really feel the chemistry between them...
I am so glad you loved this! I really love this series and want to re-read the whole thing before Winter comes out!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
This series is a lot of fun- I just finished up Cress (review goes up later this week) and it was great fun.
ReplyDeleteI love this book too! Heck, I love the WHOLE series. I don't know if you've already read Scarlet, but if you haven't, be prepared that when you start reading, it's not from Cinder's POV. She's shows back up (in ch. 4 or 5), but I didn't know that, and when it wasn't Cinder, I nearly threw my book across the room, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI literally just finished this book this weeks too... I really enjoyed it and it was a quick read. I like feelings too but Cinderella has never been one of my favorites, I was pleasantly surprised by this character!
ReplyDeleteI've requested Scarlet from the library. :) Also, mutterings indicate that Winter will take place on the moon.
These could be fun movies too, if they were done right.
I so want to read this one! It's been on my wish list for awhile now. I'm glad you liked it so much. I hear really good things about all the other books too!!
ReplyDeleteLauren from www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
Excellent, top-notch review, Angela! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts about Cinder, and if I hadn't already tried (twice) this would definitely make me add it to my tbr. Unfortunately, I have tried both reading it and listening to it on audio, and whilst the audio was certainly looking better, I didn't make it far into the second disc (over an hour of listening) when I decided it wasn't for me. The plot is great and the world, the world is so vivid! but... it just didn't click, and sadly it seems this series isn't for me. Still, I like seeing others clear enjoyment of it!
ReplyDeleteexcellent review! i havent read the books but plan on doing so soon - they look super good!
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to start Scarlet this week!! I have a few comics to read and I have to finish a book for Project Disney this week. I need to read Scarlet before Cress gets in from the library!
ReplyDeleteI just couldn't believe how good it was and wish I had joined the party sooner. But better late then never right?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any negative reviews... I only saw positive ones! LOL You must put it on your reading list. You will love it!
ReplyDeleteI am really super excited to finish .. well finish the books that are out. Only one more year to go till Winter comes out!! Yeesh!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for the suggestions. I want to read more of a variety in culture in my books. It seems they all take place in America or American culture and I just want to read more of a variety.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed it. I will say ... that there aren't a lot of strong male characters in it (I am just saying this since you are a male). If you don't mind so much reading about a girl.... but of course she is a cyborg so that's cool!!
ReplyDeleteYou know... I re-read my post and it's like I am some fangirl for One Direction or something LOL! I don't know about Kai myself and hope he gets more fleshed out in future books. I did get kind of spoiled on his story but that was my own fault. I looked at a review for Cress .. damn it !!!
ReplyDeleteI will probably re-read the whole series too!! It was soooo good. I am going to loan it to my sister as soon as she comes to visit too. I know she will love it.
ReplyDeleteI will for sure come by and check out that review.. (if it is spoiler free). Though usually there are spoilers from previous books soooo.. humm.. ok maybe I'll wait.
ReplyDeleteOh wow... I didn't know that. Thank you for the warning!! I am guessing then that it's from Scarlet's point of view. Hummmm... I will miss me some Cinder. I loved her character soooo much.
ReplyDeleteIt sure was a quick read. Another reason I liked the book. Sometimes I want to just sit down and fly through a book and have a good time doing it. I don't always need serious long stories. Bravo to Meyers for writing this!
ReplyDeleteI hope you pick it up soon. I would love to see what you think of it.
ReplyDeleteHuh... I am glad though that you have shared your thoughts. I always love to read people's points of views when they are opposite of mine. My sister and I go through this. I loved The Diviners and she just couldn't finish it.
ReplyDeleteIf I were you I would do the same and skip the series. There is no sense in trying to finish it if it's not for you. Too many books too little time.
So good!! I loved it sooo much!
ReplyDeleteIt's from both of their POVs! It's just that Scarlet is who the book starts with (which can be upsetting, if you don't know that Cinder tells part of the story too).
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to be reading this book right now. I have bought it myself and it is waiting on one of my shelves just begging to be picked up, but I simply can't bring myself to. I don't know what's keeping me from it. Probably the whole sci-fi concept? I hope to be able to warm up to the story, though. I simply might have to read a few other books before committing to this one.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great review! i really liked this book too, It took me a whiel to read it but I am excited to continue the series
ReplyDeleteI think that most people avoided it at first because of the sci-fi elements. I don't think that is even that big in the story. There are some androids and cyborgs but it's not a huge plot point. I know though when you think something is out of your reading realm that you tend to avoid the book... it happens to me all the time!
ReplyDeleteSeriously I can't wait to continue on in the series. Hoping to read the next book this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind strong female characters. I like the Tempe Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, and I really liked Hunger Games. I will have to read this soon.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Scarlet during the Dewey readathon today so I am about to start it any minute!!
ReplyDeleteGood review, Angela! I'm glad you enjoyed Cinder; it's an awesome book, and a really creative retelling. I've finished Scarlet and I'm partway through Cress, but had to set it aside for some review books I needed to get to. Hope I can get back to it soon!
ReplyDeleteI am trying to hurry and read Scarlet before Cress comes in from the library!!! I have already been waiting for Cress for like a month so I need to get to it.
ReplyDelete