Soon to be adapted into major motion picture!
The first book in the #1 New York Times- and USA Today-bestselling Lunar Chronicles series by the “Queen of fairytale retellings,” Marissa Meyer! See where the futuristic YA fairytale saga all began, with the tale of a teenage cyborg who must fight for Earth’s survival against villains from outer space.
“An interesting mash up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderella, Terminator, and Star Wars.” —Entertainment Weekly
Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Narrated by Rebecca Soler
Lunar Chronicles Series Book 1
Published by: Macmillion Audio; January 3, 2012
Genres: Fantasy | Romance | Retelling | Young Adult | Dystopia
Length: 10 hours 2 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Libby
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Trigger Warnings: Death, discrimination, emotional abuse, non-consensual medical experimentation, non-consensual mind control, needles, global pandemic, disability, fire
Rated: YA, Adult
★★★★☆ | 4 / 5
Summary
The prince straightened, forcing her gaze to follow him. “You’re not quite what I was expecting.”
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.
With high-stakes action and a smart, resourceful heroine, Cinder is a Cinderella retelling that is at once classic and strikingly original.
My Review
I came across Cinder back in 2014 and read it enthusiastically. I loved the story, especially because it was heavily inspired by Sailor Moon, the first anime I grew up watching and loving. Who could resist? I kept up with the series as the books came out, and not once have I regretted it.
When I heard that The Lunar Chronicles was getting a screen adaptation, I was hyped. One of my favourite series is going to be brought to life! I had been wanting to reread the series for quite some time, but with all my previous commitments to reviewing advance copies, I never had the chance. Listening to the audiobook while out and about doing chores, on the other hand, was an excellent way to revisit the story. And it did not disappoint.
Although my initial rating was five stars, I have had to bring it down to four. Over time, I have become a little more observant and critical of writing, so I noticed a few things that I may not have picked up on when I was younger.
The first is the pacing. Overall, it works well with everything that happens throughout the story, and as a Cinderella retelling, there is a certain structure to follow. However, there is some predictability in what happens next and where the story is leading, which occasionally made me second-guess myself. There is also a slight lack of world-building that I noticed as I went through the novel. I suppose my imagination simply filled in the gaps, making assumptions about how the world and its multitude of settings looked.
The writing style is incredibly easy to breeze through, and the characters are all wonderfully developed. Iko must be one of my favourite characters of all time (especially in the later books!). I also appreciate the sprinkling of foreshadowing throughout the story, as well as the hints toward future characters. And then there’s Levana. I hate her. I hate her so much, and I appreciate how well her character is written to garner such intense hatred. Everything surrounding her is just pure malice.
Overall, Cinder is a great mashup of Cinderella, Sailor Moon, and science fiction. I’m really excited to see how it all comes together on screen, and I can’t wait to see this world brought to life.
This is an alternate cover for Cinder. And yes, there is a ballroom scene!
Fairyloot exclusive edition art.
★★★★☆ | 4 / 5
