Review: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1

Previous novellas in this series: Glitches (#0.5) | The Little Android (#0.6)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA, sci-fi, fairy tale retelling

Publication date: January 2012

Published by: Feiwel & Friends

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis:

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.

My rating: ★★★★★
I loved, loved, LOVED this book! I’ve actually had this book for a very long time. I’ve met Marissa Meyer TWICE at TLC signings and I’m only just reading this book now.

I’m really mad at myself because I really loved it and I just can’t believe I waited this long to read it 😩😅 I mean, there are A LOT fairy tale retellings out in the world, but this is one of the best, and definitely one of the most unique, ones that I have read! I mean sci-fi and a cyborg Cinderella?

I really loved this mesh of fantasy and sci-fi and fairy tales. It was just really cool and made for such an interesting world. And interesting characters too! Not only did I love Cinder, but I also loved Cinder the character. Lol. I loved her snark and I loved the cool cyborg abilities she has. I liked being in her POV because it was just really interesting seeing the world through her cyborg vision. I loved it!

Unlike in the OG Cinderella fairy tale, in Cinder, her stepmom’s husband isn’t her real dad. They’re both pretty much Cinder’s adoptive parents. Anyway, it was very interesting to learn about her past, especially since Cinder herself didn’t remember much prior to her cybernetic surgery a couple years back. And let me tell you, the things we find out... It's insane! I loved it! And speaking of Cinder being a cyborg, I hated how cyborgs were treated in this world—it made me so sad for Cinder 😩

It was made out to be some sort of honor, giving your life for the good of humanity, but it was really just a reminder that cyborgs were not like everyone else.

Cinder’s stepmother, Adri, was the absolute worst! She was verbally abusive toward Cinder and just ugh! What an awful human being! The older sister, Pearl, was no better. She was such a bitch. Double ugh! Fortunately, Cinder had Peony on her side. I thought Cinder’s relationship with her younger stepsister was very interesting because in all other Cinderella versions both of her stepsisters are just awful to her. In this book, however, Peony and Cinder get along really well and I loved that! I loved Peony! It was just so sweet!

Another character I loved that was also in Cinder’s corner is her best friend and android, Iko! I fell in love with Iko as soon she made her first appearance in the book. Lol. She is such a sassy android and I totally love that! She's also fiercely loyal to Cinder, and I could not be more happy for Cinder! I also love that Iko is pretty much in love with Prince Kai and she’s not afraid to show it. Lol.

The blue sensor brightened, shedding a spotlight into Nainsi’s interior.
Cinder twisted up her lips. “Do you think it could have a virus?”
“Maybe her programming was overwhelmed by Prince Kai’s uncanny hotness.”

My one issue was that Iko wasn’t described very well at the beginning so I was having a hard time picturing her. I think that’s literally my only issue with this book. Lol. And it wasn’t that big a deal because I just went online and looked up fan art of her. Lol. And okay one more thing: this disease that is plaguing the world is mentioned a lot at the beginning of the book and I was super curious what the deal was with it, but we didn’t get an explanation until around page 50. But maybe I was just being impatient 🤷‍♀️ Idk. Lol.

Anyway, this whole deal with the Letumosis disease and the Cyborg draft to find a cure and Cinder’s involvement in all this... it was very interesting. The Lunars were also really interesting. Learning about what they (and their awful Lunar Queen, Levana) can do was equally intriguing and horrifying! There was a moment when Prince Kai was defending one of his servants from Queen Levana and things got real intense! But Kai is so caring about his country and its people and I just love that! He may be a prince, but he’s very down to earth and just a decent guy that shows some sass every now and then. Lol. I just really loved him! He and Cinder have some sweet and awkward moments and it’s SO cute! 🥰

And that ending...

It was shock after shock and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time she was at the ball and everything afterward! Things went bananas! Like, everything goes from pretty cute, to bad, to oh-my-god-there’s-no-possible-way-for-you-to-get-out-of-this-unscathed! It was insane and I felt awful for Cinder! 😩 Insane situations, insane revelations... It was shocking and I enjoyed every single bit of it! Lol.

I don’t have words to describe how amazing this book was! I just adored it! I loved the characters and the world and how the Cinderella fairy tale was interwoven with sci-fi and set in a futuristic world. It was just amazing and highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of fairy tale retellings!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! 😊