fatimahalazzawi's review against another edition
4.0
“This isn’t the fairytale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget.”
The first book in the Lunar Chronicles is set 108 years after world war 4. It follows a heroine by the name of Cinder, a 16-year-old cyborg living in New Beijing. In case you haven’t figured it out; she is a futuristic Cinderella. If you don't know what a cyborg is… it means that Cinder is half robot half human. And people dislike her for it. There are some advantages to being a cyborg, such as: being an amazing mechanic (which is how Cinder earns a living), her brain can download useful information, she can tell when people are lying, and she can't blush. But being a cyborg is easily one of the worst things to be, at least in Cinder's world. Her stepmother won't let her buy new cyborg parts (such as a larger mechanical foot), she can't cry, and being a cyborg means she is not treated like a normal person… because she isn't one. Like the classic Cinderella fairytale, she has an evil stepmother, an evil stepsister, and her 'father' is dead. But her second step sister is her best friend (other than her android, Iko). Things are really bad in New Beijing. There is a deadly disease called letumosis spreading around the city, but there is no known cure. The evil, powerful queen of the moon, who can manipulate people, is planning to take over Earth. The emperor of the Commonwealth is dying from letumosis. And in the midst of all this, Cinder meets every teen girl’s dream: Prince Kai. They become moderately friends, but Cinder's world is determined to turn for the worse. Her stepsister, Peony, somehow gets the sickness. Cinder cannot stop herself from thinking it is her fault. Her stepmother envies even more now and is ready to give her up as a sacrifice for research. The lunar queen is coming to earth, ready to take over. Her friendship with Prince Kai is clouded with a fog of secrets. The secret Cinder learns about herself rips her world apart.
The book is only slightly similar to the original fairytale. The story was engaging and had loads of twists and turns to keep me entertained. I did predict the ‘big reveal’ right from the start but that didn't take away from my satisfaction of the story. There was a great amount of action and mystery which was addictive; I always wanted to know what happened next. I would recommend this book to any dystopian and science-fiction fans.
The first book in the Lunar Chronicles is set 108 years after world war 4. It follows a heroine by the name of Cinder, a 16-year-old cyborg living in New Beijing. In case you haven’t figured it out; she is a futuristic Cinderella. If you don't know what a cyborg is… it means that Cinder is half robot half human. And people dislike her for it. There are some advantages to being a cyborg, such as: being an amazing mechanic (which is how Cinder earns a living), her brain can download useful information, she can tell when people are lying, and she can't blush. But being a cyborg is easily one of the worst things to be, at least in Cinder's world. Her stepmother won't let her buy new cyborg parts (such as a larger mechanical foot), she can't cry, and being a cyborg means she is not treated like a normal person… because she isn't one. Like the classic Cinderella fairytale, she has an evil stepmother, an evil stepsister, and her 'father' is dead. But her second step sister is her best friend (other than her android, Iko). Things are really bad in New Beijing. There is a deadly disease called letumosis spreading around the city, but there is no known cure. The evil, powerful queen of the moon, who can manipulate people, is planning to take over Earth. The emperor of the Commonwealth is dying from letumosis. And in the midst of all this, Cinder meets every teen girl’s dream: Prince Kai. They become moderately friends, but Cinder's world is determined to turn for the worse. Her stepsister, Peony, somehow gets the sickness. Cinder cannot stop herself from thinking it is her fault. Her stepmother envies even more now and is ready to give her up as a sacrifice for research. The lunar queen is coming to earth, ready to take over. Her friendship with Prince Kai is clouded with a fog of secrets. The secret Cinder learns about herself rips her world apart.
The book is only slightly similar to the original fairytale. The story was engaging and had loads of twists and turns to keep me entertained. I did predict the ‘big reveal’ right from the start but that didn't take away from my satisfaction of the story. There was a great amount of action and mystery which was addictive; I always wanted to know what happened next. I would recommend this book to any dystopian and science-fiction fans.
unfxckwhittable's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
katkeyes's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes you just need a fun, fast, clever read that mixes fairy tales and cyborgs. What else can I say?
raissasreads's review against another edition
5.0
2nd read finished: april 2020
28383929/5 stars one of my fav series & i’m so happy to be back :”)
28383929/5 stars one of my fav series & i’m so happy to be back :”)
angelsbutchery's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
melissachristene's review against another edition
4.0
I really wish someone would have told me this book was going to be a part of a series because I might have not read it then. The problem for me in this book was that by the time I was completely engrossed in this novel it was almost over and then it just ended. I also found it difficult to get interested in this novel as I don't know to much about China and I fin I don't generally enjoy novels set in Asia, for some weird reason. Anyways, overall this book is an interesting retelling of Cinderella and in the end I did find myself enjoying it. I will definitely be checking out the next book, as I now have to find out what's going to happen :p
impasta_syndrome's review against another edition
4.0
I have to get a few things out of the way before I start this book review. 1. While I adore fairy tale retellings, I have never enjoyed the story of Cinderella. I didn’t love the idea of a girl just hoping and waiting for outside influences to change her life. Before this book, that’s all I felt about Cinderella. 2. This book has completely changed my mind. The story of Cinderella is many of centuries old. Yet, Marissa Meyer found a way to reinvent this story into something new and exciting.
In this version, Cinder is a cyborg in futuristic New Beijing. Cyborgs in this world have metal infused into their bodies for medical reasons. Instead of organic transplants, the lower classes have to take metal ones for nerve and muscle replacements. Once a person has one of these transplants, they are seen as part of an even lower class. They are treated as something to be avoided in society. Cinder has been a cyborg for as long as she can remember. She was brought to live with her “family” at the age of 11 and has no memory before then. Her mechanic “Father” traveled to England for work and returned with her to become a part of his family. He is one of the men who worked on her to save her life. Cinder, now 16, works as a mechanic downtown to support her new family after her Father has died from the plague cursing the country. This could be enough to fuel this first book in the Lunar Chronicles.
However, there is so much more. The Emperor has the plague, the (very handsome)prince shows up at Cinder’s shop to have his android repaired, the colony on the Moon is prepared to wage war on the Earth, and Cinder is on a path that will lead her to find out the secrets of her past. I really liked this book. I read it in a little over a day and enjoyed each moment. Meyer did a great job of making this retelling wonderful and new but still keeping the underlying base story intact. I have only three critiques of this book. The first is that I wish there was more background information of how the world came to be as it is. The second is that 16 seems an unreasonable age for Cinder to be. I imagine her to be around 19 or 20. The third is that there is going to be a year between each new installment of the series. Waiting that long is as far from fun as I can imagine. If you like fairytale retellings, cyborgs, or just a good Sci-Fi novel, you are in for a treat.
In this version, Cinder is a cyborg in futuristic New Beijing. Cyborgs in this world have metal infused into their bodies for medical reasons. Instead of organic transplants, the lower classes have to take metal ones for nerve and muscle replacements. Once a person has one of these transplants, they are seen as part of an even lower class. They are treated as something to be avoided in society. Cinder has been a cyborg for as long as she can remember. She was brought to live with her “family” at the age of 11 and has no memory before then. Her mechanic “Father” traveled to England for work and returned with her to become a part of his family. He is one of the men who worked on her to save her life. Cinder, now 16, works as a mechanic downtown to support her new family after her Father has died from the plague cursing the country. This could be enough to fuel this first book in the Lunar Chronicles.
However, there is so much more. The Emperor has the plague, the (very handsome)prince shows up at Cinder’s shop to have his android repaired, the colony on the Moon is prepared to wage war on the Earth, and Cinder is on a path that will lead her to find out the secrets of her past. I really liked this book. I read it in a little over a day and enjoyed each moment. Meyer did a great job of making this retelling wonderful and new but still keeping the underlying base story intact. I have only three critiques of this book. The first is that I wish there was more background information of how the world came to be as it is. The second is that 16 seems an unreasonable age for Cinder to be. I imagine her to be around 19 or 20. The third is that there is going to be a year between each new installment of the series. Waiting that long is as far from fun as I can imagine. If you like fairytale retellings, cyborgs, or just a good Sci-Fi novel, you are in for a treat.
funofme's review against another edition
5.0
yes yes YES!!!! this is the exact book ive been craving and wanting! it has everything and more, i’m so in love with this story !!!
mrst's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Pretty good YA novel. It took me a while to get into, but once I was in, I enjoyed it! I like that this story uses the barest skeleton of the Cinderella story. It is still very much its own story.
briarsandbramble's review against another edition
4.0
Predictable (it’s the Cinderella story after all) in many ways but also really enjoyable! If I didn’t anticipate so much I would have given it a 5.