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memmah's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Ableism and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Medical trauma
Minor: Confinement, Medical content, Car accident, and Death of parent
msradiosilence's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Content warnings at the bottom. :)
I first read the Lunar Chronicles when I was in high school. And that was a LONG time ago. My boyfriend got me the pretty cover box set, so I figured now was as good a time as any to read it!
My first major issue is that the main characters are all 16-17 years old. That’s insanity. Since the whole series takes place in like 9 months, Cinder is a <i> child </i>. She’s a baby. 16 is NOTHING. Too young to be causing all this trouble, that’s for sure. She does so much in this book and the next three, like?? Did she have to be 16?
My second major issue is that, even though this book is set in Beijing, there’s very little of Eastern Asian culture in the book. Mayhaps that’s because the author is a white woman with no ties to China, and we all know how I feel about white authors writing outside of their experiences, but I digress.
I’ve always felt so sorry for Kai. Bless him, he’s always getting the short end of the stick with all of this, and it’s a wonder he doesn’t have a full head of grey hair. Poor guy is always stressed.
Dr. Erland is one of the best unhinged characters I’ve read in a while. Morally grey, funny, he’s just a fun character to read. I don’t agree at all with anything he’s ever done, but I do love a moral grey bitch.
Rating: 4.5
Would I recommend? Yes, especially if you enjoy moon people, quippy robots, and sci-fi fairytale retellings.
Content warnings: Car accident, Child abuse, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, War, Bullying, Death of parent, Gun violence, Ableism, Classism, Medical trauma, Blood, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Death
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Slavery, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: War
bluelillybooks's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Pandemic/Epidemic
readingqueerly's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
The story is a refreshing take on a the classic Cinderella Story (obvi). It has quite a few relevant themes and topics not the least of which a scary disease of course.
A few of the plot twists I have to say I saw coming from quite far away but I'm not personally deterred by that (same with spoilers for that matter). In fact, it was fun to see that I was right about things and even looking forward to the reveal moments.
For a book that's a decade old now (yes 10 years!) I have to say it holds up really well imo and the main character is actually really interesting and well written. That can be a downfall with those 2010s strong female main characters.
I'm well chuffed I finally read this book and I cannot wait to get the next one in the series.
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Grief
kylieqrada's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, and War
meganpbell's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
psliz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Racism
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Blood and Car accident
lectricefeministe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
abbypeekreads's review against another edition
- 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
The writing was excellent, the twist on a classic fairytale was so clever, and the characters were super unique and engaging. The high stakes of the premise were very engaging as well--I love political intrigue in a novel, so the tense circumstances surrounding the Lunars and Earth kept me hooked into the story. That mixed with the mystery surrounding Cinder's past meant that I really couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to continue the series and see what twists on more classic fairytales Meyers has in store!
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Gun violence and Blood