Hi everyone! I hope that you have had a great week! If not, it is almost over so hang in there.
My week has been alright, minus the fact that I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. Everyone knows that moms can’t get sick, we don’t get sick days. So, I spent all day yesterday sipping hot tea with honey. Thank goodness I have inlaws who have bees so we have raw honey at our disposal all the time. The good news, I don’t need to talk to read or be active online!
Other than that, I have not done much. I am looking at updating my reading journal. I am going to add calendar pages. I have also been designing planner stickers for my inkwell press planner. Do you use a planner? If so, I would love to see what you use. I might be a sucker for stationery products. I did take the boys outside to play in the snow though, they had tons of fun!
Well, on to the book review…shall we?
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Published: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Book Length: 390 Pages
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon
Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder’s brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it “a matter of national security,” but Cinder suspects it’s more serious than he’s letting on.
Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder’s intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that’s been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter’s illness, Cinder’s stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an “honor” that no one has survived.
But it doesn’t take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.
How have I not read this until now?! I knew it was popular and it had been on my TBR list for a long time now but…I really loved this. I mean seriously…a Cinderella retelling already had me wanting to read it because I love retellings but throw in that she is a cyborg in New Beijing China…you have me sold!
Now, let’s look at this cover! I love that Cinder is wearing a red show rather than a glass one because let’s face it…how bad would that be if your glass shoe cracked while wearing it…painful! It would look really cool though, I will admit that…well as long as you had beautiful pedicured feet that is. Yes, Cinder is a cyborg but I really like how the cover shows her cyborg parts through her skin, she is walking around more like the terminator with skin rather than all metal parts showing. Cinderella hid something and so does Cinder but she hides a lot more than she realizes.
As I mentioned above, I really enjoy retellings. It is nice to see the same story but from an entirely new perspective and Marissa did exactly that! She made a completely new novel and it is fantastic. Initially, I was a little concerned because the book seemed predictable and I tend to give predictable ones a lower rating. I like to be surprised when reading, make me shout ‘What?!’ out loud so my husband looks at me with curious ‘are you ok’ eyes. Although I was able to figure out the big plot twist really early on, it did not deter my reading or take away from my rating. The story itself is engaging and latches onto the reader. The book started off a little slow but quickly picked up and sucked me into its story.
Not only does Marissa create the kingdom but an entirely new race, the Lunars. I will mention that I really was let down by the lunars. A race who live on the moon…that is about all we get out of the book. I want to know more, where they came from and all of that good background information. I am hoping to find more about the race as the story goes on.
I understand there are cyborgs but it seems that a deeper question needs to be asked. Where is the line where a human becomes a cyborg? Traditionally cyborgs are painted as mechanical beings with no emotions but clearly, Cinder is not that. We see frequently that she feels various emotions. Even Iko, an android seems to feel some type of emotion. I do see how cyborgs would be considered as lesser being though, from other movies and books I’ve watched/read it is easy to see why…they are different, not the norm.
Another aspect that bothered me a little as the lack of ethnicity in the world. This takes place in China…other than a few mentions of Chinese food, there is nothing. Where is my Asain culture?
Cinder: I really enjoyed Cinder as a character overall. She does not let being a cyborg stop her from doing what she wants. She has a dream of being free and is willing to do anything to achieve it, that is until Kai steps in. I really like that Cinder does not fall for him but tries not to fall for him. She avoids his flirtatious behavior because she fears he would not love a cyborg. She is a very empathetic character and I find I can relate to that. She might not be treated the same as everyone else, but she makes sure that she does what is right by her moral compass.
Kai: Oh man Prince Kai! He is charming, handsome, and for once in a book, not a jerk. I fall for the bad boy too but I really love a respectful one. It is refreshing to see a male lead character that has a good head on his shoulders and a kind heart. I love that he struggles with what to do based on what would benefit his kingdom versus what the right decision would be. I really, really look forward to hearing more about him in the future.
Lunar Queen: I have mixed feelings about her. I want to hate her but I really can’t until I know more about her and her motivations. So, until I learn more…I’m on the fence.
Iko: She is really an underrated character. I loved her so much. Iko might be an android but I am not sure she always remembers that fact. Her conversations and mannerisms had me laughing many times throughout the story.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was Rebecca Soler. I did enjoy her reading, she might not have made different voices for each character but her inflections were spot on. I was pleased that she was not monotone and she was able to show emotion in her reading. I feel that makes the story more engaging.
Again…why did I wait so long to read this?! I would imagine it was simply lack of time as that happens often. I think this was a fantastic retelling that brings so much potential for a wonderful series. If I understand correctly, this was her debut novel so the issue I had might be fixed in the following ones. I look forward to continuing this series.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it, what did you think?
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I’m glad you liked Cinder and I hope you feel better!
Thank you so much! Tea and honey all day so my throat isn’t as bad.
I looooove this book (and the series, really) and your review brought me back! Your thoughts were so in-depth and you covered a lot of things I actually forgot about the books. And you had me chuckling about the utility of a glass slipper. Haha, thanks for this review because it reminded me how much I need to re-read The Lunar Chronicles!!
Awe thanks so much! I’m so sad it took me so long to get to it
Do you have plans to continue with the series?
Yes! I’m almost done with the scarlet audiobook!
And loving, I hope!
Yes! I finished it and it was so good. I love the introduction of wolf! Retellings are some of my favortie types of stores. And Marissa does a fantastic job adding her own twist
Retellings are the best! I agree, Marissa handles them so well in TLC. Wait until you get to Cress.
I am listening to that audiobook now and loving it!
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