Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles was my introduction to the writings of Marissa Meyer. Though I went on to read and discuss the whole Renegades series with El earlier this year, for some reason, reading the rest of The Lunar Chronicles got delayed. However, thanks to my bookstagram friend Meisha who recently finished Cinder, I finally bring you our thoughts about this book. We are heading into our first buddy read with book 2, Scarlet. But first, Cinder, and heads up, there are some spoilers in this discussion:
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.
Content Notes: Depiction of death, discrimination, emotional abuse, medical experimentation, needles.
Cinder
The Reading Discussion
Welcome to my book blog, Meisha. It is wonderful to host you and discuss one of the books I love. I never got around to writing about it and am glad I got the opportunity to finally! What motivated you to pick up this book? I was recommended this by a friend and the retelling aspect piqued my interest. What did you think of the book?
I am north of liking it but not all loving it. I love Cinder and Iko. I was so sad that Iko was taken apart. I loved the setting and the futuristic take. I really like when author’s take a traditional trope, like a fantasy retelling, and twist it into something new. I really need to know what happens next!
I was really sad about Ino too. I was listening Cinder as an audiobook and the I remember the narrator making that scene so emotional, it was heartbreaking.
I did not realize how many retellings are out there and how many authors do that kind of writing until I heard about this book. Mixing genres and somehow keeping the essence of old stories is an art. That was reflected in the step-mom role of Cinder.
What didn’t work for me is that I thought the villains (thinking of the queen and the ‘stepmom’) were kind of bland. They often seemed interchangeable for each other, so a bit one-note.
Thinking back, I agree with you. Maybe because this is just the first book, those characters are very superficial – we have only heard Cinder’s side of the story and the history of the world is evolving before our eyes.
What did you think of the concept of the Lunars? Help me out with this because it’s been a year since I read this – how did humans develop glamour? Was that evolution to live on the moon?
I liked the idea of Lunars. It gave me some serious Sailor Moon vibes, so I will always be up for any moon-based population. With both Cinder and Sailor Moon, you have lunar evil queens and missing princesses. Can’t get enough!
I don’t recall Meyer ever writing how they developed it, just that they did. So either I missed something or it’s not addressed. But I enjoyed the concept of abilities that are magical to us ordinary folks but are not considered magical in this alternate universe. Instead, the lunars just have a unique bioelectricity makeup. I’m very excited to see what evolves with Cinder and her glamour ability.
I liked Kai and want to see more of him because I also found him a little bland. But sweet! I just wish we saw more of him and got to know him better.
I think he was the typical prince being shepherded from one place to another, trying to find his footing in the world.
When I read this book, the idea of a pandemic and vaccine testing wasn’t very real to me. I read it without having much of a connection with it. But with COVID-19 and actually living through a pandemic, I think reading those pats of the book would be more harrowing to me. What did you think of that side of the story?
Until this question, I hadn’t actually made the connection! But now that I’m thinking about it, the aspect that strikes me the most is how the people infected are taken away to suffer and ultimately die alone on a cot. This is tragically similar to people who need to be admitted into the hospital and can’t have their loved ones with them. Reading this book in 2020, I think many of us could definitely relate more to a pandemic and the desperate search for a cure than we ever could before.
On the Ending of Cinder
I’m still not sure if the reveal that she’s the missing princess was supposed to be a surprise plot twist or not. It comes at the very end, almost like it was supposed to be a shock, but I called it pretty early. So I wanna say it was a tad predictable, but, then again, there are a few things that I have no clue about – such as who rescued Cinder or what’s so special about her.
I think I figured that out early too and that side of the storyline made me wonder if Cinder is truly Cinderella or is she an amalgamation of Cinderella and Snow White?
I like the point about who her fairy-tale counterpart is. Of course, there’s the obvious Cinderella parts, but to your point, Cinderella was a commoner, not a missing princess. There was a part where I guessed who Cinder really was and then thought, but Cinderella wasn’t a princess, so maybe I’m wrong?
If you love fan-art, check out mt friend Elinor‘s wonderful interpretation of Cinder.
Conclusion
Overall, Cinder was a fun read and I highly recommend it as an audiobook. We will be back with the discussion for Scarlet! Thanks for reading. 🙂
** Cinder is available in stores along with the rest of The Lunar Chronicles series and short story collections. I am sure you will be able to find them at your local library too. This series has beautiful covers that I am always curious which ones people pick and read. **
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Cover Photo by malith d karunarathne on Unsplash
I always love looking at your reading experience stats that you put at the end of your reviews, it’s so unique! I agree though the world building and setting was truly unique but the Lunar Queen being such a comical villain made things a bit superficial. I agree also with the characters on the need for them to be more fleshed out but in the end I think the book delivered it’s premise of being a different retelling that was enjoyable!
Thank you 🙂 I think that’s more common with long series where authors can take their time focusing on world building in the first book and then flesh out the side characters in the following ones. It’s hard to balance and do both well. I just started Scarlet and am hoping that we will get to know more of the Lunar Queen but at the same an’t be sure because there are new characters and a different retelling. Did you finish the series? What did you think of them?
I just read the first book and though it was really well written I couldn’t find it as memorable as other books I’ve read this year. But I’m really intrigued about the story and do have the intention of completing them because I really want to know what happens.
I can see that. This is exactly how I am just picking up Scarlet now, a year after reading Cinder. Hoping to have the discussion posted next week!
I highly recommend Renegades (the other series by the author). That one is binge worthy. 🙂
I heard about Renegades before, but was skeptical about it because I’m not a big sci fi person. But since you seem to have similar tastes in books to mine I’ll definitely check out now. Thanks!
I hope you end up enjoying it! 🙂