Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel And Friends
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400


Summary: 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 Thoughts: Every once in a while you come across a book that takes your breathe away, that is amazing, and that you want to recommend to all of your friends. Cinder is one of those books. It does start of a bit slow but by 30, I was hooked. Totally hooked where I couldn't stop reading.

Cinder is a mechanic but that isn't all she is. She is special, she has a family where she doesn't really fit in because she's different. She's a cyborg. Her stepmother doesn't feel like she's one of them, she doesn't have feelings, and can't really be true to common things such as crying or being compassionate but we can tell from the get go, she does feel things. She truly understands what its like to be human.

Cinder is basically an orphan, her family suffered a terrible crash and she barely made it out. She was than taken by a man, who also died and his wife took Cinder in. She's never really known what is was like to be a part of a family that appreciated her. She has a cyborg foot and hand.

Cinder works as a mechanic in Commonwealth. She is good at her job. She can fix most things. One day, the prince comes to her booth to ask for her help to fix his old android. His name is Kai, and she thinks he is very handsome but does her best to avoid the temptations of swooning over him like all the other girls in the world.

Let's talk about Kai for a minute. He is next in line to be emperor of Eastern Commonwealth. Kai was very handsome from Cinder's descriptions. But not only that, he also has a personality and is very likable. He's funny, snarky, and seems like even though he has to be serious, this guy can totally warm your heart. There was something about Kai that instantly drew me to him and I ended up falling in love with him. He was so darn sweet.

Cinder's sister Peony comes down with the Plague, which has been inhabiting earth for a while now, people are dying, nobody can sustain it. Including Kai's father who is also sick.

After Cinder's sister Peony comes down with the Plague, her stepmother volunteers her for the cyborg draft; to help scientists find a cure for the Plague. In the process, it also kills the volunteers.

Cinder gets a stunning surprise when she gets tested.

All the meanwhile, Kai is on the verge of marrying the Queen Of Lunar to acquire a truce between the two planets. This way, he figures they won't attack.

Kai also doesn't know she is a cyborg or any kind of special. He likes her, but in his eyes, she's just a normal citizen and a girl at that.

This world is filled with political struggles and you'll never see most of the events coming. You'll be stunned, you'll want to punch things, and by the end you'll be desperately wishing you had the next book in the series.

I loved all the futuristic talk.  The hovers, the netscreens, androids, different kinds of people. Different species basically. I loved the comm talk, the way they could communicate.

Cinder isn't who everyone thinks she is. She's definitely unique. Not only her personality, but everything about her is amazing and different. I loved her voice. She is so real.

This book is basically a retelling of Cinderella but in my opinion it's just so different, its a whole new level of Cinderella. It's amazing. It's graceful. It's perfect.


Overall: Cinder was absolutely whole heartily freaking great. I loved Cinder, I loved Kai, I loved all the secondary characters, I loved her sister, I loved her android. Cinder is an interesting debut! And that cliffhanger, next book now please.....

Cover: This cover is amazing. I love it. And it represents the story perfectly. I love how we can see her cyborg foot. And love the red heels.

What I'd Give It: