Think you know Cinderella? Think again. Enter Cinder. Cinder lives in futuristic New Beijing, after the fourth world war. And *BING* Cinder is a cyborg. She is 36.64 (or something like that) NOT human. She remembers nothing from before the accident. The blinding, searing pain. The crash. The splintered bones. She emerges with a metal leg, metal hand, and toughened personality. Now Cinder is sixteen. The Queen of the Lunars (or people from the moon) is ready and waiting to take over Earth. A deadly disease is spreading through New Beijing. And cyborgs are being sacrificed to find the cure. When Adri, Cinder's evil stepmother (and one of the only things that makes this remotely like the story of Cinderella), volunteers her for "testing". Cinder knows she won't live through it. But then a miracle happens. Cinder is immune to the disease! But she's more special than that...deadly special. *DUN DUN DUN* And the plot thickens from there! You'll have to read the book (a very amazing book, might I add!) to find out more! Okay, now to why I love this book. I love the EXCELLENT plot. Marissa Meyer did the best job of writing! This is officially on my top three list! The book Cinder was filled with absolutely NO language, and had no inappropriate scenes. It sparked my imagination and left me wanting to read more! I would give this book (if I could) FIFTEEN out of five! I love it!!!! --BKS reviews
Cinder
By Marissa Meyer
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 6 - 8 | Grades 3 - 6 | n/a | 5.8 | 87661 |
The #1 New York Times Bestselling Series!
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.
Marissa Meyer on Cinder, writing, and leading men
Which of your characters is most like you?
I wish I could say that I'm clever and mechanically-minded like Cinder, but no―I can't fix anything. I'm much more like Cress, who makes a brief cameo in Cinder and then takes a more starring role in the third book. She's a romantic and a daydreamer and maybe a little on the naïve side―things that could be said about me too―although she does find courage when it's needed most. I think we'd all like to believe we'd have that same inner strength if we ever needed it.
Where do you write?
I have a home office that I've decorated with vintage fairy tale treasures that I've collected (my favorite is a Cinderella cookie jar from the forties) and NaNoWriMo posters, but sometimes writing there starts to feel too much like work. On those days I'll write in bed or take my laptop out for coffee or lunch.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from Cinder would you want with you?
Cinder, definitely! She has an internet connection in her brain, complete with the ability to send and receive comms (which are similar to e-mails). We'd just have enough time to enjoy some fresh coconut before we were rescued.
The next book in the Lunar Chronicles is called Scarlet, and is about Little Red Riding Hood. What is appealing to you most about this character as you work on the book?
Scarlet is awesome―she's very independent, a bit temperamental, and has an outspokenness that tends to get her in trouble sometimes. She was raised by her grandmother, an ex-military pilot who now owns a small farm in southern France, who not only taught Scarlet how to fly a spaceship and shoot a gun, but also to have a healthy respect and appreciation for nature. I guess that's a lot of things that appeal to me about her, but she's been a really fun character to write! (The two leading men in Scarlet, Wolf and Captain Thorne, aren't half bad either.)
Book Reviews (152)
What an amazing review @bookstory13!
Thanks so much! It was truly an awesome, amazing, wonderfully surprising and fast-paced book! I would recommend it to all ages! I LOVED IT! 😍
@Bookstory13 - Amazing Review! Written perfectly great job on your editors pick!
I was reading through my review, and I mentally banged my head. I forgot the % sign after 36.64! Lol!
This book blew me away, I cannot wait to read the rest of this series
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This book is by far the worst book I have ever read which is really ironic considering the fact I've read some awful ones. The plot twists in this book is just down right bad. It ends on a bad cliff hanger that doesn't want for more or make me want to read the second book. The book takes Cinderella and gets rid of everything that makes it a classic fairy tale. The overall lack of detail also doesn't help its case. And the villain doesn't get introduced in person early enough to allow us to enjoy her. Its opening is subpar and the only decent part is the ball. Loving books so much it's a mystery to me on why anyone would like this one
Are you kidding? This was the best book ever! I loved the plot twists (except for Peony!) and I really want to read the second book because of the cliff hanger at the end! She ISN'T Cinderella, she's just Cinder. Just Cinder. She's not a fairy tale, she's not a fair maiden. She's a tough, smart, caring street girl who isn't afraid to get dirty (like grease). I think Queen Lavana got introduced just in time! If the author wanted us to know more of her, he would keep the story going. All in all, I loved this book! It was the best I have read for a long time!
This a a fantastic book! It takes the old Cinderella fairy tale that everyone loves and gives it an exciting reboot that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat. This book is a captivating mix of adventure and romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more. Cinder's character is an inspiring figure for people of all ages.
This is an awesome book and retelling/spinoff of the classical fairytale, Cinderella. In this amazing text, Cinder, though a robot, fights her own feelings. She can't be in love with Prince Kai, can she? She has other things to worry about--such as the fact that Adri, her owner, hints that she wants to give Cinder away for letumosis testing. Chock-full of adventure, emotions, romance, and mystery, I give this book a 100 out of 5 stars!!
I like Cinder but hate Kai.
This book is so great. There is lot of adventure but also amazing romance. I really recommend this book.
I've read many fractured fairy tales, but this one was very special to me. I love how they put a complete spin on Cinderella, with special elements that makes this book a page turner. I'm just in awe of how the author was able to pull off a sci-fi, futuristic spin of Cinderella so well. If you're looking for a page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is the perfect book for you. I have read the entire series plus the additional books by Marissa Meyer, and I gotta say, every book you read just keeps getting better and better in the Lunar Chronicles. It is by far one of my favorite book series! You really get attached to the characters and how they grow and develop throughout the series. I do, however, recommend this series for middle schoolers, or at least ages 10+ because there are some slight themes that you need to be a bit mature to read, but other than that, a perfect book! If you ever spot a Cinder at your library, please take the time to read it! You won't regret it!
I love how this story is a twist on the classic, Cinderella, with it's own special elements that made it an entirely different story, unlike some retelling that are out there, that just change, say, Cinderella into a cat or something. Adding the cyborg element, that separated her from the rest of society, placing the story in the future, and changing the world into an empire really twists the story into a whole new world, all while staying in our world. Meshing together romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and war into a single book makes it appeal to many different kinds of readers. Now I have to find the third book! :) (Cress)
This is such a good idea. I loved this book so so so so so much. I hope to meet the author someday.