Review: Cinder, The Lunar Chronicles

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Series: Lunar Chronicles, #1

Released: January 2012

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance, Utopian/Dystopian

Pages: 390

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.

If you're the kind of reader that is a hopeless romantic, loves classics with a twist, and the idea of the whole world being unearthly different in the far future this is your series. I've read the whole series (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter, and both novellas, Fairest (Levana's story) and Stars Above (nine mini stories that include new characters, main characters' pasts, and an "after Winter" chapter)). I'm a sucker for any Utopian/Dystopian series, but this series is different. As you can probably guess, Cinder is based on Cinderella, Scarlet on Little Red Riding Hood, Cress on Rapunzel, Winter on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Fairest on the Evil Queen. But in this millennium, filled with monarchies, "people" from the moon, cyborgs, a power called "glamour", and star-crossed love, these aren't your classic Grimm Brothers' story or even Disney movie. 

I know this review is supposed to be mainly based on the first book of the series, but i decided to base it more on all of the books in the Lunar Chronicles knowing that, like me, you wouldn't be able to stop after only Cinder. This series is also filled with multiple potential "ships" and "I ship it" moments with each book.

My opinion on this book and series, if you couldn't already tell, is that it is one of my ultimate favorites. Things I like about it the most have to be the characters and their diverse and lovable demeanors (Cress is my favorite!) and their relationships. I also must mention that I enjoyed how each book introduces new POV's when new characters are introduced. I admire how Marissa Meyer evolves original characters' backstories, presents, and futures. She even evolves the world and it into something that seems unimaginable. 

The only thing I didn't quite enjoy as much as the rest was a few of the mini stories in Stars Above. Most of the stories explain the main characters' backstories or stories that connect to the character from the past. But some stories introduced completely new characters that, honestly, I could not connect with. Possibly because of the fact that the stories are short stories and have minimal detail and opportunities to relate and love the characters. Although one or two stories from Stars Above were definitely not highlights of the series, the last chapter of this novella is. For those who know the love-hate feeling of finishing a series that you LOVE you know the feeling of just simply wanting more. More situations that would cause the series to go on, more from the characters, more, more, MORE. Well. The last chapter of this book will, if not satisfy your want for more, help you at least step in the right direction of satisfaction.

Overall, I give this series 5/5 stars. These books will forever be a set-in-stone favorite of mine.