Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Review: Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles #1
Publisher: Feiwei & Friends
Released: January 3rd, 2012
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.

Taken from Goodreads

Start: 4/6/2014 | End: 4/8/2014 | Pages: 387 | Rating: 5 Stars  

My Thoughts:


I just finished Cinder five minutes ago, and I am speechless. I'm at a loss of words. Really, anything said in this review cannot express how amazing and wonderful this book is. My review does no justice.

I'm literally going to be walking around like a limp noodle for the next few days, in a daze over THIS BOOK.

This gif totally fits bwahaha

But honestly, where do I begin. Obviously with forcing everyone who hasn't read Cinder to go read it now. Cinder is the story of a cyborg mechanic in a far off future where the letumosis plague is eating everyone away. Stuck with her "evil" stepmother and her two daughters Pearl and Peony, she manages to survive by supporting them with her genius mechanical skills.

Everything changes when Peony catches the illness, and Cinder is sent away for the "voluntary" cyborg draft, where she will be tested on to find a cure. And everyone knows no cyborg comes back from those tests. No one except for Cinder, because she's the only hope for Earth when it comes to the Lunar race, and more importantly the Lunar Queen.

The moment I met Cinder, I instantly loved her, and her sarcasm. After reading so many YA books with mediocre heroines, Cinder blew me away. I really can't describe it right at the moment, nor am I emotionally capable of writing this review at the moment, but Cinder is a smart, kickass MC, who makes smart, and reasonable, decisions that aren't questioned by the reader. Plus she's a cyborg, which I know is looked down upon in the book, but I personally think that's awesome.

All of the minor characters were mostly or fully developed. The reason I know this? Because I fell in love with every one of them, even Adri and the Lunar Queen (I don't actually "love" them, just the characters themselves.....blagh it's hard to explain, hopefully you know what I mean? What I'm trying to say is that they were done well).

Iko and Peony were definitely my favorites.

And PRINCE KAI! Oh I have mixed feelings about you! Especially at the end there. But I leave further judgements to the next book.

This is one of the best world-building I have ever read about in a YA novel. It's absolutely stunning. 


Everything about New Beijing is well put together. There's no info dump, everything is gradually put on you. The context of the story gives you accurate descriptions of the environment and the new tech, like androids, hovers, IDs, etc. If an author had to learn one thing from Meyer, it's that you don't just tell us what this or that is, you show show show SHOW

I am in love with this fantasy, science fiction, dystopian mix of a genre. ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE, and I really cannot contain my inner fangirlness!

I'm dying to read the next book. I want more! I read half of the book in one sitting and the rest just now, and I seriously need the rest of the series. Someone send me Scarlet now please!  


27 comments:

  1. Cinder really is amazing, isn't it? I read in it December but it's stuck with me this whole time. I love your review, by the way, I totally agree with everything you've said!

    x Ely

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    1. Thank you! I'm for sure adding Cinder to my top reads of the year :3

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  2. Wonderful review, Val! I'm sold. I've heard so many amazing things about this series, and in fact I bought all three for my daughter and I recently. I just need to pick this one up :)

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    1. Yay that means you have no excuse NOT to read it! Really, you will not regret it at all.

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  3. I've been seeing this book in a lot of blogs and I'm starting to wonder if it's really that good..? I might consider adding this in my reading list yay!! :) Awesome blog, Valerie! I just started a blog around a week ago so would you want to check it out? Maybe we can follow each other too! Just let me know!! :) xx

    Jillian @ Jillian's Books

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    1. Jillian. There is a reason why this is on so many blogs, because it is THE book to read. Trust me you will not regret adding it to your reading list ;)

      I really love your blog layout and the books you review. Definitely following it!!!

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    2. Definitely might buy this soon! Thanks for the review! I'm so excited :D
      (followed too!!)

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  4. Oh my god, I absolutely love Cinder!!! She is such a strong-minded character with so much determination. This series just keeps getting better, you need to read along!!

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    1. I absolutely cannot wait to get Scarlet on my hands! I'm debating whether to borrow the book when I come home for the summer, or to just buy it now off of amazon. Decisions, decisions.

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  5. I've been wanting to read this book for ages! Your review was excellent! Thanks for sharing :)
    By the way, I nominated you for the Liebster award! http://theredbookmark.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-liebster-award.html

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    1. Thanks so much Erika! I'm definitely going to have to have a second post for all these Liebster award nominations.

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  6. I'm reading this book THIS MONTH! I am so so excited for it, so many great reviews! Nice review :) I love that Disney GIF haha!

    Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination

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    1. Haha thanks so much Katrina! I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!! :)

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  7. I loved Cinder too! I recently finished reading Cress which was just as awesome (and in some ways more awesome!). While I generally encourage binge reading series... and that's what I did... maybe you should consider pacing out Scarlet and Cress... you probably won't want to, but Winter comes out in 2015 and you might save yourself some antsy-ness.

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    1. Oooo I really wish I could binge read it even though I know it'll be a bad idea. But I don't even have the second book right now, so I would have to wait until the summer anyways. Either way I'm going to be antsy since I'm going to finish the series before Winter comes out. 2015 is a loooooooong wait :P

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  8. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SERIES. I have to admit, I reeeeally didn't like Prince Kai in book #2, but I won't say more. ;) Book #3 is jaw-dropping amazing. I just love ALL the characters! It's unbelievable how Marissa Meyer makes all her characters so 3D and unique and different. I just...wow. Am in awe. But that first gif, woah, dude, YES. That's awesome. x)

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    1. NOOOOO WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT! I really wanted to like Prince Kai, but I admit I'm not a fan after book 1. You're really making me want to buy Scarlet and Cress not :(

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  9. Glad you liked this one, dear! The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite YA series, and Meyer's writing is simply fantastic! I love her so much and the world and characters she created :) I can't wait for you to read the rest of the books. I don't like Kai as much as he's so uptight compared to the other male leads :P Oh you'll see! ahihihi.

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

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    1. Yes apparently I will see :P

      I actually haven't finished many series surprisingly because of lack of interest, but I have a feeling I'm going to love the Lunar Chronicles!

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  10. Wow you just made me what to read this even more!! I NEED to read this asap! Great review!

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  11. I own this book but I refuse to read it until I buy both Scarlet and Cress. I feel like EVERYONE loves this series so I need to read it ASAP.

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    1. You should buy both Scarlet and Cress now and then read them all in one day. Sounds like a plan right?

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    2. It sounds like an AMAZING plan. I'm on it! :D

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  12. It is wonderful isn't it? I am actually jealous that you still get to read Scarlet and Cress for the first time. I just finished Cress today and it is amazing. You have some wonderful characters ahead of you to meet and if you are anything like me - a new book boyfriend ;-)

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    1. There are actually A LOT of books and series that I have NEVER read because I took a HUGE break high school year with reading. It's kind of stressful but then nice that I haven't read it yet.

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  13. I'm in the minority. I wasn't crazy about this one. Maybe if I hadn't figured out the main plot twist super early in the story, I would have liked it more; as it was, I thought all the characters were so stupid for not seeing something that was so obvious!

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