Cinder: Chapters 1-5 (The Lunar Chronicles)

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book once hearing about it. Surprisingly enough I found it so compelling I finished it within a day. It's romance-y without the story completely revolving around it. It's a wonderful book that has it's own spins to Cinderella's classic tale.

I was a little skeptical when I read the first chapter. I thought to myself: "Cinderella meets Star Wars?" Then I realized that I couldn't put the book down! I think anyone would enjoy this creative twist on the classic story of Cinderella. I can't wait for the second installment in this series!

youll love this book if you enjoy the not so plain romance. it does have cinderella similarities but it puts a different spin on it. im not usually a sci fi reader but i really enjoyed this and cant wait for the sequel.

Please note! This is only chapters 1-5! After reading this sneak preview, I of course immediately bought the whole book when it was released. And now I can't wait for the other books in the series.

If you like fairy tales with a science fiction twist, you'll love this book!

This is not a Cinderella story. It's a fantastic Dystopic Sci-fi story with a pretty decent amount of action and emotion. It's also mostly "clean" which I really appreciate. I quite enjoyed book two and I am looking forward to the third.

Utterly charming, as a re-told Cinderella should be. The heroine is a smart mouthed cyborg teen, with brilliant mechanical skills. The prince is her equal in the sarcasm department (and this makes him utterly charming —no pun intended) though he is also a pragmatic and patriotic young man. The setting is China after WWIV, in a plague ridden world.

Though the story's villain is the typical heartless step mother, I found her cruelty to be more hateful then usual. There are, however, other people in the story who are equally fearful —perhaps even more so. Happily, there's a comic side-kick in this book who is one of the most lovable characters I've yet to see.

To those who complained that Cinder's "Jane Doe" identity was easy to guess, I think there was more than just one possibility amidst multiple rumors. Moreover, I'd like to remind those reviewers (in a "DUH" sort of way) that it's not necessarily a flaw in this story, considering that we're reading a beloved fairy tale, which has been told in almost the same way for hundreds of years. So how is such a story diminished when we're allowed to latch on to some familiar characters or plot devices? That should be a tribute to the author's skill.

So, to these short sighted party poopers, I'd suggest chilling out with certain expectations: This is a fairy tale! It's not the Hunger Games. We can be annoyed when a book is badly edited or too short; we can be disgusted when it's a weak "Twilight Wanna-Be"; or if the book is too superficial or the main characters are predictable or generic. But when you know you're reading a reimagined fairy tale, take it as it is.

If you acquire this book (and I highly recommend that you do) just be prepared to be delighted. But you also can feel at ease with this author's skills in welding the parts together a bit differently, and giving us a 3-D set of characters. The final choices for these young lovers are a bit more serious than just finding the proverbial glass slipper. This is a keeper!

Linh Cinder, a young cyborg woman (half human/half robot) is the best mechanic in New Beijing, but her abilities aren't appreciated by her demanding stepmother who thinks her husband's death and their subsequent poverty is Cinder's fault. The fact that cyborgs are discriminated against doesn't improve Cinder's situation or her social standing. So when the gorgeous Prince Kai comes to Cinder for help, Cinder doesn't think she warrants his faith or his affection.

Cinder is a wonderful character. She's tough yet sensitive. Smart but naive. Loyal but with a bit of a temper. Her friendship with the quirky robot Iko is also a lot of fun to read about. The reader can't help but feel outraged at how unjustly Cinder is treated. Personally, I hated her stepmother! On the other hand, Prince Kai is a charming, interesting person. The setting, a far-distant New Beijing, is exotic and unique.

But there were a few things that kept this book from getting a five-star rating from me. The first was the whole Cinderella theme which, in my opinion, fit the book as well as the glass slipper did the ugly stepsister's foot. That is, it didn't fit at all. Yes, there are a few similarities, but overall, the book has nothing to do with the original story. Unfortunately, because I'd been told over and over again that this was a sci-fi retelling of Cinderella, I'd expected something entirely different. To me, the book would have been improved if the readers weren't bludgeoned with the theme and kind of came to it on their own. The story is wonderful without being forced into a mold that doesn't work for it.

The second thing that bothered me was the ending. Like so many series, the end of the first book leaves the reader hanging. Again, I am fine with that, but a little warning would have been nice. I hadn't expected the story (especially a YA story) to end on such a low note.

In many ways, Cinder is an excellent book because it is a girl-oriented science fiction story (a rarity). The plot and characters are wonderful, but readers shouldn't expect this to be a retelling of the original.

(Note: I received this book as a giveaway item from a book blog.)

This fun fun book was a real ride, far more than I thought it was going to be. The only disappointment was that it turned out to be a series - Star Trek on paper, LOL. But us Trekkies only had to wait a week for next episode - with this series, "The Lunar Chronicles," we have to wait a whole year between each book, one due out 2013, 2014 and another 2015. The writing is crisp and the dialogue believable, the plot will fool you. Regret having to wait till next year for the next book. Don't miss it.

I just started an ARC of Cinder, and it is fantastic. Set in the future,
the story ties the Cinderella fairy tale with a future world of both promise
(technology) and trouble (disease and war). I'm an adult who loves YA, and
this book drew me in with it's cover art and title. The main character
is a girl who is very familiar from other excellent YA story lines like Hunger
Games but she is a much improved teen, I won't say more so I don't ruin the
book. I can't wait to share it with my daughter - I'd better start reading faster.