Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Steampunk, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Yes, her ratio should be impressive.

A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE.
A DEADLY PLAGUE.
EARTH’S FATE HINGES ON ONE GIRL…

Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.

THIS IS NOT THE FAIRY TALE YOU REMEMBER. BUT IT’S ONE YOU WON’T FORGET.

Cinderella is a fairly well known fairy tale. After all, it’s the perfect rags to riches tale. The story of someone overpowering their bad situation and finding a good one. The fact that there is a handsome prince, and a pretty dress and a ball…that just makes it all the more appealing and sweet… at least normally, Cinder gives this tale a very different spin. And one that I personally love to pieces.

I am fairly new to the steampunk genre. But, I absolutely adore it. It’s something that marries a range of different themes and styles into this perfect little world. The fact that this was then partnered with the childlike world of riches kind of made this series absolutely perfect for me. Having already read Glitches, I had a little more backstory on Cinder’s unwanted presence in the Linh household. But, even without that, the creation of a future world in which cyborgs walk (and are owned) among us was fun. The joy and happiness of Peony and the quirkiness of Ito just helped to make the story a whole lot more enthralling. And cute. There were a lot of serious, hard and sad moments throughout the story for Cinder, but the attitude of not only her, but her companions made it a lot easier to bear.

I really wasn’t expecting the ending to this story. Although it is a Cinderella tale, it didn’t quite end in the same way. And it left the tale wide open for the next book in the series… which I now have to wait for… there’s always something great about a surprise at the end of a series, and it always makes getting the next book in the mail all the more exciting…

Image source: Jennifer Melza

Title: The Little Android
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #0.6
In: Stars Above (Marissa Meyer)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Steampunk, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: It wasn’t the first time such horrible thoughts had come into her head.

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A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.

The blurb for this story is that this is a cyborg version of The Little Mermaid. I was expecting a happy ending for the android-mermaid, but, this short story actually stuck much closer to the original version. Where Ariel doesn’t get her happily after, but rather, sacrifices herself for the love of the prince. And honestly? I loved this version even more. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Disney happy ending. But there is something nice about an alternate ending and twist to the tale.

The Little Android helps to place Cinder and her kind heart in context within the greater series. But, mostly for me, it was just a cute and simple way to spend a half hour or so. Meyer’s understanding of fairy tales and her modern take on them is thoroughly enjoyable. And using one like The Little Mermaid which has two distinctly different endings left me smiling contently. Even though Star didn’t quite get her happily ever after…

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Glitches
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #0.5
In: Stars Above (Marissa Meyer) & Kisses and Curses (Lauren Burniae)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Steampunk, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Cinder racked her brain, wondering if it could feed her recipes as easily as it fed her useless definitions.

In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….

I liked this short story. It explained the beginning of the Cinderella story that is introduced in Cinder. Explained how Cinder got to where she is, and what makes her so different. Her inability to cry is seen as a glitch, and explained away in terms of a mechanical term.

I always love prequels. They often don’t actually feel necessary for a series, but they always add something to it. Glitches is no different, Cinder’s situation will be explained in Cinder, but the little bit of extra information and emotional turmoil help to give more context to her tale. And help to make her far more realistic for me, as the reader.

Image source: Goodreads