Audiobook Sample
Listen to the sample to experience the story.
Please wait while we verify your browser...
- Title: Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles
- Author: Marissa Meyer
- Narrator: Rebecca Soler
- Length: 10:07:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 03/01/2012
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Genre: Teen, Fairy Tales & Folklore
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The first time I heard Rebecca Soler’s voice bring Cinder to life, I was navigating the neon-lit streets of Taipei’s Ximending district at midnight. The way her narration captured the mechanical whir of Cinder’s cyborg limbs against the bustling future-Asian backdrop reminded me of how traditional tales evolve when they travel – just like the Mexican folktales I’d heard reinterpreted through Oaxacan grandmothers’ voices, now filtered through Meyer’s brilliant sci-fi lens.
Marissa Meyer’s Cinder isn’t just a retelling; it’s a cultural migration of the Cinderella story into territory that feels both futuristic and strangely familiar. As someone who’s spent years documenting how stories transform across borders, I was fascinated by Meyer’s world-building – New Beijing’s marketplace aromas of sizzling dumplings and motor oil came through so vividly in Soler’s performance that I could swear I smelled them, just like the campfire embers during those desert storytelling nights in Chile.
Soler’s narration is a masterclass in character distinction. Her Prince Kai carries just the right blend of royal formality and teenage uncertainty, while the wicked stepmother Adri’s voice drips with condescension that made me physically recoil during my morning commute. The android Iko’s cheerful tones particularly delighted me – they brought to mind the animated household spirits from Japanese folktales I’ve collected in my travels.
What struck me most was how Meyer and Soler together create a sensory experience that transcends the typical YA audiobook. The plague scenes carried the same visceral weight as accounts I’ve heard from pandemic survivors in Vietnam, while the Lunar court politics unfolded with the intricate tension of a Beijing opera. Soler’s pacing during the ballroom scene had me holding my breath like I did watching fire dancers in Bali – every word shimmered with anticipation.
The story’s exploration of cyborg discrimination resonated deeply with my experiences documenting marginalized communities worldwide. Cinder’s mechanical hand might as well be the stigmatized tattoos of Borneo’s Iban people or the facial markings of Ethiopia’s Surma tribe – outward signs that cultures use to justify oppression. Meyer’s genius lies in making these themes accessible without diluting their complexity, and Soler delivers them with perfect emotional calibration.
If I had one critique, it’s that some secondary characters could benefit from more vocal distinction – a challenge I recognize from trying to document large family histories where voices blend together. But this is minor compared to Soler’s overall achievement in maintaining consistent energy across the 10-hour runtime.
For listeners who enjoyed this, I’d recommend pairing it with the audiobook of The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi for another culturally-rich fairytale retelling, or Illuminae by Amie Kaufman for similarly innovative sci-fi storytelling. Though neither quite captures Meyer’s unique blend of Eastern and Western influences that makes Cinder feel like discovering a familiar dish prepared with surprising new spices at a night market.
May your journeys – both literary and literal – continue to surprise you,
Marcus Rivera
