by Marissa Meyer · A cyborg Cinderella, a Little Red Riding Hood with a pilot, Rapunzel in a satellite — four fairy tales retold across a sci-fi future.
Reading order
1
CinderStart here — a cyborg Cinderella in futuristic New Beijing
Start with Cinder and read in publication order: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, then the prequel novella Fairest before Winter. Stars Above (short stories) is best saved for after you finish Winter.
Yes, each book has a central romance alongside the sci-fi fairy tale plot. The series is YA, so the romance is central but not explicit.
Yes. The main series is four books (Cinder through Winter), published 2012 to 2015. Fairest (2015) and Stars Above (2016) are companion books. There is also a graphic novel series, Wires and Nerve, set after Winter.
It helps. Fairest is Queen Levana's origin story and reading it before Winter gives the antagonist more depth. It is not strictly required but most readers recommend it.
Yes. Cinder is published as YA and is appropriate for ages 12 and up. The series gets slightly darker in later books but remains YA throughout.