A Long Story Short discussion

Here are a few topics to get you started! As usual try not to give any spoilers, but if you must, please give notice! You are definitely not restricted to just these topics so have fun with it!

1. Who is your favorite couple from the story?

2. One of the primary themes in the novel is the discrimination in society against cyborgs. What is the reasoning for this? How is this discrimination seen in society?

3. What does Cinder learn about the true purpose of the drafts? What does this say about the cyborg population in general in the novel?

4. What are the ramifications of the plague in the novel? Be sure to discuss social, political, and economic ramifications, as well as personal ramifications for Kai and for Cinder.

5. Do you feel the author properly represented both the fairy tale that this was inspired by and the sci-fi genre? Did you enjoy the "mashup"?

6. This book has some scientific elements. Do you feel it touches on science and technology innovation in our real society?

7. What are some of the underlying themes in this story besides Cinderella?

8. Would you want to live in this society?

9. Which character do you most relate to and why? Is it your favorite character? If not, who is?

1. Who is your favorite couple from the story?

Honestly, there isn't really a couple in this story at all. If I had to pick someone I'd say its not the obvious romantic couple, but Cinder and Iko as friends. They play off of each other and give each other what the other is lacking.

2. One of the primary themes in the novel is the discrimination in society against cyborgs. What is the reasoning for this? How is this discrimination seen in society?

Obviously the humans look down on the cyborgs and androids. It never really explains it well though. It is obvious to me that the androids would be treated as machines because they are in fact just that. They have never been humans. The cyborgs on the other hand are human, so it does create a great ethical dilemma of how much you can change a person with mechanical means before they are no longer human. I think this should have been the main point of the novel, but I don't think the author shown enough of a spotlight on it. Her main theme was the lunar and cinderella theme and I think if she had given more time to the ethical theme it would have given the story much more depth.

3. What does Cinder learn about the true purpose of the drafts? What does this say about the cyborg population in general in the novel?

Without giving anything away, what she finds out about the drafts is one of the only kind of heartbreaking and surprises that happens during the climax. They allude to the fact that the doctor is clearly looking for something specific within the draft patients. Hopefully the truth will lead to an interesting inner debate for Cinder later in the series that will give her some more depth as a character.

4. What are the ramifications of the plague in the novel? Be sure to discuss social, political, and economic ramifications, as well as personal ramifications for Kai and for Cinder.

Well obviously on a surface level the plague effects everyone. It kills loved ones and ruins the economy as more and more people are killed. It creates an ethical question towards the end though of who really is to blame. Is it the shells, even though it was just a by product of their seeking refuge? Was it the Lunars for turning the shells out of their community, was it the humans for allowing it to progress the way they had? I think there are a lot of ways it could be taken and is anyone person really to blame? Or is it something that was just unavoidable given the circumstance.

5. Do you feel the author properly represented both the fairy tale that this was inspired by and the sci-fi genre? Did you enjoy the "mashup"?

I actually do not. I think she relied too heavily on the Cinderella scenario. I think if she had diverged from the traditional story line and just left little Cinderella "easter eggs" here and there (like the mechanical foot, etc) it would have been much more exciting and maybe wouldn't have been so predictable.

6. This book has some scientific elements. Do you feel it touches on science and technology innovation in our real society?

I do because we are making so many advances in organ transplant and prosthetic pieces. Also, there have already been talks of micro chipping to pay for things etc. so I don't think the idea of the cyborgs are a far reach. It again begs the question, how much can we change of ourselves before we change what we actually are as humans.

7. What are some of the underlying themes in this story besides Cinderella?

Like I said above, I think the biggest is prejudice and what makes a human actually human. I wish it had been given more thought.

8. Would you want to live in this society?

I personally wouldn't want to live in this type of society. While there seems to be less war on Earth, there is still war in the universe. They have extraordinary technology, but are they really any better off than we are now?

9. Which character do you most relate to and why? Is it your favorite character? If not, who is?

It was honestly hard for me to relate to ANY of the characters. I found them to be predictable and a little boring. If I had to pick anyone then perhaps Peony just because she always seems to find the positive in a situation and finds it in her heart to treat Cinder and Iko with respect and kindness even though her family as taught her differently. She isn't my favorite character though, Iko is. Her personality gave her so much charm and I think she was one of the best parts of the entire story. I had liked the doctor until I found out he knew what was up the entire time basically and then I was just annoyed with him ha.

So possible spoiler ?

Love this series btw syfy fairy tales are right up my ally :) The series as a whole changes so much from the first book :) Not sure if I have a favorite character bc they are all pretty great in their own way. In the next books you meet so many cool characters! The Ending is just 😆🥰😭🤭🤗