Glitches has no spice content—it's a clean romance with zero on-page intimacy.

Does Glitches have a happy ending?

The ending type for Glitches isn't a traditional HEA or HFN.

What are the content warnings for Glitches?

Content warnings for Glitches include: plague, death of family member, body modification (cyborg), discrimination, loss of memories, child neglect.

Is Glitches a standalone or part of a series?

Glitches is book 0.5 in the The Lunar Chronicles series.

Is Glitches dual POV?

Glitches is told in third person.

How long is Glitches?

Glitches is 32 pages, which takes about 1 hour to read at an average pace.

What is the mood of Glitches?

Glitches has a mysterious, bittersweet, whimsical, introspective feel to it.

What order should I read the The Lunar Chronicles series?

Glitches is book 0.5 in the The Lunar Chronicles series.

Glitches

by Marissa Meyer

🥛clean·The Lunar Chronicles #0.5

4.0 on Goodreads (25,637)

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Why Read This?

Synopsis

Note: this short story is also available in "Stars Above". Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch…

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

At just 32 pages, Glitches packs a surprising emotional wallop. Meyer drops us into young Cinder's arrival at her new adoptive home, freshly transformed into a cyborg with no memories of her past life. The way she writes Cinder's confusion about her own body and the cold reception from her new family is genuinely affecting. Best read before Cinder to add emotional depth, or after to fill in gaps — either way it's a quick, worthwhile companion piece.

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Book Details

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Goodreads Rating

3.95 ★ (25.6k)

Page Count

32 pages

Published

2011

Primary Genre

Romantasy

Pairing

POV

Third Person

Romance Pacing

Cliffhanger

reveal ending

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Single Narrator (unspecified)

Narrator

Rebecca Soler

Mood & Vibe

Mood

mysteriousbittersweetwhimsicalintrospective

Writing Style

engagingwhimsicalwarmcinematic

Story Pacing

medium

Emotional Weight

moderate

Energy Required

low

Vibes

page turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC Archetype

()▼

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World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World Type

space/sci-fi

Primary Setting

New Beijing - futuristic Earth with cyborg technology and Lunar colonies

Fantasy Creatures

cyborgs

Representation

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional Payoff

Best Time of Year

anytime

When & Where to Read

commute lunch break palate cleanser read

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches

#0.6 The Little Android

#1 Cinder

#1.5 The Queen's Army

#2 Scarlet

#3 Cress

#3.5 Fairest

#4 Winter

#4.5 Stars Above

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Quick Facts

🥛clean

2011

3.95 ★ (25.6k)

reveal ending

Series

The Lunar Chronicles #0.5

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Glitches

At a Glance

Book Details

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

Characters

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

Reading Context

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

The Lunar Chronicles

Glitches

At a Glance

Book Details

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

Characters

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

⚠️ Content Warnings

World & Setting

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

Reading Context

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

The Lunar Chronicles

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