Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Interested in reading this book? You should be, because it's awesome. Well, you're in luck, because I'm GIVING AWAY a copy, along with twelve other books!

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Rating: ★★★★ 1/2 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

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. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

WOW. CINDER. I sat down to read it Saturday morning and finished it by ten that night. It was a passionate, whirlwind affair, we fell violently in love, and I’m just not ready to leave Cinder and the rest of New Beijing behind.

If you can’t tell, I absolutely loved this book. I love any kind of fairy tale update, and this is by far the most original one I’ve ever read. Cinder takes place in a future where cyborgs are second-class citizens, androids make up most of the servant class, and a terrible plague is devastating the Eastern Commonwealth. Not to mention the looming threat of the horrendously creepy Lunars, the inhabitants of the moon, and their evil Queen Levana.

By far the best thing about Cinder is the world Meyer has created. This future feels very real and so fun. The idea of turning Cinderella into a cyborg with a metal foot and a retina display (including an awesome thing where a little light goes off when people are lying) was brilliant. Cinder herself is great and sympathetic lead character. She’s a talented mechanic (since she is, in fact, about 36% machine). That’s how she meets the oh-so-attractive Prince Kai, heir to the throne, who needs to get one of his androids fixed. Naturally, he’s throwing a ball. Kai is sweet, smart, and totally overwhelmed by all the responsibility of being Emperor-to-be. It makes sense he’d be drawn to a pretty and mysterious mechanic, especially if he doesn’t know she’s cyborg.

PRETTY SPANISH COVER!

Kai and Cinder’s developing relationship is cute and natural. Perhaps there’s a hint of insta-love, but this is a fairy tale, after all. Even if it is a sick, twisted one with hover crafts and evil murderous queens who live on the moon and can make you see things that aren't there using only her BRAIN. All the fairy tale ingredients are present: a wicked stepmother, two stepsisters (one of whom is not so wicked), a pumpkin which is actually an old orange car, and a ball. Yet it’s the parts where Meyer deviates from the formula that are the most fun. The subplots of the letumosis plague, the social aspects of having cyborgs in society, and of course the Lunars were what made this book. Iko the android is actually the most vivid character of the bunch, which, considering she’s a machine, is fascinating.

 

The plot is filled with fun twists, even though the big reveal at the end I saw coming a MILE away. I read this in a day, not wanting to part from Cinder and Kai and the delightful Iko for even a second. A lot of Cinder’s life is totally heartbreaking, but she’s always plucky and never feels sorry for herself. This book contains a lot of setup, as it’s the first in a series of four, but I didn’t think this was a problem at all. I love where the books are headed. You meet a character near the end who you’ll instantly recognize as another denizen of fairy tale land, and I positively squealed with glee.

I guess my only true critique was how obvious that final “twist” was, though that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the reveal. Basically I would sell my right foot for Scarlet, book two in the Lunar Chronicles, and yes, that is a hint to anyone one out there  lucky enough to currently possess an ARC. YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND ME.