Cinder - Once Upon A Cyborg

 

Book Details

Title:                              Cinder

Author:                          Marissa Meyer

Publisher:                     Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date:        January 3, 2012

Series:                            Lunar Chronicles #1

Genre:                            Young Adult, Science Fiction

Length:                          387 pages

Reading Level:             12+

Content Screening:     Nothing of Note

Book Description

          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. 

Book Review

          Cinder, by Marissa Meyer, is a completely enjoyable read with unique concepts and endearing characters wrapped up in a sci-fi setting. 

          When I first saw the cover for this book, I was curious. After, reading the synopsis, I was intrigued. Then I read the first five chapters, which were free on Amazon.com, and I was hooked. Cinder is a wonderfully imaginative re-telling of the fairy tale, Cinderella. Though that makes the story somewhat predictable, Marissa Meyer has done a lovely job of giving the story to us completely revved up and out of this world (tonque-in-cheek) way.

          As much as I actually loved this story, I also had some issues with it. What's up with the Lunars? Are you sure New Beijing is really the setting? Why do Kai and Cinder like each other? Why is the antique car in the story? These questions are left unanswered at the end of the first book in the Lunar Chronicles and I don't except to have them all answered any time soon as the next book in the series, Scarlet, is not even about Cinder and doesn't come out until next year. I'm counting on Ms. Meyer to work some major magic to fit the answers into all of the subsequent books and to give us more Cinder and Kai (and don't forget Iko)!

         I would definitely recommend this book to my friends as an enjoyable read. I give it 3.5 out of five stars. Due to the lack of world-building, not having more cultural references, and not giving us more answers.

Bonus Material

The prequel, Glitches, is available on TOR.com. Don't worry there aren't any spoilers for Cinder.

Here is the Official Book Trailer for Cinder. Kinda cheesy, but hey it's fun!

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