Cinder

Image courtesy of
www.marissameyer.com

Cinder

Marissa Meyer

2012

Cover Synopsis

"Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden to her stepmother.  Being a cyborg does have its benefits, though:  Cinder's brain interface has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in new Beijing.  This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball.  He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.

"Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger step-sister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade.  Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.

"But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig.  Something others would kill for."

Thoughts

Marissa Meyer's first book in the Lunar Chronicles is unique and fascinating.  It's Cinderella meets science-fiction; it's a classic fairy tale with a dystopian twist - and it is invigorating.

I love the fact that Meyer has completely re-imagined and revitalized a familiar old fairy tale and turned it into something wonderfully complex and fascinating.  And I especially love that the author has created a tough, intelligent, and pragmatic heroine in the character of Linh Cinder.

Cinder is smart.  She's self-sufficient.  She's inventive.  She's a mechanic - and a darn good one at that - and she doesn't need anyone to rescue her.  She may eventually find her Prince Charming, but she's more than capable of rescuing herself (which I really like about her).

Be forewarned, however, Cinder is tragic.  I'm just going to come out and say it:  There is no happily-ever-after.  This novel is only the first of four, which means Cinder's story still has a long way to go - and she still has a lot of trials and tragedy to face.

Overall Impression

I loved Cinder.

I devoured this book:  I finished it in less than two days, and then I promptly went online and bought the second and third in the series (the fourth one, according to Marissa Meyer's website, comes out in November of 2015 with a prequel appearing as early as January).

I loved the characters.  I loved the complexity of the story.  I even loved the sad parts (which broke my heart, but I loved them regardless).  So, long story short, I found Cinder to be a beautifully detailed story with appropriate amounts of suspense, action, and discovery to keep you invested from beginning to end.