Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Feiwel & Friends (January 3, 2012) 400 pages

$12.09 (Amazon)

First 5 Chapters FREE via Amazon Kindle!

Procurement

ARC received from publisher and eARC via NetGalley.

My Grade

Plot: 5

Setting: 5

Writing: 5

Originality: 5

Characters: 5

Romance: 5

Overall: 30/30! Astonishing!

Title/Cover Bonus: 5

Overall

Brilliant retelling of the Cinderella fairytale with a new cultural setting, sci-fi elements and a cyborg of a girl and one level headed handsome Prince.

Summary (Goodreads)

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.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

First Line

The screw through Cinder’s ankle had rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a mangled cirle.

 

Most Memorable Scene

The first time Cinder meets Prince Kai in her booth. Or maybe …. yeah, there’s a quite a few.

Plot

One of the best plots I’ve read in a while. Although I must stress that I figured out the OMG moment quite ahead of time, even though I wasn’t certain I had the itch that I was correct. This usually bothers me because it makes me feel like the character is stupid for not figuring it out too. I didn’t feel that way with Cinder, I only felt mildly disappointed that I did know so far in advance.

I enjoyed the twists that the plague gave the story as well as the research lab that was trying to “cure” it.

Setting

New Beijing. The culture is set in an Asian style which  I found interesting. Not only did Marissa retell a fairytale but she completely re-imagined it by putting it in a different culture. New Beijing is probably what Beijing is like today: over crowded. Minus the androids and the plague (Letumosis).

Writing

I had a hard time putting this book down. Written in third-person narrative I was never in need of Cinder’s “I” thoughts or even Prince Kai’s for that matter.

Originality

Being a retelling of a favorite fairytale I didn’t know what to expect. Suffice it to say that I was thoroughly surprised with how much I LOVED this book! Not only did Marissa make this story worthy of this era but she turned it into one of my most favorite genres: dystopian with a splash of sci-fi. Or is it sci-fi with a splash of dystopian? Yeah, I think that’s the proper way. Either way it was fantastic and required a ton of creative thinking.

Characters

Cinder is a female, cyborg (human with some andriod parts) mechanic. She is treated like dirt by many of the other civilians of New Beijing and especially mistreated by her step-mother and one step-sister. She’s forced to work everyday and pay for the wants of her step-mother and sisters. Her best friend is Iko, an android, and Pearl, the nicer of the two step-sisters. She’s a super skilled mechanic and while not a social butterfly she’s nice and woes the Prince without even trying.

Price Kai is one of the smoothest male characters since Edward Cullen. Yes, I said it. He is Mr. Suave, he’s naive while still smart, he’s handsome and geniunely charming.

Iko: Cinder’s android was hilarious and I hope to see her in book two.

Adri: Cinder’s step mother wasn’t as horrible as I thought she’d be. I did abhor her right to control Cinder, even with the force of the police.

Pearl: Was the nice step-sister and I enjoyed her character.

Peony: The snotty step-sister but I didn’t hate her.

Levana: The Lunar Queen is one nasty lady. I will enjoy seeing her upcoming fall from the throne.

Dr. Erland: I loved this character! He was such a prime role in just about everything Cinder did. He was smart, strong, and a very dependable friend for both Cinder and Prince Kai.

Romance

It’s funny to see Cinder fall for Prince Kai. She’s all “Everyone thinks he’s soooo handsome. Idiots.” and then she practically drools like a puppy dog the first time she meets him! She does play hard to get but I don’t really blame her.

He’s nothing like I’d thought he’d be. He’s super nice and sharp as a tack. The amout of respect he gave Cinder, being a female mechanic and later a cyborg, was great to see.

Title/Cover Bonus

Brilliant!

Ending

GAH! I can’t wait for book 2!

While this one didn’t end with much resolution it was a fitting ending.

Series (Links to Goodreads)

Scarlett (Lunar Chronicles, #2) will release in 2013!

Cress(Lunar Chronicles, #3) will release in 2014.

Winter (Lunar Chronicles, #4) will release in 2015.