ARC Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Book: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book 1)
Release: January 3, 2012
Source: Macmillan
Reviewer: Day
Purchase: – Barnes & NobleHumans 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.
This story was like Star Trek, meets Ever After meets Star Wars and then they all three rendezvous in a Japanese manga like Sailor Moon. I know it sounds crazy…and maybe it is a little, but I LOVED IT!
Cinder is an exceptional re-imagining of Cinderella. It keeps the soul and core of the story but offers a brilliant new world and characters and mingles them with all the things about Science Fiction that I adore to create remarkable twists that will keep readers turning pages all night!
In a parallel world where people have populated the moon, cyborgs are considered 2nd rate citizens, monarchy rules the various countries on Earth, and a horrific plague with no cure wrecks havoc on the population. A young cyborg named Cinder runs a mechanic shop in the market place for her Guardian. One day a new and familiar looking customer visits her booth in need of her expertise repairing a droid. The customer happens to be the prince and while they strike up a conversation Cinder becomes anxious that the handsome prince will discover and become repulsed by her status as a cyborg. As the prince makes his leave (not knowing Cinder’s secret) and entrusts his droid in her care, a loud commotion breaks out in the market place. . .the plague has been spotted.
As Cinder makes her way back to the apartment of her Guardian, she is fearful she may have been infected so she takes her time. Once there she enters to find her two “stepsisters” being fitted for couture gowns for the big party in honor of the Prince. Wanting to feel like a part of the family she makes a deal with her Guardian. Is she can repair their transportation, keep up with her chores and her workload from the shop in the market, she may attend the celebration. So, Cinder sets out to find the spare parts needed to make her repairs when her sweet stepsister, Pearl, requests to tag a long with her. Cinder reluctantly agrees because she loves Pearl and despite knowing that Pearl will be little help scavenging for parts, Cinder wants to fill her in on her new royal customer, to whom Pearl is fan-girly obsessed. But, something awful takes place and sets into action a series of events that change Cinder’s life and alter everything she thought she knew for good.
There is so much more to this story, but I refuse to spoil it for you. I’ll confess, it was a tad slow in the beginning, but fifty pages into the story and I could not put it down. This is an exciting debut novel that I have fallen hopelessly in love with. The characters, the world, the immense creativity behind the re-imagining of a classic tale…all these things combine to make an amazing and captivating story.
This is a definite MUST BUY for 2012!
*Read the first five chapters of CINDER at Macmillan/Feiwal & Friends site!
I wasn’t sure about it in the intro, but sounds like it is a unique read…worth it. Great review.
I agree… I too was somewhat skeptical, but once I got into it I could not put it down! Thanks for reading the review, I hope you enjoy the book!
[...] 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. Read her review Here [...]
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