CinderAuthor: Marissa Meyer
Published by: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Format: eARC
Pages: 390
Source: Publisher
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.
I knew I was going to love this book. I just knew it. I have always loved Cinderella and all the different adaptations of it, so when I read that this version is futuristic and the Cinderella character is a cyborg, I literally shrieked with excitement. Cinder did not disappoint me.
Cindertakes place in the future, 126 years after World War IV, in New Beijing. There are hover cars, advanced medical science, cyborgs, and androids in the future, but there is still disease. The Letumosis plague has caused a massive death toll, with no cure in sight. On top of that, the Lunars, a society on the moon has been a constant threat to earth, and they are one creepy bunch. When the emperor of New Beijing dies from the plague, Queen Levana of Luna pounces, and makes a move to marry prince Kaito and become empress. No one wants that, but she holds something earth needs.Whether you love them or hate them, Meyer wrote some great characters.
Cinder is a cyborg, adopted at age 11, and doesn’t have any memory of her life prior to the accident that lead to her cyborgism. Even though Cinder was left with a witch of a stepmother after her adopted dad dies, she’s still a kind person and has a great sense of humor. I really loved her. Adri, her legal guardian, and Pearl, her adopted sister, infuriated me. They were so evil to Cider, and there was nothing she could do since she literally had no rights because she was a cyborg. It broke my heart at times, and I wanted them to get hit by a hover so bad.
Prince Kai was a great character, also. He and Cinder were so cute… well, his persistence was. I loved his flirting with her, and her resistance to him. But it was sad at the same time, because of why she resisted him. I think he’ll continue to be a great character that I’ll grow to love even more as the series continues.
Although I figured the twist out by page 44, it was still a really fun book. I love when a book can make me feel such strong emotions about the characters or situations. I think that’s why Cinderella has been my favorite. Just like Cinder, she’s kicked down as low as she can get, treated like crap, but still holds her head up and comes out on top. Well, technically Cinder ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, but I’m still rooting for my favorite cyborg!
Everyone needs to read Cinder! Meyer wrote a great debut novel, and I cannot wait for the second book to come out.
I'm reading this now and thoroughly enjoying it as well! Great review, Christy 🙂
Loved your review 🙂 This has been on my TBR since I first saw the cover. I can't wait!
Dude this book was AWESOME! I loved it 🙂 I really like fairy tale retellings so it was great to see something that took such a cool turn!
Anna @ Literary Exploration
Okay, okay, I'm on it. I know that I really, really need to read this book… I just need to get it off my wishlist into my actual hands!
I love the cover for the short, by the way. If Cinder's cover had looked like Glitches, I'd have gotten it sooner I think… Anyway, great review. Thanks for sharing it!
Ron @ Stories of my life
I thought that the characters were great too. I enjoyed Cinder all the way around in fact. Great review.
-FABR Steph@FiveAlarmBookReviews
Eeek I can't wait to read this and meet these awesome sounding characters! I just bought this last week! 😀
Giselle
Xpresso Reads
Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed this one, Christy! I liked it a lot, too. 🙂
Sam @ Realm of Ficton
Great review! i so need this
Yay! I'm so glad you like it too. 😀 It was quite awesome and I agree it could be a bit predictable, but I really didn't care! Can't wait to read Glitches or the sequel!
I've been hearing about this book, so maybe it's time to find a copy to read. Glad it was such a good book.
Loved this book so much. I have to go find Glitches now…I want to learn more about her “stepfather”!
♥Melissa
i loved this book, too! cinder is just such a great character and i loved the world that meyer created. i guessed the twist early on, too, but that didn't make me enjoy it less. 🙂
I've read quite a few reviews of this book, and saw it at NetGalley but it was a little too late to request. Looks interesting! Will try and read this.
Wow. I've been avoiding this book because the synopsis just doesn't intrigue me but your review will have me taking another look. Thanks!!
[…] Read at your own risk if you haven’t Cinder yet. My review of Cinder is Here. […]