Review: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (January 2012)
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary
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.~

A unique telling of a much-loved story from childhood that has been turned on it's head and re-energized.

I saw this one on another blog and from the beautiful cover alone knew that I was interested in reading it.  I absolutely love fairy tales and re-tellings. Where's Cinderella's glass slipper? Why does she have metal parts?

The Summary

Cinder is a teenager that is living with her stepmother and stepsisters much like the Cinderella from old that we are familiar with. She also attracts the attention of a prince, in this case Prince Kai, that no one believes she is worthy of and he is throwing a ball. That's where the resemblance to the traditional story ends. I felt Cinder had even more going against her due to the fact that she is a cyborg and living as a servant to her stepmother and stepsisters. Cyborgs in the Lunar Chronicles are treated like slaves that have no feelings and are meant to be beneath everyone else. After a disease that is sweeping through New Beijing hits too close to home, Cinder is thrust into the fray and begins to unravel a lot of truths...about her past, her present, and what may become of her future.

The Good

Cinder is so easy to empathize with and I liked her right from the start. It's not just her either, the side characters were all enjoyable except for the ones you weren't supposed to like which of course, I didn't. The story is unique, enriched, and complex. I was worried at first that there would be a lot of language about robotics and science in general that I might not be familiar with and would have a hard time following along, but Marissa Meyer described everything well and kept the story easy to understand. The plot progressed at a great rate and remained interesting from start to finish.

The Bad

I was a little disappointed that since there was so many other things going on, there wasn't really a lot of romance. There was really just a spark and initial budding. I hope to see more later in the series.

Conclusion

I believe that even though there was some foreshadowing used in this book, and the reader might draw the right conclusions, it still held a lot of surprises. It was a very unique story that gave me everything that I can ask for from a book. I must read the 2nd one, Scarlet as soon as it is possible.

Excerpts

"Instead of answering, the prince bent down, craning his neck so that she had no choice but to meet his eyes, and dashed a grin at her. Her heart winced."

"He used the too-long sleeve of his sweatshirt to polish off a smudge. 'Aren't you hot?' Cinder said, instantly regretting the question when his attention returned to her. For the briefest moment, the prince almost looked embarrassed. 'Dying,' he said..."

"For starters, I just spent my life savings on a new foot. But even if I did have money, why would I spend it on a dress or shoes or gloves? What a waste."

"'Of course I know what love is.' And sadness too. She wished she could cry to prove it."

"She snapped her jaw shut, thoughts sparking in her head. Dr. Erland clucked his tongue, and Cinder prepared to rail at him with those budding explanations, but he turned away before she could and paced back to his seat. 'What a shame you cannot blush'..."