Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder  (Book One)
Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Author: Marissa Meyer
ISBN: 978-0-312-64189-4
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan
Release Date: January 2012 Sale Date: January 2, 2012
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
$17.99/19.99
How I Read It: Trade Paperback ARE from Publisher
Rating:  5 Crowns A Royal Read

Even in the future, the story begins with once upon a time…

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 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 young adult debut novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer’s rebooted fairy tale introduces readers to a heroine and a masterfully crafted world that isn’t the Cinderella you remember-but it’s one you won’t forget.
(from the back of the ARE)

My Thoughts:

I am going to be honest; I was a bit skeptical when I first heard that a futuristic/cyborg version of Cinderella was going to be released. I was not sure that a debut author could make a futuristic/cyborg version of Cinderella feel real enough that readers would buy into the concept. Nevertheless, I am addicted to revamped fairytales so I knew that I would have to give Cinder a go.

My Advance Reader’s Edition arrived on the perfect day. The town where I live was at a standstill due to a malfunction with the power plant, which left the whole town with no electricity. With the aid of my reading light, I started Cinder; I had only planned to read a few pages of the first chapter. That plan when out the window and before I realized it I was starting chapter 10.

The fact that I had read 90 some pages shocked me; normally I am not a fan of futuristic novels because the science fiction elements normally bog down the actual plot. Fortunately with Cinder that was not the case, the futuristic elements were composed in such a way that they felt believable which only strengthen the story.

I had said that I was skeptical and worried that a debut author could not create a believable futuristic/cyborg version of Cinderella and I must say that I am exceedingly glad that Marissa Meyer proved those statements wrong.

Cinder is a breath of fresh air. Definitely not your standard Cinderella story, but do not let that stop you from exploring this brilliantly crafted world Marissa Meyer created.

I do have one tiny complaint and that is I have to wait (impatiently) to read the next installment.

Overall, I gave Cinder a 5 Crown Rating, which means Cinder is A Royal Read. To dub a book a Royal Read is the highest rating a book can receive here on Royal Reviews and means that this is a book we are dying to tell other readers, or unsuspecting bookstore browsers, about. Royal Reads are also books that should come with a “buy me now, you wont regret it label”. If you see some lady at your local bookstore singing the praises of Cinder, it’s probably me-no I am not crazy I just loved this book!

Why did I give Cinder 5 Crown Rating? The answer is simple; the novel exceeded my expectations, which surprised me greatly because it does not happen that often. Cinder also left me dying to know more, which means that author succeeded in creating a world in which the reader becomes interested in.

Although marketed as a YA novel, adults will be pleasantly pleased with Cinder as well. So, do not forget to pick up your copy that next time you are out shopping for books.

If you would like to find out more about Cinder, The Lunar Chronicles, or Marissa Meyer you may do so HERE.

 

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