Review: Cinder - Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Release Date: January3rd 2012

Publisher: Fiewel and Friends

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.

This debut 2012 novel definitely stands out from the rest. It's an action-packed, fast-paced future retelling of Cinderella and you really don't want to miss this.

It's highly creative and I applaud Marissa Meyer for thinking and writing about a Cinderella who's a mechanic(!) and also a cyborg. This is my first fairy-tale retelling that I've read, but it won't certainly be the last. 

Cinder was a brilliant character. She was smart, could hold her own and she had this

The other characters, mainly the android Iko and her step-sister Peony I love.To be honest, the only things that I thought screams Cinderella to me, was the fact that she had two step-sisters and a wicked step-mother (Oh God, don't even get me started on the step-mother; I hated her) and the ball. Everything else was fresh and I personally think that it could not be a fairy-tale retelling and still be this awesome. 

The only tidbit that I was disappointing of was the romance, or the lack of. Prince Kai isn't really swoon-worthy or interesting enough for me, and there was very little romance. And you know how I am about romance, they affect my whole reading experience, without romance - well, I can't even like the book.  On a happier note, I did like the mystery and revelations, though I did have to admit after the first chapters, I guessed correctly what Cinder's true identity is. But I think the Lunars were exceptionally done well (they are mean but I didn't hate them) and I would like to see more of them in the next book, Scarlet (which is based on another fairy-tale, The Little Red Riding Hood).

The world-building was also very done well, and I adored Meyer's writing style. It doesn't overshadow or take over the story, unlike some books I've read last year.

Overall, I did enjoy my short time reading Cinder and I highly recommend it to you! Right I'm off. My headache just won't leave me alone. Argh.