December 19, 2011

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Hardcover: 387 pgs
Published: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, Inc.
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1

Human 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 intergalatic 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.

Let me start off this review with one sentence: Cinderella as a Cyborg.

Okay, okay, take a few minutes to stop laughing...are you done? Good. Now, go out, but this book, read this book, love this book. You're going to have to trust me on this one.

Marissa Meyer has taken the story of Cinderella an transformed it to an entirely new and amazingly awesome level that I am positive is going to explode in popularity. The writing is gorgeous, the characters are so well-thought out and even though this story has more of a sci-fi edge, it maintains that classic "fairy-tale" feel.

It's really easy to tell too much, but Cinder is the story of a young woman who - as a child - was given robotic limbs in order to save her life. Set in a very distant future, when cyborgs and androids are everywhere, it wasn't that unheard of to add robotic parts to a human. But no matter how common it is, in this world, cyborgs are still the looked-down-upon outcasts. Cinder can't help but feel out-of-place and alone as not only a cyborg, but also as the adopted daughter in a house with her evil stepmother and stepsisters.

And then...Cinder meets her prince - Prince Kai (soon to be Emporer of New Beijjing). Prince Kai's character is so humble, kind and literally "charming" that we can't help but fall in love with him immediately. You want him and Cinder to get together so badly, and you dread the moment you know has to come: the moment he finds out she's a cyborg. Will he accept her? Will he love her? Ahh! I wish I could tell you!!

All I can say is that I was actually, physically sad when this book came to an end. I thought about it for days after, and I honestly wanted to pick it back up and start reading it all over again. I loved every minute of it and I know you will too.

6 out of 5 stars.


8 comments:

  1. Wow! Everyone is really digging this book I regret not requesting it off Netgalley now! I'll def. get it when it releases!

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  2. I have to admit, when I first heard the concept I was not interested. However, my friend has it and I read the first few pages and I'm hooked. I'm going to borrow it when she's done!

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  3. I LOVE retellings, they're some of my favourite books to read, and I can't wait to read my copy of this one soon! Hopefully in the next couple days eeek! :) Everyone has just been hyping it up, so I can't wait to be a part of that as well. It does look so good.

    Brenna from Esther's Ever After

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  4. I love that you all have such an open mind!! I promise, you will totally fall in love with this book!!! :)

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  5. I've got this one my wishlist, it sounds awesome! I can't wait to get my hands on this book! Thanks for the review!

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  6. The title is awesome! I think the book sounds very interesting! raven7932@gmail.com

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  7. CINDER sounds like an awesome book! It's one of the books I want to buy when it comes out! Why? Because I love fairy tales and retellings. Cinderella as a cyborg is such a unique twist. Combining a traditional fairy tale with a modern sci-fi/futuristic element is mindblowing! I love how Cinder is a mechanic. Girl power! And the prince sounds charming :P. I can't wait to read it!

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  8. I haven't read too many fairy tale re-tellings. It sounds like this will be a good one to start off with. :)

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