Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
ISBN: 9780312641894
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Released: January 03, 2012
Page #: 387
Source: ARC from the Publisher

Summary:
"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 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 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 the one you won't forget."
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First Lines:

"The screw through Cinder's ankle had rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle. Her knuckles ached from forcing the screwdriver into the joint as she strugled to loosen the screw one gritting twist after another."
Page 3
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Review:

Cinderella is a cyborg?! I love it. I was on board as soon as I heard the premise. How cool could that be? The answer? Very. Very very cool.

Cinder is a mechanic - and a cyborg. Her stepmother and stepsister both hate her and blame her for everything. She is property to them... not a person. But when the prince takes notice of her, her entire life is flipped on its head. Everyone begins to take notice of her - for one reason or another - which is totally unexplored territory for her. As with Cinderella, there is a huge ball that she isn't allowed to go to. Dun Dun Duuuuunnnn.

This book was so good! Seriously. I think I'm going to put it in the hands of everyone I know. It's so well written and I loved how the Cinderella stuff is thrown in there. I honestly forgot that it was a rewritten story until there was some mention of something fairy tale-like. Which I think is really cool. It seems like such an original story - which it is! But the bones are from Cinderella. It was just an interesting concept and done so well. Love. It.

One thing I wasn't expecting was the setting. I mean, it's New Beijing. So, China. Ask me how many times I've read books set in China. The answer isn't many. But that makes the whole story seem even more exotic than it already is (which is a lot). It's also set extremely far into the future - after a couple of world wars. So the world has been rebuilt and things are not at all like we know it now. Even so, there are some things that hint back to Chinese heritage throughout the book. Enough that it keeps my mind set there (which is good because typically I end up mentally American-izing every story). So bravo to the author for that!

There are some things you find out at the end of the story that leave you totally questioning what's going to happen next. I cannot wait to find out what happens to Cinder. I do have to say that the mystery that is revealed is not all that shocking. I mean, I'm glad I guessed correctly, but I wasn't super-surprised. It just made sense! And it gives the story an extra layer of depth (as though it needed it).

The Lunars are an interesting addition to the story. They are a magical people who live on the moon. And they may or may not have carried a deadly plague to earth - for which there is no cure. Yeah, exactly. I love that their magic is sort of explained scientifically. And the idea that there is a whole civilization on the moon is very crazy. Of course, the Earthens hate them - with good reason. And they seem like terrible people. Their queen comes to visit Earth (and the Prince) and I couldn't help but dislike everything that came out of her mouth. Darn Lunars :).

Seriously, you have to read this book. I know that the next one comes out next year sometime - and seems like a companion rather than a continuation. But hopefully we will get the answer to the questions of Cinder's life. Who is she? What will she do? Where will she go? Will she survive?! EEEK! This book was amazing. I have already recommended it around the office and plan on making a few people read it. I'm definitely a Marissa Meyer fan at the moment :).
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