Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

From Goodreads: 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. 

My Rating: 4.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Wholly unique, Marissa Meyer’s Cinder is a re-telling of Cinderella with sci-fi elements. Set in New Beijing at a time when androids and cyborgs are common, a plague known as letumosis is decimating the global population, and the leaders of Earth are more or less united against the threat of the Lunars – a race led by a devious queen (who I found really fascinating); Meyer does a good job striking a balance between describing the world in Cinder and allowing it to unfold in the reader’s imagination.

To be honest, I was never a huge fan of Disney's Cinderella because it seemed like she got everything due to her fairy godmother. That’s thankfully not the case in Cinder – Linh Cinder remains hard-working but is a much more strong-willed and independent character. I also really liked that Meyer made Cinder a mechanic, which is a career you don’t see too many females in.

Although I guessed the major twists early on, it was fun to see how Meyer made this re-telling of Cinderella truly her own. For example, Cinder meets the charismatic and attractive Prince Kai way before she actually goes to the ball; and so by the time the ball arrives, the two are already friends. Thus, there’s a gradual development of attraction and both remain aware that Kai is a prince who is responsible for running the Eastern Commonwealth.

A spellbinding story that will have you craving the next book in the series, Meyer’s debut is not to be missed!

Cinder will be released on January 3, 2012 by Feiwel & Friends. 

Comments About the Cover: I think the red shoe is really eye-catching and like how the cover subtly hints that Cinder is a cyborg. Cinder’s shoe also kind of looks like the glass slipper and so it instantly makes you think of Cinderella.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) for free via NetGalley.

10 comments:

  1. Awesome review! I keep seeing this one being praised no one hates it!! I'm so curious. I was not really a fan of Cinderella either, dunno why just not that into it I guess so I'm not sure how I'll like this one but it sounds so cool!

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  2. Awwwwesome!! I got an ARC of this from NetGalley too. I've always thought this was interesting but always been reluctant to read. Now, I'm definitely going to read this before the year ends. Thanks for the review, Z! :)

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  3. Great review, Z! I was so ticked off that Netgalley archived the galley before I got a chance to read it. I've been saving it for Winter Break. Grr...Well, now I will have to track it down to read it when it gets published.

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  4. I've been hearing great things about this one. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

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  5. *cheers* YAY! I'm so happy you loved this one!! :) I knew I wanted to read it because I love anything that has to do with a fairytale remake (and cyborgs too because the whole idea is really cool!), but reading your review makes me infinitely more excited! I love it when girls are mechanics too -- it kind of makes me proud, in a way! ;)

    Awesome review, Z! I'm definitely picking this book up when it's released! :)

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  6. Aaaaah! You posted this review while I was out on vaca. No wonder I missed it. Sorry about that.

    So, friends first, huh. I like that. There doesn't seem to be enough slow building romances.

    And it's really speaks volumes that you have this retelling such a high rating despite the fact that you guessed some of the twists and didn't care much for the original. I'm not as nervous anymore. Thanks, Z!

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  7. I don't really care for Cinderella stories, but this one looks pretty interesting :)

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  8. I've only one read one retelling (Beastly) but really want to read more of them. Cinder sounds like a really good book, and I would really want to read it.

    I like how it's set in the future (I suppose) and that Cinder is a cyborg, sounds really fun! And a book set in (New)Beijing? Give me!

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  9. I like the points you highlighted! I'm intrigued by the girl who is not only a mechanic (which, as you pointed out, is not often a female role), but is also a cyborg!!

    Crazy!

    Thanks for the review!

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  10. I really want to read this book! I love fairy tales and their retellings. CINDER sounds so unique and awesome when the author combines a traditional fairy tale with a sci-fi twist. Ooh, I like the idea that their relationship develops rather than the prince just falling in love at first sight. (In the original version, how does he not recognize her when he's looking for her with a shoe. A shoe?) It's awesome that Cinder is a cyborg and a mechanic. She really does break the stereotype of a fragile princess who doesn't do much in the fairy tale!

    Chen Chang

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