Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Date: January 3, 2012
Pages: 390
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
Genre: YA- Science Fiction

I have some very mixed feelings about this book. While not all of them are positive feelings, when you tally them all up there's still more awesome contained in this book than not.

The very first thing I have to mention is the first thing you notice about the book- the cover. And how could you not? It's freakin' fabulous and I can't remember the last time I LOVED a cover this much.

Cinder is a very fanciful and highly imaginative spin on the classic Cinderella tale with some wildly fantastical and unique twists. For starters, this Cinderella isn't all there- physically. Cinder is a cyborg, a creature that was essentially human at one time but whose various body bits have been replaced with mechanical parts. Thanks to the miracles of modern science and better living through chemistry, Cinder was able to survive a horrible accident that left her human body nearly unsalvageable. She was adopted by a kindly gentleman and taken to live with him and his family, a step mother and two step sisters who were less than thrilled to have a machine in the family. After the untimely death of her adopted father, Cinder was forced to accept the only role her step-family was willing to allow her, that of a servant, a machine and the legal property of her 100% human family. But in the market where Cinder works as a mechanic, not everyone is aware that she isn't entirely human. When the Prince Kai, heir to the empire stops by her shop for some impromptu android repair, Cinder quickly finds herself thrown into the midst of a palace scandal that could destroy the entire nation. Kai has no idea that his new confidant isn't all that she appears to be and in fact, she's so very much more than even Cinder herself knows.

All those positives I mentioned early? The majority of them go to Meyer's writing, her powerful story line and excellently founded world. Meyer's city has a tremendous amount of suction and I found myself imagining far beyond the written world, down side streets and behind palace doors, because I simply wasn't able to pull free. I can't fault her story telling.

The few negatives that reared their ugly heads, popped up in various places throughout the story. Without going into what could potentially be seen as spoilers, there were quite a few elements that bordered on absurd. The foot, the car, the "superpower" that was dormant for nearly two decades (really?) and the chiropractic move that brings it out. There was enough actually story line that those little avenues could have gone unexplored and nothing would be missing. But these were personal pet peeves and maybe someone else will see the beauty in them.

At the end of it all, it's still freakin' Sci-Fi Cinderella with Cyborgs and you just about can't top that shit. Solid stuff this. It not only FULLY warrants a sequel but I also have NO doubt that Meyer can pull off an entire series.


Review copy from publisher