Book: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book Info: Published by Feiwel & Friends; 387 pages; hardcover; borrowed from the library

Genre: YA: Science Fiction/Fairy Tale

Find Out More: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Marissa Meyer

Goodreads.com Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the 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.

I finally finished Cinder, and I really liked it.  But how could you not like a cyborg Cinderella?

Cinder is a really interesting and unique take on the story of Cinderella, with the story set in New Bejing, populated with the Lunar people, cyborgs and androids.  I love the science fiction element of it, and that it relies on the “magic” of science.  I liked that it took place in Asia, which is a nice change from a fairy tale re-telling being set in Europe.

I could see everything so clearly, and while there wasn’t a lot of backstory, I didn’t mind, because I was so engrossed with what was going on in the present.  I can’t help but wonder what happens to Cinder after leaving New Bejing, and how things will play.  The book did end on a cliffhanger, and I just wanted to know more!

It was clear that it was a Cinderella story, but at the same time, it is so clearly different than Cinderella.  One thing that I didn’t think about until I finished the book is the fact that there is no incorporation of Chinese culture.  The fact that the book mentions New Bejing is the only indication of its setting.  Otherwise, you’d have no clue of it’s setting.

It gets a 4 out of 5.  I didn’t love it, but it really is a different take on Cinderella.  While predictable, it was enjoyable and engrossing.  Plus, it started out as a NaNoWriMo novel, which is pretty awesome in my book.