Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, eBook Challenge
"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 debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling."
"Cinder" entered my life at the worst possible moment - a week before my research papers were due. Needless to say, until today I had only read to page 28. The subsequent pages were read in one sitting while the husband played COD.
"Cinder" is more than a re-imagining of the classic Cinderella story but is more comparable to Star Wars meets "Across the Universe" with a little bit of Cinderella twisted in type of story. When I think of Cinderella, I think of foolish stepsisters, a wicked stepmother, a quiet and almost ridiculous Prince, and of course the few mice and pumpkins. "Cinder" on the other hand incorporates one evil, and I mean REALLY, evil stepsister (what a brat!), and WITCH of a stepmother!, a handsome, humorous, and chivalrous Prince, with a few androids sprinkled in.
Quick note: I had to ask Husband, but apparently a cyborg (if you didn't know) is part human part machine and an android is all machine.
First with the evil people - while reading this story I could feel myself flush with anger and my cheeks redden with indignation towards Adri and even Pearl. I've loved and cried for characters before (see Delirium and Pandemonium) but I don't think I've ever really hated a character so much in a book that I could feel the physical effects and drain on my body after reading.
The prince, much like the evilness of these two characters, goes away beyond the quiet dark haired prince from the Disney classic. While Cinder and Kai did fall rather quickly, I was rooting for them the entire time. I loved every page with Kai on it and waited for him to make an appearance (I just wish he would have made an appearance earlier in the novel). Kai is ... I mean, just WOW! Definitely a vote over the "what's his face" from Cinderella. Does he even have a name or is he just Prince Charming? Dumb.
Anyway, I digress - I think my favorite part of this story falls to the android, Iko. As I mentioned on Twitter, I really wish I had an android that was an R2D2/Iko cross. My life would be an endless conversation full of cleverness. Do you think I could train my iPhone to be an android?
Anyway, "Cinder" is a definite must read the first week of January before school is in full swing. I absolutely adored it's plot and characters. I'd go so far to say that "Cinder" out-dirties, out-evils, out-swoons, and plain out-does the classic tale that we all grew up with.*
* You know, unless you were born after 2000
"Cinder" is more than a re-imagining of the classic Cinderella story but is more comparable to Star Wars meets "Across the Universe" with a little bit of Cinderella twisted in type of story. When I think of Cinderella, I think of foolish stepsisters, a wicked stepmother, a quiet and almost ridiculous Prince, and of course the few mice and pumpkins. "Cinder" on the other hand incorporates one evil, and I mean REALLY, evil stepsister (what a brat!), and WITCH of a stepmother!, a handsome, humorous, and chivalrous Prince, with a few androids sprinkled in.
Quick note: I had to ask Husband, but apparently a cyborg (if you didn't know) is part human part machine and an android is all machine.
First with the evil people - while reading this story I could feel myself flush with anger and my cheeks redden with indignation towards Adri and even Pearl. I've loved and cried for characters before (see Delirium and Pandemonium) but I don't think I've ever really hated a character so much in a book that I could feel the physical effects and drain on my body after reading.
The prince, much like the evilness of these two characters, goes away beyond the quiet dark haired prince from the Disney classic. While Cinder and Kai did fall rather quickly, I was rooting for them the entire time. I loved every page with Kai on it and waited for him to make an appearance (I just wish he would have made an appearance earlier in the novel). Kai is ... I mean, just WOW! Definitely a vote over the "what's his face" from Cinderella. Does he even have a name or is he just Prince Charming? Dumb.
Anyway, I digress - I think my favorite part of this story falls to the android, Iko. As I mentioned on Twitter, I really wish I had an android that was an R2D2/Iko cross. My life would be an endless conversation full of cleverness. Do you think I could train my iPhone to be an android?
Anyway, "Cinder" is a definite must read the first week of January before school is in full swing. I absolutely adored it's plot and characters. I'd go so far to say that "Cinder" out-dirties, out-evils, out-swoons, and plain out-does the classic tale that we all grew up with.*
* You know, unless you were born after 2000
If you're interested, Barnes and Noble has the first five chapters available for a free download.
-Visit Marissa around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
To the FTC, with love: eGalley from NetGalley
About the Author
Aww, I too loved this one. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Cant wait to read it. I have a picture of you and I at BEA in my post today :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent review! I haven't read one bad review of this. Need to read it. Now.
ReplyDeleteVery nice clean and crisp review of this...I have it and you are making me want to get to it fast!!!
ReplyDeleteI have this on my Kindle waiting for me at the moment. I just need to finish Little Women and Legend first...
ReplyDeleteI love that Cinder is a cyborg mechanic! I really can't wait to read this. I love Across the Universe and am a big Star Wars fan so I know I will probably love this book too. I also like that it has characters that provoke such a strong emotional response. Great review! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on Cinder :)