Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 387
Synopsis: 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.

Review: Maybe it's just me, but I didn't really see too many similarities to Cinderella in this book. Frankly, that's a good thing, because Cinderella happens to be my least favorite fairy tale. She always came across to me as a really hopeless girl who only received her wishes because of a fairy godmother. Way to make things happen on your own, Cinderella. But I digress. Cinder (the character) was much different than Cinderella (the princess), and Cinder (the book) was much better than Cinderella (the fairy tale).

   Cinder automatically breaks the mold of the typical YA heroine by being a cyborg. She's different, although there are definitely many similarities between cyborgs and humans. Cinder is a likable character. She's independent, caring, and has the right amount of hotheadedness.

   The plot moves along well. There is always something to keep the reader interested. Scientists are working to find a cure for an awful plague that's spreading throughout New Beijing. Cinder is caught between freedom and revealing her true identity. And on top of that, there's a war on the horizon that seems pretty darn inevitable.

   There was a lot of great things going on for this book. However, there were two big problems for me: the romance and the predictability. Kai is a perfect gentleman, but he somehow lacks that intrigue, that spark that pulls the reader in. He is kind and smart, yes, but there is just something missing. Also, the story was very predictable. It wasn't as exciting as it could have been due to this. Although I'm not sure whether it's because Marissa Meyer did a good job of foreshadowing or if the plot was just particularly predictable, either way, I wish it could've been more surprising.

   Cinder weaves together strands of science fiction, fairy tale, and mystery to create an entertaining and enjoyable novel. It's definitely worth a read!

   4 keys.

*On a personal note* I know I've been very inactive and absent lately, and I'm sorry to say that I don't have a concrete excuse. All I can say is that I just started freshman year of high school in the IB program, and the workload has been overwhelming, especially in math. I've been spending hours doing homework, sleeping early to wake up at six for band practice, etc. It's difficult to keep up with, and it's nearly impossible to find time to read. I hope I can find time for reading and blogging, but until then, I'm afraid my blog will be updated very sporadically. I apologize for the lame excuse.