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[linklee2]

Cinder
Written by Melissa Meyer
Read by Rebecca Soler
Story: 4.5/5
Performance: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Cinder is a NYT bestseller, with a movie adaptation contract already signed- though to what studio is a secret until after they find a director.

As the cover and title will lead you to believe, the novel is a twist on an old classic few of us are unfamiliar with, but this is not the Cinderella fairy tale you remember from your childhood.

Cinder is a story that takes place in New Beijing some time after World War IV. It’s the future as seen through the retinal displays of a young teenage cyborg named Cinder: adopted orphan and the best mechanic in town. Unfortunately for Cinder, the future is not full of hope and promise. She lives in a world that is being ravaged by an incurable plague known as Letumosis, and as a cyborg (even while only 36% cybernetic) Cinder is considered a social pariah and looked down upon by everyone, not to mention the ever looming threat of war if the ruler of the Eastern Commonwealth cannot negotiate a peace treaty with the Lunar monarch, Queen Levana, a queen whose cruelty and viciousness won her a throne.

That’s where our story opens. It all takes off quickly, weaving in and out original story and classic fairy tale, tying in familiar elements in new ways that are unexpected and keep the story from being predictable. The problems all start simply enough: when the royal mechanic is unable to repair a rather old android, Prince Kai is directed to Cinder. She knows he’s lying as to why he needs such an outdated model repaired, but work is work, and he is the prince. Cinder is living in a plague ravaged future, though, and soon enough, those around her are affected, her sister Peony falling ill with the disease, which ultimately thrusts Cinder headlong into the middle of the political game between Prince Kai and Queen Levana, with more involvement in it and more at stake than Cinder ever could have dreamed.

There were a few things about this story I thought could have been done better, like painting the world in which Cinder lives, and descriptions of what the characters look like, but I really did enjoy it. I also loved the fact that the characters are all POC’s, and that the main character is both a WOC and disabled/uses various prosthesis, so I can’t really complain. It was nice to read a book where I didn’t find myself questioning “Why is everyone white?”. Granted, even the androids appear to be straight in this book, but I think the author is off on the right foot already.

A personal niggle of mine was the use of the word “Earthians” to refer to everyone born on Earth. It struck me as wrong, like either “Earthlings” or “Terrans” should have been used instead, preferably “Terrans”.

That being said, I am looking forward to the rest of the series, though I do hear the second book has a bit of middle-child syndrome and that I should go in with lowered expectations from the first. This advice may serve you well, also.

As of now, I recommend you give The Lunar Chronicles a chance. Just look at the covers! For once they aren’t beautiful confectionery displays of artistry… with no actual flavor when you bite in. Cinder was a great book I really enjoyed.

[Dallis24F]

Great review. 

I can see that this sort of remake of a classic tale could be fun so, did it have good laughs?

Since the story took place in "New Beijing", speaking Chinese (?), not Latin based, so that could explain the lack of a Latin derived term like "Terran" but I'm almost sure I've heard Earthian used before... 

[jessicado22]

I liked Cinder, but I felt like the following books in the series became too repetitive.  I didn't care about the characters and lost interest.

[angeldem]

Same as jessicado: the first book was really good. Loved the setting, the characters. Loved that the retelling of classic cinderella was done in a clever way, not the old boring stuff. There was even stuff I didn't see coming, which for a YA novel is quite unusual. Robots were also cool, as was the system with planets and kingdoms.

However, book 2 was the complete opposite. The characters were annoying stupid brats who had no idea of the world (doing stupid things like taking 0 precautions when being followed by authorities/enemies etc). Also I hated that in the 2nd book they started switching between the characters. First book just had the female and male lead but now u had the LittleRedRidingHood, Wolf + the old characters etc etc. I think the author didnt take her time with the book, it could have been written a lot better. Also I eventually started hating the mixing of different fairy tales. If she would have kept to Cinderella and did 3 books on that, it would have been awsome enough. I kept wanting to hear how Cinders story went forward and was completly uninterested in the other characters.

[jayblade88]

Nice review, I'll put it on my listen to list