My review of Cinder

16/02/12 - Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer - Released 3rd January 2012

A unique twist on the fairytale Cinderella, that will leave you breathless and wanting more.

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.

Wow. Definitely not what I expected. A deadly secret, a forbidden romance; an impossible choice. Cinder is on the verge of finding out who she really is.

The Characters

Cinder was an enjoyable main character with a different view on the world. She tries to fit in but being made of metal doesn't really help, does it? I really felt that she deserved to be treated like a normal person. Sigh, through out the book she was tormented and picked on by her stepmother, Ardi. A feature taken from the fairytale, Cinderella. Ardi is a bitter women who, in my eyes, has no heart, she only cares about money and herself. Occasionally, her daughters as well. 

“My only mistake was in waiting too long to be rid of you", Adri said, running the washcloth between her fingers. "Believe me, Cinder. You are a sacrifice I will never regret.” -- Ardi.

Cinder also has 2 stepsisters, another feature, apart from the fact that one of them gets carted off to the medical centre to be tested with antidotes for the plague. Luckily, she has Prince Kai to get her through the horrible situation. Ahhhhhrrrr, Prince Kai. Beautiful, beautiful Kai. <3 All the way through the book I was chanting: Oh, come on, Cinder! GO TO THE BALL WITH GUY! And my obsession with this gorgeous boy started with this conversation:

“Steadying herself with both hands on the table, she managed an awkward bow....
'Your Highness,' she stammered, head lowered...
The prince flinched and cast a glance over his shoulder before hunching toward her. 'Maybe, um...' - he pulled his fingers across his lips - 'on the Highness stuff?” -- Cinder and Kai.

I was extremely angry that Cinder couldn't make up her mind about Kai and what she felt for him. I wished she would agree to go to the ball with him but......

“She was a cyborg, and she would never go to a ball.” -- Cinder.

The Good:
- An interesting plot with enough action and romance to keep you hooked.
- Unique characters that you can't get enough of.
- Withheld information. Lots of it. So much so, you can't put the book down until you find out the answers to your ever-growing list of questions.
- Brilliant scenes between Prince Kai and Cinder.

The Bad:
- The book needed to be longer.
- More Prince Kai, please.
- Nothing else I can think of -

The Cover:

That's what drew me in. It's definitely interesting. Metal pieces instead of bones? Who WOUNLDN'T want to read what it's about? I also love the shoe. Red. Simple but gorgeous.

Overall, an amazing book that anyone will love and enjoy. I borrowed this from the library and I don't want to give it back......

I rate this book:

5 Falling Books!