But Cinder isn't human.
She's cyborg and her implants rate her as nothing more than a second class citizen, less than that in the eye's of her cruel adopted mother and sister.
Weaving an exciting Young Adult tale of political intrigue with the hope of romance, Marissa Meyer has crafted this traditional fairytale into a compelling read that will keep readers guessing.
The Good
Marissa Meyer did a great job of taking the traditional story of Cinderella and turning it into something fresh. While she uses several of the traditional story's elements, she uses them in interesting and unexpected ways that help develop the story while avoiding anything that comes off as a glaring neon sign.
That said, I have to admit that I was a little worried about just how much of the Cinderella story was going to be brought into Cinder. I'm happy to say that Ms. Meyer is enough of an artisan that nothing was out of place and the story was well-written enough to stand strongly on its own merits. Those not familiar with the Cinderella tale will find an exciting read, while fans of the character will discover treasured elements scattered throughout the book like Easter eggs.
And one more thing, I actually almost cried reading this one. If I hadn't been at work... Without going into a huge rant over how much I think Cinder's mom needs a good slapping, Marissa Meyer did an awesome job of conveying the frustration of Cinder's status in life. Cinder constantly gets the short end of the stick but keeps fighting for something better.
The Bad
I thought Cinder was a stand-alone story. If it was... I'd be more than slightly 'cheesed off.' Let's just say, there's plenty more of this story left to tell and I'm eagerly awaiting a sequel. Book two, titled Scarlet, is expected to be released in February of 2013 with two more planned novels (Cress & Winter) coming out in 2014 and 2015. So the only thing about Cinder that I'm having a tough time with, is waiting to get my yearly installment.
The Spin
If you like YA books like I do, you're gonna LOVE Cinder. There is absolutely nothing stale about this Cinderella reboot and it has the potential to consume readers as much as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games ever did. Cinder gets high marks for an exciting story with a light seasoning of romance.
Awesome cover-- does a great job of conveying the story and whetting the appetite.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting read. Also, sounds as if the author did a great job baiting for a sequel. Thanks for sharing.