New Customer Review - Cinder

Cinder
by Marissa Meyer [YA Meyer]

What I really want to tell you is: I love Cinder, the first book in The Lunar Chronicles. Oh, and Marissa Meyer rocks as an author! Yet as a reviewer, I need to back up those statements with reasons. Well, if I absolutely must give you more of an explanation, I enjoyed Cinder by Marissa Meyer on two accounts. As a reader, I love that it's a fantasy, set in the future, and based on a fairy tale. As a writer, I feel in awe of how many elements of fiction Marissa Meyer gets perfect. Now for a closer look at those statements. As a reader, I like that Cinder is a fantasy for young adults. Cinder is set in a not-so-pleasant future. However, it branches beyond that, being about a teenage girl who is part cyborg and part human. Another way that Meyer sets Cinder apart from other dystopian fiction is that she set her story in futuristic Asia. However, I must admit that I most felt mesmerized by the androids, net screens, mechanical legs, hovercrafts, and other markings of a futuristic world. Let me wrap-up this paragraph by saying that Cinder is also based on a fairy tale -- I'm sure you can guess which one. I think she handled it quite smartly, in that she used what she needed and dropped what she didn't. For instance, while there are two step sisters, one of them is nice. Also, Cinder meets the prince before the ball, and Cinder's "fairy godmother" is instead a secretive doctor. Last, there's a Lunar Queen who is far more terrifying than the entire wicked step family. As a writer, I feel in awe of how many elements of fiction Marissa Meyer gets perfect. The plot instantly takes off in the very first paragraph. With so much action, you might wonder if there's any room for character development. In Meyer's skilled hands there is! Cinder is a delightful mix of human and cyborg parts. Real teenage girls will appreciate that Cinder isn't just a trembling flower but also has amazing strengths. Regarding the story's secondary characters, there are certainly those that are two-dimensional. For instance, a few of the minor characters are evil for no apparent reason and Prince Kai too conveniently falls in love with Cinder. However, the majority of the cast are quirky and complex; I love how sweet and fun Iko and Peony are. Cinder is one of my favorite books of the year. It's exciting enough that I can picture other authors trying to emulate it. Could Meyer start a new trend of cyborg literature? -- review submitted by Allison H.-F.. - a customer of the Bennett Martin Public Library

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