Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication date: January 3rd, 2012

Genre(s): Young Adult (Sci-Fi)
Challenges: A-Z, 

Source: Library
Format: Hardback

Pages: 387

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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.

I've heard so many great things about Cinder, but I just never had the time to actually start it. Now, I regret doing so. Cinder absolutely deserved all of the attention it got from all the readers. Now I finally understand why so many people loved and devoured this book. For me, the thought of reading about cyborgs kind of weirded me out. I didn't exactly understand what cyborgs were, and I kind of thought I was getting myself into a book that was all about mechanics and robots. I was mistaken. True, it had a little bit of that, but it was so delicious and yummy to read about. (Does that even make sense? haha) The main protagonist, Cinder, is the best mechanic you can find in New Beijing. Despite that, she's also a cyborg, who has always been treated differently because of that. Cinder lives with her stepmother and her two stepsisters.  

If you don't already know, Cinder is a retelling of Cinderella. That might sound a bit annoying or intimidating, but it never felt like cinderella at all. It was so different in so many ways, and I honestly loved every part of it. I liked how sometimes I expected something to happen because I know it happened in Cinderella, but then it doesn't. This book was very unexpected. Now, let's talk about the characters. Cinder was such an amazing character to get to know. I really felt connected to her, and I really liked how she coped by herself, and was so responsible in so many things. She wasn't one of those female protagonists that have you feeling sorry for them because of their sad situations. Prince Kai was in so many ways perfect, and non perfect, if you get what I mean. I really loved how the two of them met each other, and it was more to the realistic side than the oh so romantic this feels like a true fairytale side. The conflict of the story was brilliant, and just genius. I don't think there was ever a part where the story felt a tad boring, or just out of place. The flow was great, and it really got me turning pages.

I'm not a person who really cares about the world building, but I've got to say, it was really amazing in Cinder. Cinder takes place in the future, where science is very developed to the point where they have cyborgs, moving androids, and hovercrafts. It was mesmerizing to get into it all, and it was really fun to imagine the whole scenario. To me, I think the most important part of the book is the ending, and let me tell you, Cinder has one HECK of an ending. I absolutely loved it, and I really cannot wait to find out what happens next. Overall, I recommend Cinder to all readers out there. If you haven't read Cinder, don't wait and be an idiot like me because you will regret it.