REVIEW: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

First read of the year! Glad it was a good one, this means many more good reads in the future, y/y? Yes!

The book: Cinder
The author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
The genre: young adult, sci-fi, fantasy, romance
Recommended to: Fairy-tale lovers. Those interested in books set in an alternate universe. Actually, everyone.
Note: Keep in mind this is the first book in the series and the second book is not expected to be out until 2013.



Finished this the previous night, but I couldn't bring myself to leave a review after such a frustratingly abrupt ending. Yes, I'm frustrated. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this enthralling story about a cyborg who must find her true self after her world turns upside down. The world that she lives in is not just suffering from a plague, but hangs in the threat of war. Whether Cinder's world finds peace again, rests in her hands.

The reason for my frustration is that it DID end with a cliffhanger that had me pleading for more.

The story is, of course, a retelling of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. It's almost comforting to have those familiar elements woven into the story. However, I was still surprised at the twists and turns, and I was pleased to find myself immersed and lost in whatever path the story took me on.

The characters are quite simply charming.

Cinder is refreshing, I fell in love with her character right from the start. Witty. Strong. Independent. A real, true to heart girl.

Kai, next in line to be emperor of New Beijing, makes a perfect Prince Charming. Ever the gentleman, Kaito suits the swoon-worthy role and makes it his own while wearing a hoodie.

And can't have a Cinderella story without her evil step-mother and step-sisters. I won't spoil the fun of the interesting spin on the love-to-hate villains, but I happened to love it.

As for the fairy god-mother, well, again I won't spoil it. But I have to say, she is my favorite character no matter her form.

I loved the freshness and the direction of the story, and though the cliffhanger is leaving me hanging, I'll definitely hold on for the next installment of this wicked, steampunk-ish story that happened to break out of the mold of the classic Cinderella story and has left me quite thoroughly enchanted.