Module 8: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Citation:

Meyer, M. (2012). Cinder. New York: Feiwel & Friends.

Summary:

In a future world, Cinder is a cyborg living with her adoptive father's widow. She's the best mechanic in town. So good, in fact, that the Prince himself brings his own android to be fixed by Cinder. When the plague hits the shop down the street from hers, Cinder sneaks back home and then takes her step sister with her to salvage some pieces for the Prince's android.  The plague then gets her step-sister while they are at the junkyard, and being upset, cinder's stepmom/guardian volunteers her for the draft for cyborgs. Cinder is to go in to help with research on the plague to find a cure. The doctor doing this research discovers that Cinder is immune to the plague meaning she is from the moon, or lunar. Lunar people are feared and illegal on Earth. Cinder keeps running into Kai, the prince, and he eventually asks her, several times to the ball. Cinder knows she won't be able to go, but when it is announced that the Lunar queen will be there, Cinder decides she has to. 

My thoughts:

This wonderfully intricate science fiction twist on an age old fairytale was captivating. The world Meyer creates in this book is one of intrigue and focuses on humanity and what makes us human. This story is great for those who love romance, twists on classics, or science fiction stories. Even Dystopian fans would get their fix with this one. There are several books in the series that I think are just as good and focus on different fairytales. You'll want to pick up one after the other.

Professional Review:

"Gr 7-10-This re-imagined fairy tale, the first of a quartet, is neither imaginative nor compelling enough to keep readers involved in the detailed plot. In New Beijing of the Eastern Commonwealth, citizens are plagued by a deadly disease called lutumosis and are in constant danger of being obliterated by a moon-dwelling population called the lunars. Cinder is a human with surgically implanted robot parts who lives with her stepmother, two stepsisters, and an android named Iko. She slaves away as a mechanic, working hard to fix robots, hovercrafts, and netscreens. One day a hooded stranger walks into her booth at the marketplace with a broken android. To her shock, it is Prince Kai. The teen is flustered by the handsome young man who is soon to be emperor but manages to hide her mechanical arm and foot, which would reveal that she is a lowly cyborg, and agrees to help him. Meanwhile her stepsisters, Pearl and Peony, are readying themselves for the ball, intended to help Prince Kai find a princess. After Peony becomes afflicted with lutumosis and is taken to quarantine, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her hated stepdaughter for research in a desperate attempt to save her. With the help of a strange yet kindly doctor, Cinder learns a shocking secret about her past that could help save Prince Kai's empire, if only she can figure out what it means. The author's skilled, concise writing style cannot save this lackluster tale that has way too obvious secrets. Die-hard retold fairy-tale lovers who are also fans of future worlds such as that in Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" series (S & S) might enjoy this one, but otherwise it is an additional purchase"

Grades 5 & up. (2012). School Library Journal, 58(1), 105-n/a. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu/login?url=https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2165/docview/914676256?accountid=7113

Library use:

This book would be great for a halloween  "dressing up an old classic" theme or a book club trying out different genres, as it has a little bit of everything. 

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