(The Lunar Chronicles #1, By: Marissa Meyer)

SUMMARY:

A forbidden romance.

A deadly plague.

Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.

This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget. 

Published 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

REVIEW:

I gave this book 4 stars. This was the first YA fairy tale re-telling that I've read and it ended up being playful and entertaining while still unique enough to keep me intrigued. The characters came to life in a well built east-meets-west futuristic world that captured my attention from the start. While the writing and love interest felt young compared to a lot of YA books, I appreciated that it stayed true to the whimsical fairy tale feel. 

I'll start with the plot, because as a re-telling I went into the story somewhat knowing where the plot and conflict would go. This aspect was both fun, because I didn't know how Meyer's spin on the traditional story with pan out, but also anti-climactic at times due to obvious foreshadowing. I guessed most of the twists within the first quarter of the book so I wasn't surprised when they came to fruition later in the story. That being said, I was still intrigued and interested in the characters enough to want to continue reading and see how everything would end up. 

Cinder, the main character, was very well developed and such a creative spin on the classic Cinderella. I connected with her instantly, and loved her hard working spirit and quick wit personality. It was easy to root for her from the start, especially against the villains that Meyer created in her step mother and the Lunar queen. I also couldn't get enough of the innocent romance between Cinder and the Prince, as well as the friendship that Cinder had with lko (her android). 

The world that the characters exist in was captivating and different than a lot of futuristic worlds. While there were similarities - with the obvious emphasis on technology and separation in class - it was interesting to see it set in China, in an east-meets-west meld of culture. 

Finally, the writing was well done, with descriptions that allowed you to feel immersed in the world. However, it was nothing monumental. Throughout the book it felt like the writing was getting out of the way of the story and fading into the background, in order to let the plot and characters shine. I didn't mind this at all, but if you are going in looking for sophisticated prose you will find it lacking. 

Overall I had a lot of fun with this book and thoroughly enjoyed my first read by Meyer. I can't wait to continue with the characters for the rest of this series! 

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