Book Review: CINDER by Marissa Meyer

3 out of 5 hearts

Another blogosphere find.  Well actually, I heard all about Scarlet, the book that follows this one in the series and figured I'd give the Lunar Chronicles a try.

Cinder Linh is an adopted cyborg and lives in New Beijing after World War IV.  She is the Cinderella of the future, a helpless girl living under the care of a ruthless stepmother.  Her only friends in the world are the android Iko and her stepsister Peony.  She spends her days as New Beijing's best mechanic and is forced to give all her earnings to her stepmother.  Her reputation as mechanic earns her a mysterious visit from New Beijing's own Prince Kai.  He is more handsome in the flesh.  But, Cinder has bigger fish to fry.  Her beloved sister Peony becomes infected with the plague, a plague that is taking thousands of lives by the minute.  To make things worse, Cinder's stepmother blames her for Peony's illness and sends her off to become a medical test subject.  There, she discovers the secret of her past and her role in an intergalactic feud.  She is the key to humanity's survival.  What can she do?

For me, this book was very predictable.  The entire time I was reading it, I knew what was going to happen. Not to say that I knew the entire story line within the first few pages but I was able to assume the entire storyline after I was a third in.  However, Meyer has a way of writing that makes you want to keep reading.  Even though I already knew how things were going to play out, I wanted things to get better for Cinder and Prince Kai.  I was cheering for her, so I kept reading.  Plus, I hated the villainous Queen Levana and wanted Cinder to bring her down.

Even though I could say this book was mediocre, I have a feeling that the series as a whole will be worth the read.  So, I already checked Scarlet out from my library.

-Mariela

“Imagine there was a cure, but finding it would cost you everything. It would completely ruin your life. What would you do?” ― Marissa Meyer, Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Hardcover, 1st Edition, 387 pages
Published January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
ISBN 0312641893 (ISBN13: 9780312641894)
Edition language:  English