Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Something drew me to this book. (The cover art, maybe??) I really, really, really wanted to like it, and it did not disappoint!

First of all, I love that it’s a modern retelling of Cinderella. Cinder, a renowned mechanic in New Beijing, lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters. Her stepmother hates her, because Cinder is a cyborg, considered to be a lesser member of society. After she was involved in an accident as a child, she was given mechanical limbs to replace the ones she lost.

But everything is about to change for Cinder, because Prince Kai needs her help, and her younger stepsister has been diagnosed with the plague letumosis. On top of it all, Cinder’s stepmother is determined to get rid of her by volunteering her for plague research.

This book has a bit of everything, including romance, intrigue, action, and super-cool futuristic technology. Earth may or may not be on the brink of war with Luna (the moon). The prince is secretly searching for a Lunar princess who may or may not be dead. An evil queen has mind-control powers.

The characters were unique and interesting. Cinder is brave, caring, and resourceful. I rooted for her from page 1.

I finished this book quickly, and now I’m disappointed because I wish I were still caught up in Cinder’s world. I think part of the reason I found this book so engaging was because author Marissa Meyer spared Cinder nothing. The tension and the stakes mounted throughout the book, which held my attention and kept me turning pages. The end left Cinder in a very dangerous place, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the remaining books of this series.

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Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?