{Book Review} CINDER by Marissa Meyer

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Format: Hardback, 400pp

Age Range: 12 - 17 Years

Series: Lunar Chronicles Series , #1

Genre: YA Dystopian

Order: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

MY EMOTIONS. THERE THEY WENT. SCATTERED EVERYWHERE.

This book totally made the top few on my list that made me want to actually kill someone myself. Brutally. And mercilessly. ._. Instead of having to go through the pity I felt for the main character, whilst thinking, I would totally give that person a good hard jab in the vagina. Anyway, that's just me, focusing on two characters in particular that I fucking despised. Onto the actual review. xD

I reeeally loved this book, it was an awesome retelling of Cinderella. Very different, but very awesome. :3 A cyborg Cinderella is just freaking brilliant. If the cover and title were different, I actually wouldn't have thought this was based on Cinderella, especially with the New Beijing setting. But I think that I'd catch on sooner or later by the end of the book. Though it would take some serious thinking, with the Lunars and whatnot. xD 

The world was so unique and original and compelling, it was hard to think that a world like that could come to life in someone's head. But it did with me, and it was vivid. <3 I could picture the setting perfectly. Marissa totally nailed it on the head with "world-building" skills. True dat. It had a lot of history to go with it too, since it's set in "New Beijing." The original Beijing was destroyed in World War IV. I thought that was pretty cool. c: And to go along with the history, the scene were Cinder had found the old car in the junkyard was darn neat. Since she's used to hovers and this is set in the dystopian future, she has never seen cars like there are nowadays.

The character building in this was fantastic as well. They were well developed and just wonderful. Cinder has to be one of my favorite heroines. She's tough, brave, and determined. I loved everything about her, and her being a mechanic just added to it But I'm glad there wasn't a fairy in this--to help her with the ball. She got stuff done herself without complaint. And can I just say that Iko, Cinder's android, was just cute? :3 Prince Kai was a very nice hero, as well. I didn't have a problem with him at all until the very last few pages. (Though I don't know if it was fake or not. I assumed it was. Hoping, rather.) I don't want to say that I swooned or got excited every time he came around in the book, but I was interested in what he was doing. I liked him, and I wanted him and Cinder to have more "alone" parts than there was. Because I feel like they both deserve it, Cinder more than him. 

The two characters I was talking about earlier was Cinder's stepmother--Adri--and stepsister--Pearl. Adri was unbelievably harsh and mean to Cinder, I almost couldn't stand it. I wanted Cinder to tell her off or do something, but I guess she was bidding her time. Or maybe I'm just a violet person. xD I would've punched or slapped her. And do worse to that bitch Pearl. >_> I was alright with Peony, the other stepsister. Because she actually loved Cinder, and was nice to her. Queen Levana just needs to go, as well with Sybil and Torin. I don't like them lol. At all. 

The Lunars are different. Very different. I loved it. c: There always has to be an enemy right? xD Well that's were the Lunars come in with this retelling. And the fact that they live on the moon, is just down right awesome. The whole Lunars idea was brilliant and instant-mind-grabbing for me!

The ending for this book totally left me hanging and mouth watering for more. D: I was definitely surprised when Cinder found out about her past. I didn't see that coming at all. Also the way Kai treated her when he found out about her...situation...ruined me. v_v I thought he'd be more understanding and all. But it makes sense (only if he was fooling her.) The surprises just kept coming in this one!

I'm glad I didn't rush into this book as I normally would have. I took time in it, and enjoyed it very much. I can't freaking wait until the next books. Which I am hella excited for. I read the Goodreads synopsis' for them, and those will be something to look forward too. Especially the last one. ;) I have a feeling all of them will be filled with epicness!

Rating: 5/5