Book Review: "Cinder"

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads Summary: 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. 

Review: I love fairy tale adaptations, so when I found out this was going to be about a cyborg Cinderella, I was immediately interested.  Unfortunately, I didn't love this book as much as I thought it would.  While the premise was original and the main characters were likable, it felt like the author was trying to tackle too much.  First, there's the original Cinderella story.  Then, it was layered with a futuristic world where cyborgs, androids, and hovers exist on Earth that is completely different from what it is now (the story itself takes place on New Beijing, where there is an emperor that rules).  Third, there's tension with Queen Levana, ruler of the Lunars who live on the moon and have the power to manipulate people's thoughts.  And on top of all that, there's a deadly plague that's killing hundreds of people quickly with no cause or reason, and there's no cure.

Meyer was certainly ambitious with where she wanted her story to go, but I felt like it was too much.  None of the different aspects were really explained or detailed in a way that made me feel satisfied.  Instead, it almost seemed like Meyer was afraid that the reader would lose interest if there wasn't action in every page.  As a result, she sacrificed a lot in details and explanation about the world, characters, and background that would have made it more real to me.  It was enjoyable, but not very satisfying.  

Overall Rating: 3/5