What if Cinderella was actually a cyborg and her prince was fighting against war?
Dates Read: 26/05/2022 to 01/05/2022
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Word to describe: Imaginative
Genre: YA Fiction
When I was first introduced to this book it was through the power of pirated audiobooks that had been uploaded to YouTube (sorry Marissa). After falling in love with the story, and then completely forgetting about it, I came across the collection in the kobo e-book store. £40 later I had the whole collection and was ready to sit back and let the teenage nostalgia grow.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a Cinderella-inspired story which takes place in a post-apocalyptic-style world after a destructive world war 4. Cinder is a cyborg and the property of her stepmother (despite being mostly human and not just a typical robot). The book also introduces a long-standing pending war between the residents of the commonwealth on Earth and the human Lunar colony from the Moon. Xenophobia plays a huge role in this story with cyborgs and androids having the lowest status following behind a large hatred of the Lunar people. The only thing in common between Lunar and the commonwealth citizens is their mutual dislike of cyborg individuals. A huge yikes for Cinder.
This story is a brilliant concept and so unique in the plot line. Each twist and turn in the chapters leave readers eager for more. The relatable down-trodden main character is reminiscent of the original tale of Cinderella whilst also being a completely new story. Fans of Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron will love this series. Cinder's character is stubborn, bold, and passionate. She devotes her life to those around her despite being mistreated by the people she calls family. Her love for her android Iko and her younger step-sister Peony shows the readers how much Cinder cares for those she is closest to.
The secondary main character in this book is the young prince, and soon-to-be Emporer, Kai. All the love I share for this character is often overshadowed by my irritants at his naivety. He believes that peace can be achieved no matter how much the pending war status is hung over his head by the Queen of the Lunar colony (Queen Levana). He is gentle and has a teasing personality that directly juxtaposes Cinder's straightforward bluntness and tragic life experience. The characters in this book were brilliantly written each with its own flaws and advantages. They are entirely human even the ones who are technically robots in this series.
The storyline is unique and awe-worthy. It mimics the brilliance of the original story tale whilst remaining true to its own plot line. The introduction of the deadly virus Letumosis (think covid-19) and its effect throughout this story brings back the days of the Victorian black plague and other diseases of the past. Quarantine wards, large red X's, and towns being deserted after someone is revealed to have the disease are a clever nod to society's past reactions to deadly diseases. Personally, I think the addition of this plot point in the cinder series adds to the climactic build-up towards the end of book one in a way that leaves the reader shocked and ready for more of the Lunar world.
As a reader, it becomes obvious that Marissa Meyer deeply cares for her writing potential and each of the characters she introduces. This book shows that writing is not easy but the final result can be so close to perfection that readers will wish the story was a reality. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a teen listening to stolen audio and I loved it even more as an adult praising Marissa Meyer for all of her hard work. This book truly deserves its 5-star rating.
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