Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 2012
Type: Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 390
Read: 3/17/2015
Rating:Liked it ♥♡

It started with the troll under the bridge. He was only trying to collect the toll and the poor thing got battered by the biggest billy goat gruff (Truth About Three Billy Goats Gruff). Then there was The True Story of the Three Little Pigs followed by The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Then “The Wicked Years” series by Gregory Maguire along with his other re-tellings of popular fairy tales. I discovered a Steam Punk version of the Wizard of Oz, actually it was sent to me by the author. I need to find it and read the next installment. I probably enjoy these because I’ve never liked fairy tales, tales of child abuse and misogyny, women were either wicked queens and witches or helpless princesses waiting for a man to come save them. Fathers remarrying because taking care of children is women’s work. YUCK.

Along comes Cinder, a well know fairy tale turned into Steam Punk Science Fiction/Dystopian novel. The next book in the series is “Scarlet”, pretty sure you can guess whose story that is. Cinder is an orphan, abused by her ‘stepmother’ and ‘stepsisters’, having to do all the work and turn her wages over to her stepmother because she is also a cyborg. Her only friend is an android with a malfunctioning personality chip. Since this is Steam Punk she is a mechanic not a scullery maid, and she isn’t missing a shoe at the end, she is missing a foot. A cybernetic foot. She has a computer in her head and is able to store things in her leg.

The setting is New Beijing, the population has been ravaged by a plague that doctors can find no cure for. The lunar people want to take over earth. There is a handsome prince, and a ball, but no happily ever after. At least not at the end of this book.

Let me just say that a few chapters into this book I KNEW who Cinder really is, I uncovered the secrets of her past that will help her save the world. OH COME ON YOU HAD TO KNOW THAT WAS COMING! Then it was just a matter of time till Cinder discovered it and unfortunately her mortal enemy also. Oops, almost a spoiler.

This was a quick read, the story moved smoothly and the ending sets the stage for the next book. It’s gives us questions that we now have to read the next book to get the answers.