By Marissa Meyer
4 Stars
By Marissa Meyer, Cinder is an inventive science fiction retelling of the classic tale of Cinderella. The story starts off in a futuristic world by introducing New Beijing. The young heroine of the book is introduced as Cinder, a talented mechanic who instantly comes off differently from this original fairytale heroine because she happens to be a cyborg.
What is intriguing in Meyer's book is the fact that traditional Eastern culture creates an interesting connection with very advanced technologies. Urgency and tension are brought into the narrative by a deadly plague that infected society. The mix of humans, androids, and cyborgs is realistic and thought-provoking. 
Cinder also serves as a great heroine, full of initiative and resilient ideas, taking up challenges head-on with grace that inspires. Moreover, her identity and prejudices against her as a cyborg are gently treated with depth. Complementing Cinder so well is Prince Kai, handsome but quite mixed up himself for his throne-heir position. There is romance eventually, too, without displacement of her story at all.
The characters are good: there's the loyal android Iko and the menacing Queen Levana. That really adds dimensions to the story and deepens Meyer's world. Her writing is engaging; the plot's well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep one hooked.
Overall, Cinder is a great opener for the Lunar Chronicles series. It refreshingly has an originality of its own and cleverly fuses a fairy tale with science fiction in a manner that attracts both groups of readers. Meyer's imaginative take on the classic story of Cinderella makes sure Cinder stands out in the crowded young adult market. If you're looking for a read that combines adventure, romance, and some form of magic, then Cinder is it.
Reviewed by Becky
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