Cinder

Reader: Guananí
Age: 16
Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pub Date: 01/2012
Galley: No
Top 25: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Cinder is a sci-fi retelling of Cinderella, with believable characters and superb world-building. I really enjoyed the world of post-World War IV, cyborg populated, Lunar-race-threatened New Beijing. The elements of the traditional Cinderella story were expanded, revamped, and felt very new and original even though it was a retelling, especially the main character.
Memorable or Forgettable: Though the world it is set in was definitely the most memorable aspect of the book, the characters and plot were also compelling, making it a fast paced and occasionally funny read even though the main premises are fairly dark. The sideplot romance was cute and added to the rest of the story without being sappy or overdone.
Cover: This cover is decent, but it could have been so much cooler. The descriptions of Cinder’s cyborg leg inspired imagery that was not done justice in the foot depicted. It also bothered me that no high heel was involved, yet they still chose to put it on the cover. I picked this up because I read good things about it.
Age Range: 14-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal