Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Image

Figure 1. Cinder book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

Cinder by Marissa Meyer presents a new spin on the classic fairytale, Cinderella. Meyer’s fractured fairytale keeps the key parts of the story like the cruel stepmother, the prince, and the ball. However, Cinder, a renowned mechanic and cyborg, lives in New Beijing where a plague wreaks havoc on Earth. And when her best friend and stepsister, Peony, contracts the disease, her stepmother offers Cinder for plague research. This introduces Cinder to Dr. Erland, this stories version of a fairy godfather. He provides insight into her physical makeup, her unusual gifts, and helps guide her so that a happily ever after can hopefully be obtained.

Character development reigns as the best part of Cinder. Prince Kai takes on the role of the gentle, kind prince who cares about his country and its citizens. But he also comes off as a love swooning boy who likes Cinder. Then Cinder’s self-loathing and embarrassment due to her cyborg parts makes her a character you want to root for from page one. She shows gumption and cares about others, making her a caregiver that wants to help everyone in need. Next, Dr. Erland, the plague research scientist, comes off as the absent-minded professor who slowly teases out new information about the truth of the plot. Without this zany character, key pieces of the puzzle would not be realized by Cinder. Then there is Queen Levana, the Lunar/Moon society ruler, that everyone loves to hate. She controls people’s minds and constantly commits heinous acts that pit her against Cinder, Prince Kai, and even Dr. Erland.

The futuristic world of New Beijing also sets this book apart. The setting places the characters in a time after World War IV, where androids and cyborgs play a big part in the society. Also, key places like the market, the Palace, Phoenix Towers apartments, and a warehouse on the outskirts of New Beijing provide the key places that main events happen. Even the name of Cinder’s apartment complex adds to the setting, Phoenix Towers. The phoenix burns to ashes and then is reborn, just like New Beijing.

However, the best part of Cinder is the concept of drawing a line in the sand. From the moment you see the name of the book, the reader knows the basis of the story. Cinder will live, but the fractured fairytale keeps the reader guessing on how everything will play out. And with the scientific genre impacting the storyline, major twists happen. No more can be said without giving away the story, but this book’s ending does provide hope for the future of Earth and Cinder.

Response

As I read Cinder, I found myself trying to figure out how the main points of Disney’s Cinderella might show up in the book. I wanted to see how a cyborg in the future could have a fairy godmother that provides a chariot made out of a pumpkin. The book did not disappoint me. Using Dr. Erland and old technology made sense in this new version of the story. And I enjoyed the text despite already knowing other versions of the story. In fact, knowing the storyline and seeing similarities and differences made the book fascinating to read. To sum up, I loved reading this fragmented fairytale. The new twists on how things happen and what can be used to substitute key elements for the story make it so much more fun to read than the original versions. Therefore, I recommend this book for science fiction and fairytale lovers.

Conclusion

Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a must read for fractured fairytale lovers, especially those that enjoy science fiction books. The story keeps you guessing, even if you read or watched a different version earlier in life. Out of four stars, I give this book four stars.

Citation

Meyer, M. (2012). Cinder. New York, NY: Feiwel and Friends.

Willis, C. (2019). Cinder book cover (photo). Retrieved April 28, 2019 from

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12wZUuep4c6ZWSF1l2aqrdYAnsoxMTJjN/view?usp=sharing