Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012 Debut

From Good Reads:


Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl... Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.


My thoughts:

The start to another great series!!  Cinder, a loose retelling of the Cinderella story, is set sometime in the future in a place called New Beijing.  Cinder lives with her step mother and two step sisters and desperately would love to go to the festival ball... but can't because she is a cyborg and is not allowed by her step mother.  While all of this sounds familiar to the fairy tale there is a LOT more to this story.  The population of New Beijing is in danger due to a terrible plague that is killing so many.  There is also danger of potential war if an agreement is not worked out with the Luna population that live on the moon.  Cinder, a gifted mechanic, meet Prince Kai who needs her help to repair an android who just may have information that will save New Beijing.

Cinder is a fast paced, interesting, and well written novel.  I loved the cover art with the picture of a leg in a red high heel with the metal cyborg part showing.  I anticipate this will be a very popular book with my students.  I definitely have the rest of the series on my TBR pile as the books release.  While it is hard to wait, the conclusion to Cinder is satisfactory- a must for me in series books.  Highly recommended.