Today I have decided to do a review on the book
Cinder by Marissa Meyer it is the first book in the Lunar Chronicles and it is
an amazing story. I read this book again about two weeks ago and I thought it
was time to post a review about it, this is the first part in a two part book
review that I am doing. At the moment I am currently reading the second book in
the series and I am looking forward to doing the review for that as well.
To
begin, the setting of this book is based in future Tokyo specifically New
Beijing and it is centered on a girl named, you guessed it Cinder. She is a
cyborg. Now I know what you’re thinking that sounds so cool. And to us it may
seem like the coolest thing ever to be a cyborg. Although for Cinder it is a
nightmare. Although that will be discussed later. Let us get back to the topic
at hand. The story begins in an open-air market where Cinder has set up a shop,
specializing in android repair. Her stall is described as dark in some respects
and definitely not as frequently visited as the others. The overall
descriptions that the author uses are rich in detail yet still giving the
reader the ability to form their own perspective of the landscape. The choice
of words is very immersive and hard to match in terms of quality.
Now
on to my personal favorite characters, as I previously said the main character
of this story is a cyborg named Cinder. Although no main character is complete
without their supporting characters. One of the most memorable characters for
me was Kai. Kai, is the crown prince of the empire and he will soon inherit the
role as Emperor. He is a very confident, yet at times arrogant character. But
in my opinion those evident flaws are what make him all the more relatable. We
first meet Kai when he walks into the market and over to Cinder’s booth. He is
disguised so he can walk among the people and he has come to hire Cinder to
repair a service droid for him. I was instantly enamored with Kai because of
his kindness towards Cinder. He is definitely a character to watch out for.
Another one of Cinder’s friends is Iko she is a droid that belongs to Cinder’s
family and seems to be the only one that truly understands her nature. Although
she isn’t the only one Cinder is close to in her family. She is especially
close to her stepsister Peony. Peony idolizes, Cinder and can’t wait to grow up
so she can be just like her. Now what would a story without those characters
you love to hate. For me that would definitely be Adri. Adri is Cinder’s
stepmother and she treats as if she isn’t even worthy to clean her shoes, let
alone live in her house. Now that is just scratching the surface of the many
important characters that we meet along Cinder’s journey but you will just have
to read the book to find out more.
As
far as plot is concerned there is a disease known as the Plague that has swept
the empire. It can appear at any time and it is virtually undetectable. Now the
problem that is faced with this disease is there is no known cure. Once someone
is found to have come in contact with the disease they are taken and but in an
isolation camp. Now the problem facing Cinder is that her stepsister Peony has
mysteriously caught the disease. Adri (Peony’s mother) believes it has
something to do with Cinder since she is known to frequent places like the
Junkyard. So as Adri’s form of revenge she calls government authorities to take
Cinder to be used as a research subject to help find a cure for the disease. As
Cinder is in the research facility they discover something remarkable about
her, she is a Lunar (hence the title of the series). Lunars are considered
alien life forms and are told not to be trusted. So what does that mean for
Cinder? Only time will tell.
Now
for my least favorite part writing style. Although I have to say Meyer’s
writing style is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to follow. It is not difficult
to follow and it flows easily from one plot point to another. If this is your
first encounter with Young Adult novels I would absolutely recommend someone of
Marissa Meyer’s caliber. She is extremely talented when it comes to
descriptions and overall transitions. The only problem that I have is that at
times the conversations seem stilted and lacking overall emotion.
To
wrap things up I would definitely recommend Marissa Meyer’s novel Cinder for
those interested in futuristic stories. As well as anyone who is intrigued by
fairytale retellings. This is a story that can be enjoyed by many types of
readers and it is also a very light and easy read for those who have difficulty
staying interested in a story. I have found myself on many occasions curled up
in front of the fire with a cup of tea and this book. I hope that I inspire
others to do the same. Overall I give this book a 9.7 out of 10 pandas.
No comments:
Post a Comment