Cinder, written by Marissa Meyer, is a young adult science fiction novel that derives from the classic fairytale, Cinderella. Alike to the Cinderella, Cinder paints a story of a young girl with a deceased father, an evil stepmother and stepsister. Though it is quite comparable to the original, it holds a unique story line with distinct characters. Set in a plague-ridden Beijing, Cinder-a cyborg whose body is made up of mechanically attached limbs- works in a mechanics shop to support her family. Despite the short length of the book, it is packed with adventure and emotional turbulence which has put many on the edge of their seats.The novel engages its readers by exhibiting compelling story line, captivating characters, simple diction, and relatable situations.
The simplicity of the fairytale Cinderella is nowhere in comparison to the complexity of Cinder's narrative. I was so engrossed in the book that is kept me anticipating what was going to happen next. The incredulous situations that occurred in all points of the story were appalling. Some examples of the unforeseen events include when her stepmother volunteers Cinder for the plague research, and Dr. Erland reveals to Cinder that she is immune to the plague, and being told that she is of Lunar royalty.
One of the major advantages to this book that made it easy to understand and to read in three days was the comprehensible eloquence and the relatable situations that the characters are placed in. The simple vocab aids in making the story and characters the focal point. Although the word choice is simple, Meyer uses powerful words to convey the message in the perfect way, which also helps to develop some of the major themes in the book, including social order, discrimination, love and sacrifice, change of power, war, and that true friends will like you the way you are.
The main theme I took away from this book is that you must love yourself before you can love others. This is mainly conveyed by Cinder. She has always been insecure about being a cyborg, and that is why she would always distance herself from Prince Kai. As the novel progressed, Kai helped her overcome this insecurity by inviting her to the dance and spending time with her. Through the time spent with Kai, Cinder realizes her self worth and beings to learn more about herself and how incredible she is a person. He teaches her to have a good time which she never really gets to do as she's always working and trying to live up to the standards her stepmother has set.
Ultimately, this novel was an enthralling experience, much like a roller coaster at Six Flags. I would most definitely recommend Cinder to all of my friends and family because of its enjoyable and captivating nature. valuable lessons from this book have taught self worth, confidence, and the importance of independence. I now even prefer this version of Cinderella compared to the original version. This book has set high expectations for the next books in the series that I am eagerly waiting to read. Although I normally do not read books in this genre, I have become more willing to explore it. Marissa Meyer artistically designs the futuristic world of Cinder, utilizing simple diction to create a complex story line, intriguing characters and maneuvers them into creating an epic novel.
