Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Pages: 387
Publisher: Puffin
Released: January 2012

Plot: Years into the future Cinder a young Cyborg lives in New Beijing where she works as a talented mechanic for her step mother Adri.
One day Cinder's market stall is visited by Prince Kai and she slowly becomes attached to the young prince. Already being told she cannot attend the ball, Cinder continues her work keeping guard from the incurable plague that is killing many. When Cinder's sister catches the disease and Cinder is blamed she is sent to the labs as a guinea pig to be experimented on.
Discovering new secrets about her shaded past and caught between two very different worlds, Cinder finds she may be the key to all.
And with the evil Lunar Queen threatening to wage war on earth, the lock needs to be opened soon.


Good Points: I loved this book and I can't believe its taken me this long to pick this book up! Cinder is one of those characters that you just cant wait to read on about and discover more of her story, also she isn't one of those constantly crying girls (if you can really even call her that ... Cyborg-girl?) because quite literally she can't cry as she has no tear ducts.
I thought Cinder had a great plot although at times could be a little predictable but makes up for this with its nail biting scenes and great characters such as Prince Kai who you just can't help but love.
Cinder also isn't one of those characters who swoons over the guy immediately declaring her undying love for him which I really can't stand and she actually makes a really good heroine that you want to root for.
The bad-guy Queen Levana was a slightly more evil disney villain, I just pictured her with the sharp features of snow white's Queen but without the whole obsession with mirrors and I definitely thought she brought a real sense of terror to the book with her gruesome punishments and tricks.
The political side to the book was simply brilliant. I felt like I was sat in the room with Prince Kai and his advisor's arguing over the state and the interests of the people and I think by allowing to show this side to the story as a reader you gain a much more in depth knowledge to the problems the people are suffering and a greater insight into each characters own opinion.



Bad Points: I have to admit I did find the plot a little predictable especially the parts including the past of Cinder's life. That's about it.

To Sum Up... Definitely read this book, it has a good balance of action, romance and drama to send you on one heck of an emotional roller-coaster.
The book does end on a cliffhanger slight warning for all you cliffhanger haters, but honestly try this book out, I think you might just love it. I already cannot wait to read the sequel which comes out next year rumoured to be named Scarlet and also contain more of the story of Cinder and Kai but also of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.
These books are sort of reminding me of the ABC show Once Upon a Time which also has retelling's of fairytale characters tangled together.
Overall though if you love fairy tales and Dystopian fiction this book is the one for you.