Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publish Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're a young adult fiction fan.
• You're a sci-fi fan.
• You're a dystopian fan.
• You love great world-building.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the 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 Two Cents:

is is the kind of book that you will be torn as whether you want to throw it against the wall or turn down the lights while hugging it and crying gently into your pillow after you finish it (wait, is that just me?).

Why I wanted to throw it against the wall: First, I am sorry that I waited so long to read this book. Second, Ms. Meyer, do you think it's really fair to us readers to write a fantastic book and then make us wait another year until the next book??? No, it's not fair. To make matters worse, I have to wait a couple years for the third and fourth books to come back. It's books like this that make me wait until the entire series comes out before I start reading them. I have to know what happens!!! And I really like instant gratification; I really, really like instant gratification.

Why I wanted to hug the book and gently cry into my pillow: I loved these characters, like really, really loved these characters. Cinder is awesome. Iko is awesome. Oh and Ms. Meyer, you made me tear up a little over an android. I cannot say that I've had that experience since watching Wall*E (poor Iko!). Queen Levana is a fantastic villain. She's creepy and has a huge dose of mystery. I can't wait to see how everything unfolds in the coming books.

The world-building in this book was fantastic. You can imagine what New Beijing must look like and be like and how it must feel to live there. Meyer does a really fantastic job of making the book really come to life.

I did not want this book to be over. I read a bit slower than normal just to prolong the experience. You have to love books like that, no?

Bottom line: This book is fantastic and definitely a favorite for 2012.