Cinder by Marissa Meyer

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Type: Book Review
Title: Cinder (Book One of the Lunar Chronicles)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publication/Year: Feiwel & Friends (January 3, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0312641894
Ages: 12 and up
Grade: Level 7 and up
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Romance, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Reader's Annotation: Cinder's desire to not only be human, but free herself of the slavery of being a cyborg pushes this novel forward. Her romance with Prince Kai can possibly solve the struggle of the Commonwealth and of her own cyborg identity.

Plot Summary: This book is the first of the Lunar Chronicles series, which are a twist of the classic fairy tales.  This book, based loosely on Cinderella, takes place in a futuristic Earth about a young girl cyborg named Cinder.  This book takes place in New Beijing, after World War IV, on Earth, which is now governed by the King in the Commonwealth.  Her struggle to be free from her adopted mother, Pearl, and their two sisters is what makes you keep reading this novel.  The relationship between Cinder and the Prince Kai will keep you on your 'mechanical' toes.

Critical Evaluation:  Teens, this is the book for you!  After reading this novel, I can tell you that this book does cater to both sexes.  Considering that I am a 27 year old male and I really like this book tells you something about the various themes that resonate for the reader.  Not only that, but the fact that its in a technologically advanced society, with some of the similar issues that the U.S. is going through, makes this book an easy and exciting read.

This book deals with very intimate themes such as love, slavery, independence, technology and manipulation. Based on Cinderella, this re-telling is forward-thinking and puts you in the world that is the Commonwealth.  It deals with the spreading of a new killer plague, a threat from the planetary Queen Levana from planet Lunar, and her own struggle to escape her enslaved life.

Cinder herself deals with very relatable issues.  She is both a cyborg and a person, but struggles with both of these two cultures.  Young adults can relate to this idea because she's still a teenager, and as such, are changing who they are and what they are expected to be in the world.  She also struggles with romance, which can be seen with her relationship with Prince Kai.  Cinder's journey and her final realization that know who she truly is will keep readers wanting more in this series of books.

Book talking Ideas: Teenage girl meets her Prince and hopes to escape her cyborg life as a slave.

Challenge Issues: 

• Fantasy 
• Fairy tale  

Challenge Defense Ideas: 

• Become familiar with the made-up world and the its' positive contents.
• Be familiar with the themes in the material and how they relate to young adults today.
• Stay calm and remember to not be personally offended by their comments or concerns.
• Libraries provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.  Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
• Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
• LISTEN to what they have to say and reiterate our freedom to read and be without censorship.
• All material for young adults are under the review of the branch manager and even further up, the Library Director and even City Council members.  

Author: Marissa MeyerMeyer was born in Tacoma, Washington and attended Pacific Lutheran University, where she received a degree in creative writing. Before writing Cinder, Meyer worked as a book editor for five years and wrote Sailor Moon fan fiction under the pen name of Alicia Blade.

Meyer states that she was initially inspired to write Cinder after participating in a 2008 writing contest where she wrote a story focusing on a futuristic Puss in Boots. The Lunar Chronicles is a four book series (quartet) with volumes based on Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. The first book, Cinder, was a New York Times bestseller. -  Wikipedia