Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, Book 1)

 1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Meyer, Marissa. 2012. Cinder. (N. Soler, Rebecca.) [Audiobook]. New York, NY: Macmillan Young Listeners. ISBN: 9781427215017

2.      PLOT SUMMARY

Cinder is a young cyborg that lives with her adopted mom and two adopted sisters. She is sent off to work as a mechanic to pay for all that they need and she isn’t given any of it. Not even to pay for the upgrades she needed as she grew. One day as she works in the shop the prince of New Beijing, Prince Kai, comes in to get an android looked at. On that same day an outbreak of the plague is discovered in the market where Cinder works. This mysterious plague is very dangerous and has killed a great number of people, with the numbers climbing quickly. When Cinder’s sister gets infected this leads to Cinder ending up as an experiment to help find a cure. The doctor that leads the experiments is surprised to find that she’s immune. This gives Cinder some hope to try and find a way on her own. She plans on leaving the day of the big ball celebrating the end of WW IV, but when she realizes that the prince, now emperor, is in danger of marrying an evil woman that is going to start a war, Cinder stays to warn him. She ends up making a fool of herself, but her warning keeps the emperor from the mistake and starts a new adventure.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Cinder is filled with what her world perceives as flaws. Most of them are external, but she can also be careless and unruly. This is seen when she takes her younger sister out to the junk yard after her exposure to the plague. Cinder is convinced it’s her fault she got it and the book implies this as well. Maybe if she had stayed away longer, or if she hadn’t taken her, she wouldn’t have gotten sick, but there really wasn’t a way of knowing for sure. Her stepmother or adopted mother is unfair with her in so many ways, but she doesn’t even pay for basic upgrades that she needs. Cinder takes things into her own hands and steals from her. This has consequences that Cinder hadn’t considered, and she would’ve been left without a foot if her android had actually listened to her. Cinder is also a hard worker. She is loyal and loves her friends to the end. She does what is right even when the circumstances are difficult and she is easy to root for. The story is fast-paced and the details included add to the story line. Cinder has several quests throughout the story. They include finding a cure for the plague, leaving her adoptive mom, finding a functioning limb, and defeating/exposing the lunar queen. There are obviously obstacles within each of these tasks and some aren’t fully resolved. Consistency with the lunars and in the world created is present and everything is explained in a believable way. The setting is described in some ways to emphasize certain points like how crowded the city is and how fancy the palace was. Meyer does a good job with description. It’s enough to get a good picture of what’s going on, but the story doesn’t drag. The evil adoptive mom is defeated in the end when the prince sees her true colors and she’s embarrassed by Cinder. Cinder win’s the big battles and she is off to begin a new adventure at the end. She learns to believe and stand up for herself. Dignity is really emphasized. Meyers adds humor and really emphasizes the difference in voices. The robots sound different from the people and each person has a distinct voice and way of thinking that is expressed through dialogue and description. The story keeps key elements of the Cinderella story but makes the story unique and interesting.

4.      REVIEW EXCERPTS

Reviewed in Booklist: “Still, readers will enjoy lining up the touchstones from the old favorite, and Meyer brings a good deal of charm and cleverness to this entertaining, swiftly paced read.”

Reviewed in Kirkus Reviews: “Despite the simplistic and incongruous-feeling telepathic-enslaver theme, readers will return for the next installment in this sharp, futuristic "Cinderella" tale.”

Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “First in the Lunar Chronicles series, this futuristic twist on Cinderella retains just enough of the original that readers will enjoy spotting the subtle similarities. But debut author Meyer's brilliance is in sending the story into an entirely new, utterly thrilling dimension… Though foreshadowing early on makes it fairly clear where the story is headed, it unfolds with the magic of a fairy tale and the breakneck excitement of dystopian fiction. Meyer's far-future Earth is richly imagined, full of prejudice and intrigue, characters easy to get invested in, and hints of what might await in future books.”

Reviewed in School Library Journal: “This re-imagined fairy tale, the first of a quartet, is neither imaginative nor compelling enough to keep readers involved in the detailed plot… Die-hard retold fairy-tale lovers who are also fans of future worlds such as that in Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" series (S & S) might enjoy this one, but otherwise it is an additional purchase.”

Reviewed in Horn Book Magazine: “Early foreshadowing makes the cliffhanger ending involving Cinder's true identity rather predictable, but the novel is full of enough twists and turns, complex characters, and detailed world-building to redeem itself. While nearly the entire Cinderella story plays itself out here, Cinder's unfinished journey, together with Meyer's vivid sci-fi world, will leave readers anticipating the next installment.”

Reviewed in Library Media Connection: “This book is fast-paced and interesting subplots keep the story compelling. Though readers know the story of Cinderella, they will be surprised at this twist.”

Reviewed in Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

 

5.      CONNECTIONS

*Invite students to write a letter to Cinder asking her a question they still have or telling her about a part of the story they enjoyed.

*Invite students to do research on prosthetics and the different options available to people right now that have been in accidents like Cinder’s.

*Other books in this series written by Marissa Meyer:

Meyer, Marissa. Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, Book 2). ISBN: 9781250768896

Meyer, Marissa. Cress (Lunar Chronicles, Book 3). ISBN: 9781250007223

Meyer, Marissa. Winter (Lunar Chronicles, Book 4). ISBN: 9781250007230