Cinder

Meyer, Marissa    Cinder      

 Macmillan/ Feiwel & Friends   2012  387p  17.99 978-0-312-64189-4 ms/hs   E-BN    Fairy tale 

This is another Cinderella-type fairy tale with a technological twist and a totally unexpected ending.      This futuristic fairy tale takes place in New Beijing, sometime in the future after the occurrence of WWIV with its nuclear devastation. The country is in a state of emergency because there is an epidemic of letumosis killing many, including the Emperor.  It is a world with great technological advancement, yet it also lacks many amenities that we know today. The people depend upon robots and cyborgs to help with many of the daily tasks.

 
Cinder Linh is a 36% cyborg (part robot)who is gifted with mechanical skills. She lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters (Peony and Pearl) in a small apartment.  Since her stepfather was killed when he went off-Earth to adopt her, Adri (her stepmother and legal guardian) insists she earn a living in the marketplace repairing gadgets with the help of Iko, the household robot.  The family dynamics are hostile, with the exception of Peony, who befriends Cinder when she can.

One day Cinder meets Prince Kai at the marketplace.  He needs to have his pet robot repaired.  Before she is able to repair the robot, Peony is taken ill with letumosis ,and Adri volunteers Cinder to be a test subject for the vaccine program.  While she is at the palace she meets with Dr. Erland, who discovers that she is immune to the virus.  In addition, at the palace she has occasion to meet Prince Kai again and become better acquainted.  But with the death of the emperor and the arrival of Queen Levana from the Moon, everyone's daily lives are filled with conflict and intrigue.

 
With the upcoming coronation of Prince Kai, the deceitful Queen Levana wants to unite the two countries by marrying Prince Kai.  Prince Kai wants Cinder to come to the ball, but Cinder’s stepmother forbids her.  As expected, the stepmother goes, all decked out with her daughter Pearl.

The events of the night are full of dramatic events, with unbelievable twists and turns.  This all leads up to an unforgettable ending for the readers.

E-BN   Linda McNeil  Fantasy, Science fiction, Fractured fairy tales