Cinder series by Marissa Meyer

Cover art--fabulous, catches my attention every time, who doesn't love a red high heeled shoe, that on closer inspection holds an unusual leg? 

Plot--Cinderella story with several twists. 
*youngest step-sister is a friend! 
*a foreign queen wants the prince
*Cinder is a good mechanic, not fully human

World--Interesting combination of old and new, with technology hidden in buidings designed to look old. Cyborgs and robots are common, but a plague is present that there is no cure for, yet. Feels like a future earth with fewer govenments. 

I really loved Cinder except that I figured out Cinder's secret identity early on in the novel. I think a savy YA reader could figure it out early on, also. I always read modern Cinderella stories, I love to see what changes the author chooses to make in the story. Ms. Meyer's changes hold up well and I am most interested in the rest of the series. Sigh, three more books...I would guess three more years to wait. 

I purchased this for my high school library, and it went out the day I processed it, and put it on display. Maddie brought it back a couple of days later and said, "I stayed up until two in the morning to finish this, thank you very much!" I am currently making a book trailer for my reading class.

 


"Glitches" and "The Queen's Army" are short stories available as ebooks. "Glitches" gives more information about Cinder's adoption.  "The Queen's Army" treats us to some world building and setting up character traits for Wolf in Scarlet.  I found Glitches here (click on the title) for free, and bought The Queen's Army but it is free here.

After reading Cinder I waited anxiously for that next installment of the Lunar Chronicles, but not so much to worry about what was happening next, to check for previews, spoilers and what have you.  So I was not prepared for the introduction of a secondary fairy tale, that of Little Red Riding Hood.  I would recommendreading the short story “The Queen’s Army: A Tor.com original.”  Things will make much more sense.   I’m afraid I took a while before I was fully vested in the new story; I wanted more Cinder and Kai.  I know – it’s a four book series, but I hate being patient.

Scarlet and Wolf make an interesting couple.  Once I let myself care about them, I found it funny to see Wolf try to fit into Scarlet’s would.  He’s never eaten tomatoes.  He’s not sure how to treat her, or how to deal with his feelings.