Intro to 'Cinder'

[Danyell]

Switching it up a little bit this month. For the past two month's we have read Historical Fiction, but Cinder is a retelling of the fairytale of Cinderella with a modern and bionic twist:

"Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a 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"

[Jillian]

In lieu of today being International Women's Day, can I just say that I am slightly disappointed with Cinder's whole, "Omg...THE PRINCE...swoon" mentality? I think I was hoping for more of an "Ella Enchanted" spin on the Cinderella fairy tale, where our heroine would criticize the prince living in opulence, while most of his subjects live in far less wonderful conditions. Alas, I am only in Chapter 4 of 38, so there's time for her to surprise me.

[Jillian]

U.G.H. The second book is from another character's perspective.

***************SPOILER ALERT*****************************

ANYway, I finished Cinder (or should I say Cinderella meets Anastasia) yesterday. This book was enjoyable, although predictable. From the fist mention of the lost Lunar princess, I knew where the story was going, but followed the story along pleasantly enough until the last page. I WAS impressed by the author's unflinching willingness to off characters. Surely, I told myself, Cinder will get the antidote to Peony just in time. But, nope. OFF WITH HER HEAD!! (or, at least, her ID chip)