21. Cinder

Oh ho, another wonderful novel! I have high expectations when I read re-told classics, and my expectations are hardly ever met. But Cinder left me awed and happy dancing with its shift in the traditional Cinderella story. The author took just the right amount of creative license in transforming the tale, while still maintaining the important parts of the story (e.g. stepsisters, prince, etc). 

...SPOILERS...

There is no wonder why so many people have been discussing Cinder. I’ve spent much of this summer reading novels that were re-imagined classics, but most were disappointing. They either lacked quality writing or solid plots. Most didn’t take enough creative license with the original story, so the books felt underdeveloped and trite. However, Cinder did a marvelous job of changing up the classical Cinderella. It has a futuristic/sci-fi feel to it, while still maintaining a fairytale-esque touch. The major details are still recognizable, like the evil stepmother, stepsisters, and dancing with the prince. But the setting and plot have been utterly transformed, taking place in a crowded Beijing district. Moreover, there are cyborgs (who have feelings and are on the side of “good” for once!) and a deadly epidemic. Meyer deftly incorporates details that push the story to the next level. Instead of simply saying that Cinder, the main character, is a cyborg, she illustrates it. She describes the wiring, the compartments within her body, and the feeling of unscrewing a foot. These tiny touches captured my attention and added quality to the story. The side characters were developed excellently as well, and they seemed very realistic. Cinder was an enthralling novel, and I’m eager to read the sequel.