It’s not often that one
encounters a book that one can read over and over, and never get tired of it.
It’s not every day one finds a story that will sweep you into its world – where
every moment and every rush will be your own. It’s so rare to read something that
can soothe you upon your delving in, like a cup of hot chocolate when you come
inside from a winter day, and keep you there.
So where might one find such a story?
Enter Cinder, by
Marissa Meyer, based on the original Grimm fairy tale “Cinderella.” Though it
shares most of the same story elements, new factors weave the story into a
fantastic young adult fiction creation that will surpass your hopes and
expectations.
The resemblance to the old tale stops at the ball, the prince,
and the stepmother. Cinder, the protagonist, lives in a futuristic world where
cyborgs and androids are just as common as humans, when a lethal pandemic is
running rampant with no cure in sight, and most importantly, when there is a
sub-branch of the human race living on the moon, called the Lunars, who can
control minds.
Cinder herself is a cyborg, which makes her a second-class
citizen, with no memories of her past before the operation. Gone is the doe-eyed
Cinderella who waited for magic to let her go to the ball and make all her
wishes come true. This story is about an intelligent, tough young woman and how
her personal life conflicted with an interplanetary crisis. She is someone
worth rooting for in the face of adversity, and Cinder had never wished for silk
gowns or true love. All she’d ever wanted was equality and freedom.
Like when dreaming, plunging into this book brings me peace
and complete obliviousness to the outside world. On the inside, though, I’d be
in a whirlwind – feeling rather blushy when a certain Prince Kai came into the
picture, catching my breath when the tempo picked up, altogether as though I
was in Cinder’s shoes, every step of the way. I find myself feeling her
indignation, her relief, her gaiety, and her worries. Cinder is so real, so much like young women today –
it’s impossible not to relate to her, and the problems she must face: not being
accepted, the death of loved ones, family crises.
And it isn’t just a book with a plot – it’s a story, in every sense of the word. You
have an ultimate evil, an ultimate hero; you have the adventure, you have the
conspiracy. It can be told with all the detail of the book, but I think it
could also be told as a whispered bedtime story, or a legend, passed down through
generations. When I have children, I’m not going to tell them the fairy tale of
Cinderella. I’m going to tell them what happened to Cinder, an orphaned cyborg
with empowered character, determination, humour, and a strong ability to love.
This story is magical in a way that you might never notice
if you were looking for it. It’s a million little things: Cinder’s sarcasm, the
comic relief in the form of Cinder’s android sidekick, every one of the plot
twists, and the feeling of anticipation when you remind yourself that, for
better or for worse, there is a sequel. This story is not finished yet.
You’ll never think of fairy tales the same way again. I know
I won’t.
Don't think for a moment that you know what's going to happen. You don't.
Revel in it.
P.S. I tied for third place in that contest. :D
inspireteenreads.com
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