By: Abeeha Shahid
A Cinderella story set in a post-apocalyptic world and given a futuristic twist, who wouldn’t be intrigued? Cinder, a debut young adult science fiction novel written by Merissa Meyer is the first instalment in the Lunar Chronicles. While it stays true to the fairytale’s basic plot line, the story is completely changed and retold with the addition of fascinating and captivating elements.
Set in a world 126 years after the end of World War IV with a plague called letumosis ravaging the six Earthen countries, Cinder Linh a 16 year old cyborg works as a skilled mechanic in the city of New Beijing. Believed to have been in an accident at a young age, Cinder had been adapted mechanically to adjust to loss of limb and ability. Left as an orphan she is adopted by Linh Garan. After her adoptive father's death, however, Cinder’s stepmother treats her cruelly and she is forced to earn an income to support her family.
A chance encounter with Prince Kai, the young heir to the throne, sets in motion a chain of events that lead her path to weave with that of the prince and a palace doctor who is trying to find a vaccine for letumosis.
The world seems bleak as the pandemic continues to raise the death toll, the evil, powerful lunar queen will stop at nothing to claim the Earth as hers and the emperor is dying. Cinder must unveil the secrets surrounding her mysterious past that threatens her future. War looms ahead, the weight of a heavy decision rests upon Prince Kai’s shoulders - peace or freedom.
The foreshadowing made the big reveal quite obvious, however, it was the execution of the idea that keeps the reader entranced. Even if the world is the same as ours it’s been transformed by time into a vastly different place and though there isn’t a heavy emphasis on world building, it’s still interesting to note the way New Beijing after World War IV is depicted. There are obvious advancements in technology and that in turn has an effect on people’s lifestyles. There are however, certain events that are reminiscent of the old world be it little things like food such as dumplings or the use of honorifics to address people.
The characters are all well written and memorable. Adri, Cinders step mom fits the role of Cinderella’s evil stepmother but rather than just being a cartoonish villain, Adri’s character is given more depth. She is manipulative and does not pass up on any opportunity to belittle Cinder. Iko, Cinder’s little helper robot, is by far the cutest character in the whole book, who provides comic relief through her sharp wit and sarcasm.
“It sounds dirty and stinky,” said Iko.
“How would you know?” said Cinder. “You don’t have scent receptors.”
“I have a fantastic imagination.”
Cinder is an easily lovable character. She is funny, smart, determined and knows when to stand up for herself and not let anyone push her down. In a society that is prejudiced against cyborgs, Cinder struggles with her social status and hides her prosthetic limbs with clothing trying to pass off as a regular human. Despite the discrimination she lives her life fiercely, choosing to always look for a way out even when all odds seem against her. Cinder’s character development, as she tries to come to terms with her identity, was spun out wonderfully throughout the book, though I hope it’s expanded more in the following books in the series.
The second main character, Prince Kai was a well rounded, and complex character. Although we don’t get to know much about him, his personality served as a refreshing diversion from the overused “prince” trope. Having been burdened with the responsibility of leadership at the young age of 18, Kai’s actions are reflective of his inexperience and youth. He is often unsure of his decisions and looks up to his father's advisor, Tarin, for guidance. He still is responsible and always has his country's best interests at heart.
Cinder is a book that’s hard to put down as the story unfolds with the magic of a fairytale combined with the excitement of dystopian fiction. It's a fun, engaging read with characters easy to get invested in and hints of what might happen in the next book.
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