It feels a bit weird reviewing this book so long after I put out my first review on this series, for Cress. I had read Cinder before, but I wasn't writing reviews at the time, and so this comes to anyone following along a bit out of order. Cinder was the Unapologetic Romance Readers' theme read of "A sci-fi romance" for September 2017, and I was delighted to have an excuse to re-read it, especially as I'd been in a bit of a reading slump and going back to books I've previously enjoyed always helps with that.Cinder is, as you can guess from the title and cover, a Cinderella story. Except this Cinderella is a cyborg. Injured in an accident she can't remember, Cinder has been left with a mechanical arm and lower leg/foot, with wires in her brain and nervous system and an interface that flashes information over her eyes. She's also one of the best mechanics in New Beijing, and her business is her step-family's main (only?) source of income. Oh, and New Beijing, and the rest of the world, are currently being ravaged by a plague with an unknown cause and no cure. But one day, when Prince Kai stops by Cinder's stall to get an android repaired, Cinder is pulled into a web that she never imagined and that will destroy--or rebuild--her entire life.
I love this story so much. It follows a very traditional Cinderella structure, but with little flourishes and garnishes that make it seem new. The pumpkin coach is a decrepit car, the glass slipper is a cyborg foot. The characters are also wonderful; while Meyer makes Cinder's stepmother absolutely loathsome, the daughters aren't entirely without redemption, particularly Peony, who Cinder actually likes. And then, of course, there's Iko, Cinder's android sidekick who has a quirky, perky personality all her own. Adding the plague and the brewing conflict between Earth and Luna adds dramatic tension to a story that traditionally lacks it, and having Prince Kai and Cinder meet and grow closer multiple times before the ball is absolutely necessary--the "love on first site" aspect of Cinderella has never sat well with me, so I appreciate this added relationship building.
That said, this isn't a perfect story. It has a bit of a cliffhanger ending, which I didn't remember. Given the narrative arc of the series as a whole, I can see why Meyer had to break it where she did, but it definitely doesn't lead to a satisfying conclusion for this volume. And while the Cinderella element helps to tie together a story and genre that could otherwise alienate some readers--I probably wouldn't have normally picked up a story about a cyborg--it also means that, despite the flourishes, the plot itself can be quite predictable. Of course, the story as a whole goes past the Cinderella story, but that doesn't mean that parts of it can't be called from a mile away.
Still, I really enjoyed rereading this. It's not my favorite book in the series--that goes to Scarlet--nor does it feature my favorite main characters--that would be Cress--but I still think it was a solid intro volume, and would definitely recommend it to others.
4 stars out of 5.
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