Thursday, August 15, 2019

Cinder

Cinder by Merissa Meyer           Audio Book: 10 hours    Paperback Book: 448 pages     

This book is the first one in the Lunar Chronicles Series.   Again, I had thought this was a stand alone book until I got to the very end which certainly leaves no doubt this is likely the first book but that it is indeed part of a series.    I wish reading material would come marked this book is part of a series and what number in the series the book is.   Sometimes you just don't want to commit to an entire series, but then to find out where your characters are headed you are kind of stuck especially with a big cliffhanger ending.   This book was a sci-fi take on the Cinderella story except in this version - Cinderella "Cinder" is a cyborg and was "adopted" by a man who she comes to know as her father but who you come to find out may have led a double life.   While you suspect he is dead there is so much high tech chaos occurring that who knows what will come of him?  Cinder's father marries and has two daughters with a wicked woman who treats Cinder as substandard and when either the legitimate death of or clandestine subterfuge happens Cinder;s "stepmother" really gets insulting and lets Cinder know in no uncertain terms ie. she tells her she hates her and doesn't want her in her house and more making Cinder feel terrible.   It is a very unfortunate, very uncomfortable living arrangement.    Of Cinder's two step-sisters, Peonne and CInder get along and do care about one another, however her oldest step-sister could be a clone of the step-mother and treats Cinder so callously and cruelly that Cinder is a far better person than I am because once you have been pushed to that last nerve then pushed some more and in such a disrespectful way - I was expecting Cinder to snatch her up by the neck and have a one on one consultation but her strength lies in her patience.  The story of course has a prince, too and a ball and it all takes place in Beijing, China.   It is certainly well thought out, however, by the end of the book, I had pretty much lost interest.    I won't continue in the series because it drags out too much.   It was an interesting premise but not enough of a pull to keep me coming back for more.   I'm done with this series.   Would I recommend it?  Yes, just to check it out for Middle School through High School and for adults who are gung-ho for sci-fi but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone opposed to sci-fi because I think they would find it tedious. 

 - Shirley J

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