Madison Meeks – Opinion Editor 

mvm7037@psu.edu

Photo Credit: Madison Meeks / Behrend Beacon

Science fiction, fairy tales, and cyborgs, “Cinder” has it all and more. “Cinder” by Marissa Meyer was released on January 3, 2012. It is the first book in “The Lunar Chronicles” with three additional books, a prequel, and a couple of novellas making up the rest of the series.

The novel is based loosely on the fairy tale of Cinderella as the protagonist Linh Cinder, a 16-year-old cyborg, acts as the replacement for the princess. 

The book starts in the future in the city of New Beijing. In this world, countries have formed various empires and alliances and the Moon has also been colonized. The continent of Asia is now known as the Eastern Commonwealth and is ruled by an emperor. 

There is a disease known as Letumosis started by the lunars, genetically mutated humans. Known as “The Plague,” the disease has no known cure. The main character Cinder, who is a 16-year-old cyborg mechanic, is living with her wicked adoptive mother, Linh Adri, and her two stepsisters, Linh Pearl and Linh Peony. Cinder is discriminated against due to being a cyborg. 

Cinder is described as being the best mechanic in New Beijing. While working as a mechanic, Cinder meets Prince Kai, who is the Emperor’s son. Prince Kai asks Cinder to fix his personal android Nainsi. 

While fixing Nainsi, Cinder hides her identity of being a cyborg from Kai. It is revealed that cyborgs are treated like second-class citizens in New Beijing. After going to the junkyard with Cinder to collect spare parts, Peony falls sick with Letumosis, which had also killed her father. Cinder’s adoptive mother, Linh Adri, sends Cinder to a facility for plague research where it is revealed that Cinder is immune to Letumosis. 

Dr. Erland, the doctor running the research, finds out that Cinder’s immunity is related to her cyborg nature. While Cinder is at the research facility, Prince Kai’s father dies of the plague and he becomes emperor of The Eastern Commonwealth.

All the while, the emperor’s death is causing pressure on Earth and the Moon to create an alliance. In this world, the Moon is known as Luna and is run by the horrible Queen Levana. To build the alliance, it is revealed that Kai would have to marry Queen Levana. 

Will Emperor Kai marry Queen Levana? Will the reasoning behind Cinder’s immunity to the plague be discovered? How did Cinder become a cyborg? Will Cinder ever tell Kai about her identity? Find out these answers and more by reading the rest of “Cinder.”

“Cinder” and the rest of “The Lunar Chronicles” series are perfect for readers who like fairy tale retellings and science fiction stories.