Bookanista Review and Giveaway: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Posted by houndrat on Wednesday Feb 15, 2012 Under book reviews, Bookanistas, contests, Young AdultBefore I dive into the review, I wanted to give a quick WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO! MILA 2.0 is finally off to copy edits, and yes, I’m totally doing the happy I’m Revision-Free-and-I-Know-it dance! No, I won’t be vlogging this particular dance anytime soon. Trust me when I say your eyeballs should thank me (though I solemnly swear I am not wearing a SparkleSpeedo).
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WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE
I AM doing a giveaway though, WOOT!
But first, let’s take a look at CINDER by Marissa Meyer. Here’s the official summary:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl… Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future
A Cinderella retelling, featuring a cyborg Cinderella and a futuristic New Beijing? Yes, please! I was excited about this story the moment I heard about the premise (I mean, really—HOW COULD I NOT BE?) and oh my gosh, CINDER totally delivers. This book is So. Much. Fun. The world Meyer paints is imaginative and stunningly visual. I love Cinder’s character—she’s compassionate, smart, and more than a little rebellious as a cyborg manifestation of the fairy tale legend. In her world, cyborgs aren’t considered full citizens, and the way Cinder questions her own worth is very poignant. Prince Kai is a sympathetic character, as the son of a ruler who’s rushed into being a man, a boy with his own rebellious streak. Yes, the prince wants to do what’s best for his country, but without being a pawn, and the chasm that divides Cinder’s and Kai’s places in society provides oodles of conflict.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but the little twists on all the traditional Cinderella details were awesomesauce, too! And Iko, oh, Iko—your personality chip RULES!
Now for the giveaway! I want you to win your own copy of CINDER—either a hard cover, or an ebook! All you have to do is tell me which literary character you think would make a good cyborg, and why. Contest runs until Wednesday, February 22nd at noon PST.
Hmmm....
Don’t forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to:
Christine Fonseca surrenders to THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL
Corrine Jackson delights in CHOPSTICKS
Stasia Ward Kehoe presents a Stunning Seconds interview with A MILLION SUNS author Beth Revis
Jen Hayley gives a shout-out to the classics
Katy Upperman raves over JELLICOE ROAD
Hilary Wagner is all about LEXAPROS AND CONS – with giveaway
Carolina Valdez Miller talks about the tremendous cover of TEN
Jessica Love has high ratings for THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
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So excited to read!
February 16th, 2012 at 10:08 am
This looks like such a fun read! I’ve been wanting to read it since I first heard of it, so I’m glad to see it getting good reviews.
As for the cyborg question–I think Inspector Javert from Les Miserables would make a good cyborg. I tend to imagine cyborgs/robots as being relentless (like Energizer Bunnies), and Javert is nothing if not relentless.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Okay,so I don’t know about who would make the BEST cyborg, but I know that one of the creepiest would be Tom Ripley. His humanity makes him a character you want to route for even if he is a cold blooded killer, so I imagine him like Arnold if he was a machine.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Great review!! I vote Sam from the Shiver series. He’s so “in touch” with his feelings I don’t think he’d have any problem adjusting to being metal under his skin. Also when he switches to wolf-boy it’d be like a transformer type thing.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
I think that Four would make a great cyborg. He is already Dauntless so…
February 16th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
I’d have to say I agree with Lena. Number Four would make a perfect cyborg. For another idea, maybe Frodo would make a fun cyborg? Then when Gollum bites off his finger he’d just get a new one.
February 16th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Great review! I think Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens would make an awesome army of beautiful cyborg warriors. And Cricket Bell from Lola could design them.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
I gotta say it – Bella Swan. The girl’s a robot in her priorities anyway. Edward, Jacob, cook for dad, Edward, Jacob, cook for dad…
Can’t wait to read Cinder!
February 16th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
I really really want to read this book!
I think Voldemort should have been remade into a cyborg lol. That’d be pretty cool, I think lol
February 16th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
I want to go classic. Perhaps the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland would really be a good cyborg especially if it’s Johnny Depp. LOL
February 16th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
I think it would be interesting to see Beth Revis’ Across the Universe character, Elder, being a cyborg. He has such a mysterious past, considering SPOILER all Elders/’Eldests’ have just been clones, I can easily see how Elder would have some mechanical limb, organ, or ability hidden from him, which would/could be explored in the final story, Shades of Earth. Considering how technologically advanced Godspeed is/was, I can easily see how the clones of Elder/Eldest have some unknown technological capabilities, even if they were just an experiment.
February 17th, 2012 at 9:15 am
My vote is for Saruman from Lord of the Rings to be a cyborg. Would make LOTR more steampunk than fantasy.
February 17th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
I will pick Charles Wallace from A Wrinkle in Time. The kid is already extremely smart. All he needs is a cyborg skeleton to complete him.
February 19th, 2012 at 12:43 am
I think Mr. Darcy would make a gorgeous sexy cyborg…yummmy! He would be kickass and sexy!
February 19th, 2012 at 12:46 am
Will from The Immortal Instrustments series would be amazing! He is dark, mysterious, powerful and handsome. He would make a perfect cyborg
February 19th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Elder from ATU will be a crazy cool cyborg! Can you imagine him as a cyborg on Godspeed? He would be a powerhouse! A crazy leader!
February 21st, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Katniss would be amazing! She would be so kickass! Imagine katniss cyborg vs the Capitol!
February 21st, 2012 at 8:42 pm
I think Ender Wiggins from the Ender;s Game. He is already a crazy good commander, might as well become a cyborg to fit into his role as mass-controller.
stella (dot) chen1994 (at) hotmail (dot) ca
February 21st, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Jamie from Department 19 would be EPIC cyborg. He already kill vampires like a boss, but with a little machine in him, he would be unstoppable! It is like vampires versus cyborg human :O That would be super cool!
February 21st, 2012 at 10:52 pm
I would love Grover from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians to become a cyborg. He is funny and a great sidekick who can really use a change in character (a dramatic one at that).
beavertails1994(at)hotmail(dot)com
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:06 am
Hmmm. That’s a tough one, but for some reason Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights comes to mind. Gosh I love that character. I can totally picture him as a brooding, heartbroken, cyborg!