Many centuries in the future, after the Fourth World War, humans and technology alike rule the world. A deadly plague called Letumosis is destroying populations across the planet, and a kingdom of Lunars - humans from the moon - are eager to invade Earth. Sixteen year old Cinder is a talented mechanic from New Beijing, who also happens to be a cyborg. Her metallic extremities make her a second-class citizen, and an embarrassment to her evil stepmother and sisters. As the Letumosis plague continues to ravage the country, Cinder’s life suddenly becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s. Cinder must uncover secrets about her mysterious past while balancing her interesting new friendship, all while keeping a dangerous secret that could put everyone she knows in danger.
I really enjoyed this book. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give it an 8.4. The author went into great detail about how the world looked and operated during Cinder’s time, and I was incredibly fascinated by all of the intricate descriptions of androids and hover cars. It was really interesting to read about a time in the future where people were experiencing a pandemic, much as we are now. Although our current pandemic is nowhere near the severity of Letumosis, the way it was approached was somewhat similar. One of my favorite aspects of this story was how it branched out from the Cinderella story, while still staying true to some of the traditional elements. The fact that Cinder was a strong, independent girl with a talent made her really likeable. The story definitely kept me on my toes, and it was impossible to put down. I would recommend this book to pre-teens and up. It is a really interesting story with some great elements of sci-fi. The cliffhangers are super unexpected, and although the story can be a bit slow, the action scenes and climaxes are 100% worth it.
Review Written by Asha, 9th Grade