Cinder: A Book Review

“Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.” 
― Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Melissa Meyer
Published: January 2012
Buy: Amazon or B&N
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library

I picked this one up at the library after first seeing it in a bookstore when it was first released. It sounded decent enough at the time and I figured I'd come back for it in paperback. Then everyone online started reading and reviewing, giving it rather good review, so I grabbed it up (quite a bit behind the review train). I wasn't over whelmed, but it was good. I think fans of retellings would enjoy this. Though, if it hadn't been outright stated, I probably would not have seen the Cinderella correlation. I think I could have enjoyed the book a lot more had I not been trying to peg characters to their counterparts in the original tale. It's seldom good when I compare novels to originals.

As I said above, Cinder is a retelling of the classic Grim tale Cinderella.
Cinder is a 16 year old cyborg living in New Beijing with her adoptive mother, sisters, and a little android name Iko. She is known as the best mechanic in New Beijing, but she is still a second class citizen. Cyborgs are seen a lesser than humans and are used for researching a cure for the plague that has wreaked havoc on the Earth. Cinder hates her life with her step-mother, Adri. Iko and her step-sister Peony are her only friends and even those friendships are at risk of Adri's tyranny. When Prince Kai, the son of the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, has trouble with his beloved android, he brings it to Cinder with a story of childhood attachment and a joke of "national security." Despite the joke, Cinder thinks there's more to the importance of this old robot. In hopes of impressing the Prince, she starts work. But soon her sister Peony is diagnosed with the plague and Cinder is blamed. In her anger Adri "volunteers" Cinder for research, which no one has survived. Once at the research facility, the doctor quickly realizes Cinder is incredibly special.

As for a retelling of Cinderella, I would say this one is decent enough. There was nothing done exceptionally well, but it was interesting. If I had not known the correlation, I think I would have enjoy the book much much more. It seemed to me that Cinder was her own "fairy godmother," which was equally refreshing and annoying. I've always liked the fairy godmother in other versions. (It could be said Iko was the "fairy godmother," but I don't feel a strong enough argument to believe it.) I felt like the emphasis on the fact that this is a retelling took a lot away and left me waiting for certain things to happen that did not or were not easily recognizable. I wish I'd never known that aspect of the story.

But I did enjoy the book despite the problems I had with it. I really liked Iko and the doctor at the research lab. Iko was such a fun character throughout the book and I loved loving her. The doctor was also interesting, even if predictable. I liked him a lot and liked the role he played in the story.  As for the obvious unique quality to this book, the cyborg/futuristic world, it was interesting. I liked the challenges and new things it provided for the story.

I thought the writing was really good, but, for me, the plot fell a little flat and short of the original. (Grim Brothers left big shoes to fill!) I would recommend this book to those who like sci-fi or fairy tale retellings. It a wonderfully written, neat not-so-little book and I don't think many people who find the idea of it interesting will be disappointed. I certainly do intend to read the next books in the series.

Have you read Cinder? What did you think of it? How do you think it did as far as being a retelling?

The Princess Diaries: A Book Review

Surely, we've all seen the two Disney Princess Diaries movies starring Anne Hathaway, yes? I love these movies, and pretty much anything starring Anne Hathaway, so at my best friend's insisting, I decided to read the first book in the series by Meg Cabot. Man, was I in for a surprise? My best friend had told me that the movies and books were different, but I hadn't foreseen another Ella Enchanted (yes, another Anne Hathaway movie) style adaption, that is to say that the books and movies happen to have the same name and a few similarities.
As much as I love the movies, I also loved this book.

As always, I'll begin with a kind of "who-would-love-this" section. This book is really, obviously, aimed for the teenage, female population, as most of Meg Cabot's YA books are. Honestly, I think anyone who likes the books about the life of off-beat girls would enjoy this one. I would, personally, classify this as a YA Chick-Lit book. Despite the fact that I mostly dislike Chick-Lit, I love YA and really enjoyed this book. I really like the character of Tina (removed from the movie) and I hope to see much more of her throughout the rest of the series. I also really liked Grandmere, even though she's kinda horrible. One character I really dislike, not as a character but as a person, is Lily. I kind of like that the character exists, but I dislike her as a person.

If you didn't already know this, Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries is a book about a young girl named Mia. It is her diary as she goes through her life of mediocrity. She goes to a private school in New York (Not San Francisco), has a cat names Louis, a best friend named Lily, and a mom who is dating her teacher. She also has a dad who is a diplomat in a small principality called Genovia. Here's the kicker, not too far into the book Mia's dad find out that he will have no more children and he now has to tell Mia she will inherit the throne of Genova, because by diplomat he means Prince. The rest of the book follows Mia's understanding and experiences as she discovers her heritage, the world discovers her secret, friends betray her, and her Grandmere tortures her with "Princess Lessons."

As I said before, I really enjoyed this book. I liked coming into it having seen the movie and knowing the story, then having everything I thought I knew turned on its head. I like Mia's outlook on things and her writing is certainly, I think, true to a 15 year old's journal. I really enjoyed reading it and thinking back to being 15, thought I'm not a princess, and remembering the horrors of being 15 and imaging placing being a princess on top of that! I also really liked how she reacted to the news in the book verses in the movie. It's hard to explain without spoiling the differences, but if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about.

Have you read The Princess Diaries? Did you enjoy it? What did you think of the movie?

If life hadn't changed (as per Mama Kat's Suggestion)

As promised all those many ages ago, I am now beginning the series of writing prompts from Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

If you had made a career out of whatever you were passionate about when you were ten...what would you be doing?

Hmm, I would be digging up artifacts and mummies. I was a strange little ten year old, I wanted to be an archeologist. I've always had a fascination with the past and with history, so I wanted to dig up ancient pieces and work with them to understand things. I blame this goal on reading a time travel series, whose name I cannot remember, about a lack cat and two children travelling through time learning about neat things.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind a job in the field of archeology. Granted I know I'd probably spend less time digging up mummies (actually more likely to fall under the area of anthropology), I'd still get to analize ancient culture. I would probably specialize in Native American, Inuit, or Native Canadian artifacts.
That would be extremely interesting, but I would not give up my study of French or literature to dust off some remains of pottery.

The Alchemyst: A Book Review

“At the heart of every legend there is a grain of truth.”
― Michael Scott, The Alchemyst

"Nothing is as it seems. You must learn to question everything.
― Michael Scott, The Alchemyst



Opening words: The first thing I have to say is that this book is fantastic, in every sense of the word! Mr. Scott obviously spent a large amount of time on this. His use of mythology is amazing and the "truths" he creates are wonderful. He does an excellent job at creating his world and his history within our own.

Summary: When twins Josh and Sophie move to San Francisco for the summer, they think getting jobs to buy a car is a great idea. Little did they know that their jobs would lead them into a world they'd always known to be fiction.
Nicholas Flamel died in the 1400s. Nick Fleming owns the book shop at which Josh works. When a man storms in and magic begins, Josh is caught in the middle. Sophie runs to help her brother and ends up learning more than she wanted to know about the store owners, Nick and Perry Fleming.
From that moment on, the twins are wound tight into a story of magic, immortals, and prophecy.

Opinions: Absolutely fantastic. Scott pulls in mythology from all over the world to create a web both complex and easy to follow. He creates characters with good and bad sides, selfless and selfish motives. He creates a world within our own that the reader can almost imagine is real.
My personal favorite character is Perenelle Flamel, Nicholas's wife. We see little of her in comparison to the other characters, but in that little bit you glimpse so many strong emotions and so much strong will that it's hard for me not to adore her.
I also love Scatty, a Warrior. She's spunky and makes even the tensest of moments easy to read.
Nicholas is a well developed character, while still keeping the bit of mystery that teaches you to love him but you're never sure if you fully trust him.
Dee makes a wonderful villain.
Sophie and Josh make the story. They are the center point of the story. Since they are two 15 year old kids, never having stepped into the world they're pulled into, the stories, the histories, etc. are all told to the reader naturally by their explanation to Sophie and Josh. They're also very different, which makes the story all the more interesting.
I really like that it is NOT a love story. Most YA books now, even in the face of apocalypse,are coated with a thick layer of love drama. Though you do see a bit of Nicholas and Perenelle's love, it's not a major part, but makes both characters very likeable.

Recommendation: I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy tales. Alchemy is, obviously, a major part of this story, as is magic. It is a YA fiction, but it's not one that reads slowly or like a story told to children. I highly suggest it.