Someone in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy facebook group I belong to was asking for reviews of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series today. Based on their photo and name, this person appeared to be an adult man interested in reading the series. His call for recs reminded me that Cinder is one of the YA sci-fi books I’ve been meaning to recommend for an adult audience.
The Lunar Chronicles is a series of fairytale retellings, each with a futuristic twist. The first book, Cinder, retells the classic story of Cinderella. But in this world, Cinder is a cyborg. Once fully organic, she survived a terrible accident that left her part girl, part machine–and in this world, that makes her a second class citizen.
Cinder slaves away as a mechanic, giving all her earnings to her jealous stepmother and scrounging scraps to replace her broken parts–like the wrong-sized robotic foot that keeps falling off. (Spoiler: this metal foot is going to be the retelling’s replacement for Cinderella’s lost slipper, if you can’t tell. So fun!)
With a plague ravaging her city, the king on his deathbed, and cyborgs forcibly drafted as test subjects for the vaccine, Cinder’s prospects aren’t looking good. But when Prince Kai shows up at Cinder’s kiosk and asks her to repair an android with a secret message hidden in its memory, Cinder’s whole world changes, and she discovers that there’s more to her past than her adoptive family has let on.
I’ve only “read” the first book in the series (in audio format), but the six books of the Lunar Chronicles go on to continue the first book’s plot while also incorporating other fairy tales with their own sci-fi twists.
As a YA read for adults, Cinder is a fantastic choice. Don’t expect the violence and sex you get in a Sarah J. Maas style crossover. But if you’re looking for something fun and light with a touch of romance and enough plot complexity for an adult to sink their teeth into, Cinder is truly enchanting read.
Oh, and if you liked the foot-as-the-glass-slipper concept, you’ll love the pumpkin!
