Luna Chronicles (1) - Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The first part of 4 of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: Cinder (in German Wie Monde so silbern, in French Cinder). Originally published 2013, I read the 390 pages in English. Recommend for girls (boys) 14 to death.
When the Kai, Crown Prince of the Eastern Commonwealth, asks her to fix his android, Linh Cinder doesn't realise that her world is going to be turned upside-down. All she's interested in is fleeing from her jailor – her legal guardian and owner, since cyborgs don't have any rights for themselves. But then, the raging and fatal plague kills the emperor and threatens to take her beloved stepsister. While Kai sees himself forced to accept the marriage proposal of the tyrant queen Levana of Luna, the kingdom on the moon, Cinder is forcefully enscripted as guinea pig to find a cure – a certain death sentence for both of them. Or so it seems... until Cinder sees herself doubting everything she ever knew, and until she figures out the great mystery of Kai's android.
This is the first part of a really original series. When I first heard that this is a mixture of fairy tales and SF, I was really really sceptical. I was surprised. Because this mix is actually quite gorgeous.
First of all, this fairy tale is obviously Cinderella. And the protagonist Linh Cinder. Who'd have guessed. But she isn't exactly the heroine from the fairy tale version, this all good victim who can't help herself. And this isn't about a boy falling in love with a girl because she's pretty and they sing a duet (to say it with the Disney animation). It's not even love at first sight – on the contrary, Cinder needs a lot time to realise she has a crush on him. She actually was proud to not be part of his fan group. Cinder is independent – or as independent as you can be when someone owns you and you have to give that person basically everything you earn. But she's clever and she doesn't need her stepmother, except for the jurisdiction. She's a rebel. A lot more than the Cinderella fairy tale we know – even though you could interpret the fairy tale in a way in which Cinderella only achieved something – a better life – through actually breaking the rules and doing something for herself. Which would make her a rebel, too. In this, well, interpretation and adaptation of the tale, Cinder is doing all she can to fight for her own rights, fight for herself, in a way.
Spoiler:
But she sacrifices herself in order to warn Kai from the danger he's facing.
So, it's actually... more or less a rebel at heart who does what she has to do, and who achieves a shot at... well, love through doing a) her every-day work at her bench and b) sacrificing herself for the common good. So, it's actually the opposite to the tale in which the all-obediant girl gets her love through a) breaking her routine and b) takes part in something extra-ordinary – for no other reason than to have a little fun.
Another thing that I found really interesting is how her work is described – I love how she repairs things! - and other stuff of her every day life. How people treat her because she's cyborg, how she sees herself – how much she's afraid of Kai finding out about her. But I think that her stepmother and -sisters were actually the most interesting in the mix. Because the mother actually has a heart – okay, for her daughters and not for Cinder, but she's not all selfish and evil, just overridden by prejudices. But Peony, her younger stepsister... she's a golden girl. She's just... loveable. And she loves Cinder deeply. It's interesting that Cinder loves her so much she uses her precious time with the prince to ask him to dance with Peony.
Spoiler:
And how her death hurts her.
Now, I've talked a lot about Kai. He's a little... okay, he's more than a little naïve. He's not a politician, not at all. But okay, he's young and he just lost his father. So, it's definitely understandable. Apart from that, he's really nice. He's someone who looks at the people's personality and not on the outside, and he's kind to everyone around him. Accept for Levana.
Levana herself – or rather her people – are interesting. This whole idea of the moon being populated and that its inhabitants have special abilities is just so very well done. How they can change your bioelectricity for illusions and emotional manipulation – called glamour. The society is fascinating, how they hate Levana, but if they try to do something about it she glamours them into submission. How not using the glamour leads to insanity. And the shells (ungifted) and their roles in this. Dr. Erland is absolutely fascinating – and ruthless. You could kill Sybil. And Levana is just... she's the perfect antagonist. And she has the Earthern leaders in the palm of her hand.
To Earth. After World War 4, there's been 126 years of peace, the only threat on the horizon Luna. The countries have formed republics etc. until you have six totally peaceful states in the Union (Eastern Commonwealth for Asia, America, United Kingdoms, Europe, Australia, Africa). Which is why they have absolutely no intention of doing anything against Levana.
There are normal citizens with ID chips implanted in their skin as means of identification and, well buying stuff and other things. And then, there are cyborgs, meaning people who are half-robots. Because of an accident etc. And there are androids, of course.
I love Iko, by the way. She's so cool!
Well then. This is basically the world.
Oh, and I forgot something concerning the fairy tale stuff. You get hints towards the fairy tales of Snow White (Winter, Wie Schnee so weiß) and Rapunzel (Cress, Wie Sterne so golden), with Levana's stepdaughter and the poor girl in the satellite.
It's definitely a story worth reading. The ideas are really original, the story is tense and the characters & style well done – even though the first person-narrative would have made the story even more tense, it would have made Cinder's problems go a whole lot more under your skin. And you can connect this to changing PoVs, it's just a little more complicated.
In brief:
So. I give stars for the ideas, for content, for the characters and for the world. I will not give a star for style because 1.person-narrative would have been much better for this story, especially because you need a moment to get used to this new world, but I will not delete a star either, because it's still well done.
Sequel: