― by Marissa Meyer, Cinder

(The Lunar Chronicles # 1)

I actually really enjoyed this book. I found it quite slow to start but persevered and grew to love it! I picked this up at my local library after hearing many reviews from BookTubers, and I will be picking up the sequel - Scarlet - very soon.

It re-tells the story of Cinderella creating a new, funky, modernised tale. The characters are well thought out, and Prince Kai makes a dashing hero.

Set in the dystopian future of New Beijing, Cinder - a mechanic - is a cyborg. She is blamed for her father's death and her sister's illness, by her evil stepmother, Adri. On the arrival of Queen Levana, a Lunar - Cinder begins to make discoveries about her life.

When reading the novel I did find the plot predictable, certain parts immediately made me realise what was going to happen next and how the story would eventually unfold. I wouldn't say that this ruined the storyline for me, I was still eager to find out how it all unfolded - I just would have liked a little more suspense.The set up of this novel had so much potential, yet I feel the author lacked something. This and the predictable plot were the main reasons I gave it a four star rating, instead of a five.

Overall this is a great story, one I would certainly recommend to those who enjoy delving into dystopian, futuristic worlds.