Month: September 2014
CINDER by Marissa Meyer
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Linh Cinder is the best mechanic in Beijing–partly because she is a cyborg, a fact which she prefers to keep a secret. When Prince Kai stops by her stall in the market to get help fixing his android, Cinder is immediately smitten by the witty monarch, even though she has heard the rumors that Prince Kai may be forced to marry the evil Luna Queen Levana to prevent a war with the moon. But as soon as Kai leaves, reality brings her giddy excitement crashing down; one of the other shop owners has caught the plague. Shortly after Cinder returns home, her beloved stepsister Peony catches the plague as well. Although Cinder is declared healthy, her furious and heartbroken stepmother blames her for bring the plague into their home and sells Cinder to a medical testing center from which no cyborg has returned alive. But Cinder’s tests come back all wrong and begin to bring to light the past that she cannot remember.
I am absolutely hooked on this series! It is the most original and intriguing Cinderella story I ever have read. I had an initial aversion to the book because about three or four chapters in, the plot point that I assumed was supposed to be the “big reveal” of the book became painfully obvious. I was a little bit disgusted, thinking, “Well now I’m just going to be annoyed for the rest of the book that the characters are blind to the obvious twist that is beating them over the heads.” But as I kept reading, I found myself becoming increasingly invested. Both the characters and the plot are so complex that the story is full of surprises–thoroughly engaging, even though the “big reveal” is dramatic only to the characters. I highly recommend this exciting, thought-provoking, well-written series! Thanks for the tip, Vivy.
If you liked Cinder, you might like The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.
THE REAL BOY by Anne Ursu
The Magician Caleb adopted Oscar as his shop assistant, to help with small tasks like restocking the pantry, but not with magical tasks of preparing spells for the customers. As far as Caleb and his mean-spirited apprentice Wolf know, Oscar can’t even read—although Caleb has begun to suspect something of Oscar’s self-education through the way he obviously knows more about herbal magic than Wolf. Shy Oscar is happy to remain in the background where he doesn’t have to interact with people, who often think there is “something wrong with him.” But when Caleb goes out of town on a secret errand, Wolf sneaks out to the forest for an afternoon and is chopped up into bits by some unknown creature. Soon after, Callie, the healer’s apprentice arrives with more distressing news: the children of the lords and ladies in the high-walled “Shining City” are contracting mysterious illnesses—and the healer is also away on unnamed business. Fearing a resurgence of the plague that nearly destroyed their country years ago, Oscar and Callie realize they cannot wait for their masters to return. They must try to find a cure for illnesses—and hope that whatever monster killed Wolf does not return.
I loved this book! I found it much more engaging than Breadcrumbs. The story develops slowly, with a lot of time devoted to world-building. But by interspersing a few dramatic and intriguing events early on, Ursu kept me eagerly turning pages, trying to puzzle out the mystery as I became immersed in the fantasy world. As the title suggests, it is inspired by Pinocchio, but only loosely; the connection isn’t even clear until over 200 pages into the story. More significant is Oscar’s struggle to fit in with the “normal” people around him, his gradual discovery of his own abilities and self-worth, and his growing friendship with Callie. All of the characters—good and not-so-good—are carefully crafted with strengths and short-comings. And the ominous evil that threatens them is both terrifying and misunderstood. A wonderfully complex and engaging fantasy—I highly recommend it!
If you liked The Real Boy, you might like Charmed Life by Dianna Wynne Jones, Dreamwood by Heather Mackey or The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson.
Susan the Librarian 