January 3 of this year (2012) saw the release of the first book of the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder, by Marissa Meyer. It has not been out long and already several of us at work have read it. I classify it as dystopian young adult fiction but others have put it in the science fiction for young adults genre. If you've read my review you'll recall that Cinder is a "mock-up" of the Cinderella story starring Cinder, a cyborg, who is orphaned and living in New Beijing with her stepmother and two stepsisters. Technically that is not correct. It's more like the stepmother's deceased husband "adopted" her. At any rate, the plague runs rampant, killing young and old alike within a very short period of time and scientists are working vigorously to find a cure. Cyborgs are their guinea pig of choice. When Cinder's step-sister is stricken with the illness, Cinder's cold-hearted stepmother offers Cinder as a test subject. Thus begins the realization that there are more secrets around Cinder's true identity than perceived. (though the reader often has them figured out long before Cinder does).
The ending left me mouth agape! What happens to Cinder, Prince Kai, and the Lunar Queen?
I expected hoped Marissa Meyer would carry the story forward to the next book in the series but an interview on Amazon reveals other intentions. Below is a portion of the interview:
"The next book in the Lunar Chronicles is called Scarlet, and is about Little Red Riding Hood. What is appealing to you most about this character as you work on the book?
Scarlet is awesome—she's very independent, a bit temperamental, and has an outspokenness that tends to get her in trouble sometimes. She was raised by her grandmother, an ex-military pilot who now owns a small farm in southern France, who not only taught Scarlet how to fly a spaceship and shoot a gun, but also to have a healthy respect and appreciation for nature. I guess that's a lot of things that appeal to me about her, but she's been a really fun character to write! (The two leading men in Scarlet, Wolf and Captain Thorne, aren't half bad either.)"
Surprised? I was!! This blogger has sent off an email to the author, Marissa Meyer, hoping for some secrets to be revealed. I will keep you posted! If you hear anything, please let me know in the comments below. Until then, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Cinder and see for yourself what all the fuss is about!
PS Is there a Snow White story coming in the chronicles?
Hmmmm. If Scarlet refers to the Red Riding Hood tale, then would Cress and Winter be yet another? I'm guessing Cress would be...the Wild Swans tale? And Winter...hmmm, I might have to go look up fairy tales again, but I'm thinking...Snow White or the Snow Queen tale?
ReplyDeleteThe next 3 books will be based on red riding hood, Rapunzel, and snow white. I think Sybil's slave is Rapunzel, because of all the hair, so she must be cress. And winter is obviously snow white. Can't wait to find out for real!
ReplyDeleteSo, if the next books of the lunar chronicles are not about Cinder, do you suppose there would be a concluding book, where all the characters meet or something, like the Nightworld Series? I was hoping to see what happens to Cinder. And I love this book! :)
ReplyDeleteThe next books won't be exclusively about Cinder but she will have a role in each of the subsequent books, the author has assured me. I'm looking forward to the next one, Scarlet, which is due out next January.
ReplyDeleteI'm really hoping that there is a concluding book where everyone meets, and I also want Kai and Cinder to get back together! I do not like the ending, because I expected Kai to accept herhow she was and marry her!! I really hope they will go back together later in he series, and that all the other princesses will marry their princes. Will there be a concluding book? Will Kai accept Cinder and propose to her later on? I'm very hopeful that he would.
ReplyDeleteThe last one involes snow white. Its called winter I think. The 3rd 1 is about rupunzel I believe...
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