Cinder, by Marrissa Meyer

I loved it. There is simply no more to say. Twists on fairy tales tend to be dull at best, and more often than not cringingly bad, but Meyer has made the improbable happen. I mean, cyborgs, Asian princes and people that live on the moon? Give me a break! But Meyer combines these unlikely elements flawlessly, creating a beautifully gripping story that holds you the whole way through.

Cinder, a mock up of Cinderella, is a cyborg, that much is made clear from the start. The concept of cyborgs is an interesting one - they are regarded with disdain, treated like outcasts, and, unlike with racism in todays society, this response to them is completely acceptable. More than that in fact, they are expected, so Cinder's experience seems more realistic.

The traditional story does make appearances, cleverly interwoven with the plot, noticeable but not clunky. Meyer has swapped little singing mice and sparkly shoes for mechanical limbs and snarky androids, but in such a way that light humour offsets the occasional dark moment.

Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society, and a waste of space by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder’s brain interface has given her an uncanny ability to fix thing, making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This is a cool idea, but in my opinion there is far too little evidence of it- even in fixing Prince Kai's robot she only removes a plug. Still, you can't have everything. Her  (allegedly) excellent reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. The android is 'old', and 'precious' to him, so why, I wonder, does he come to a cyborgs stall, what with all the prejudices and misconceptions about them? Anyhow, he does, much to the delight of Cinder, and at a later date, her android. But her happiness is short-lived, for a terrible sickness is sweeping the city, and no one is safe. No one you love. When her stepmother volunteers her for a testing the scientists find something slightly odd-she survived...