First in the “Lunar Chronicles” series, this futuristic twist on Cinderella keeps just enough of the original that readers will enjoy finding the subtle* similarities.

    But debut author Meyer’s brilliance is in sending the story into a completely new, thrilling* dimension.

    Cinder is a talented teenage mechanic and cyborg — part human, part robot — who has been living in Beijing with a demanding adoptive mother and two stepsisters, ever since her late stepfather took Cinder in after a hovercraft* accident.

    Several events suddenly turn Cinder’s world upside down: A chance meeting with the handsome Prince Kai has her heart racing; a plague* pandemic threatens her beloved sister Peony; Cinder learns she is immune to the plague; and the evil Lunar Queen Levana arrives on Earth, planning to marry Kai.

    Though foreshadowing early on makes it fairly clear where the story is headed, it unfolds* with the magic of a fairy tale and the breakneck excitement of dystopian* fiction. Meyer’s far-future Earth is richly imagined, full of prejudice and intrigue, characters easy to get invested in, and hints of what might await in future books.

    (SD-Agencies)