The cover of CINDER, available now
Consider it Cinderella 2.0 – CINDER is the first book in THE LUNAR CHRONICLES, a new book series by Marissa Meyer which takes classic fairy tale characters to the future.
Picture Cinderella as a cyborg, half-human and half-robot, in a world ravaged by a plague. Cinder is a gifted mechanic who lives in New Beijing with her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. One day while Cinder is working her booth at the market, she meets the handsome Prince Kai who requires her services to repair his android. The story thickens from here and Cinder finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic struggle involving a Lunar Queen who wants to marry the Prince and rule the Earth as well as a missing princess.
The next book in the series is SCARLET, a revamped Little Red Riding Hood. Next is CRESS which is based on Rapunzel, and then the series wraps off just like the seasons with WINTER, which is based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While each book has new characters and heroines, Cinder continues to be a main character. She still has to fight to survive, you know!
THE MAGAZINE had the chance to participate in a virtual blog chat with Marissa Meyer to talk about Cinder, cyborgs and GLEE.
Cinder is a cyborg. If you had the opportunity to be a cyborg for a day, would you? Why or why not?
MM: Why just for a day? I would love the opportunity to be a cyborg! Cinder has some awesome abilities, particularly the whole internet in your brain thing. That would come in really handy. At the same time, with our phones these days it’s like we’re already becoming cyborgs.
In your mind, what actor does Prince Kai look like?
MM: I’ve posted my initial inspiration photo of Prince Kai on my blog. [He looks like] Harry Shum Jr. from GLEE.
Harry Shum Jr. from GLEE
If CINDER had a soundtrack to accompany it, who would be on it?
MM: Muse. I listened to their CDs over and over again while I wrote it. As well, The Killers, Coldplay and Death Cab For Cutie.
What character in CINDER is most like you?
MM: [Cinder’s sister] Peony. She is pretty much me when I was 14 years old. I was happy and perky and obsessed with boys. Within the entire series, I connect most with Cress, the Rapunzel character, who has a really overactive imagination and is always daydreaming.
What’s next for THE LUNAR CHRONICLES?
MM: Cinder continues to be the main hero of the entire series so you’ll be seeing a lot more of her and a lot more of Prince Kai. Beginning with book two it splits into dual plotlines. On one hand we’re following Cinder as she tries to not get killed by the evil queen. On the other plotline you’ll meet these other heroines. They have their own stories, problems to deal with and love interests. As the books go on they intertwine and join forces together against their mutual enemy, Queen Levana. The second book is due out in January 2013. They are one year apart. My goal as a writer is to make each one worth the wait.
Thank you Marissa! CINDER is available now.