Growing up, I don’t think there was anything I enjoyed more than a classic fairy tale, and, of course, watching Disney Princess television shows and movies! There are a plethora of fairy tales for all ages, yet Cinderella’s folktale is known by almost everyone, begging the question: why? This rags to riches tale initially originated in Europe. Since then, the Brothers Grimm have adopted and published their version, following similar themes to other variants. On that note, “Cinderella” has themes that can teach young children good vs. evil, kindness to all, luck, and more. From the conflict of having an evil stepmother and two stepsisters to talking animals and a Fairy Godmother, it has undoubtedly been one of my favorites. Now, imagine reading a book that modernizes Cinderella’s tale while weaving in a sci-fi twist. Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a revolutionary and futuristic book based on “Cinderella.” However, while Cinder’s life may seem similar to Cinderella’s story, unlike the fairy tale, Cinder does not end happily-ever-after. Linh Cinder, the main protagonist, is a cyborg who struggles to stay on her stepmother’s ‘good side’ while dreaming of a better life. Unfortunately for her, she lives in New Beijing: a chaotic and uptight city bearing the memories of World War 4, and that discriminates between humans and pretty much everyone who is not human. Cinder makes it past each day with her trusty android friend while being forced to use her expertise in mechanics to make money for her greedy stepmother. One day, Prince Kai, the Prince of the Eastern Commonwealth, finds Cinder and asks her to fix his android. After meeting Prince Kai, our protagonist starts to find change in her life. From attending a ball to engaging in a duel with the evil Queen Levana of Luna—the moon colony—Cinder’s life is far from peaceful. Following Prince Kai’s secretive public appearance, an outbreak of Letumosis breaks out during the middle of the day. Letumosis is a deadly disease, and researchers are yet to find a cure. As Emperor Rikan of the Eastern Commonwealth surrenders to Letumosis, Queen Levana tries to find a way to take Earth by storm. It is up to Cinder to protect Prince Kai from the dangers of the mind-controlling Lunar Queen. Although the plot seems relatively easy to follow, Meyer adds a surplus of side events that stray away from the main storyline and helps set the scene. While there aren’t any direct references to Cinderella, there are some similar elements. Cinder is very different from any other book I have read. Although I could predict the result of some of the many plot twists, the overall storyline kept me engaged. All in all, Cinder’s overall personality brightens the book while Iko, her android friend, sprinkles sarcasm and humor. On that note, the characters guide the reader through Cinder’s spiraling life and crazy cliff-hangers. Overall, Cinder is a book I could read over and over again. Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2020. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Book Club Report: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
An update from our thirty-third book club meeting! On February 26th, we discussed Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This uplifting and beautifully-written novel follows thirteen-year-old Esperanza Ortega. She has a charmed childhood as the daughter of a wealthy ranch-owner in Mexico, but a tragedy causes her to flee to the United States with her mother. In California, Esperanza and her mother become farmworkers, and must navigate poverty, racism, and labor strikes with the support of new friends. Everybody said that they had really enjoyed Esperanza Rising, and we all shared our favorite moments in the book. We started our discussion by talking about the evolving relationship between Esperanza and her friend Miguel. Back in Mexico, when Miguel was Esperanza’s parents’ servant, Esperanza had said there was ‘a deep river’ between them. We discussed what we thought this river symbolized, and agreed that it meant the gulf of wealth between them, which made Esperanza unwilling to have a relationship with him. We also agreed that it was satisfying to watch this dynamic change over the course of the book. Then we had a debate: would we have chosen to join the labor strike if we had been farmworkers like Esperanza? Most people said they would have been too scared to join the strike, out of fear of being deported, but one student said she would join the strike because she wanted to work for better wages. It was interesting to hear everybody’s different opinions! Next we talked about proverbs, or sayings, like the ones that Esperanza’s father and grandmother always told her. It was fun hearing proverbs from different people’s families. Last but not least, it was creative writing time! Since Esperanza Rising was based on the life story of the author’s grandmother, students had a choice to write down a story they remembered from a grandparent or other elderly person in their life. Or, they could write about a fruit harvest, like in the novel, using all the different senses to make it come alive. Some students chose to share out their writing with the group. It was lovely to hear about people’s grandparents, and the way they described the harvest with detail. I really enjoyed this month’s book club meeting, and am looking forward to next month, when we will be discussing The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell. Our next book, to be discussed March 26: The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
Weekly Creativity #193: Take an Abstract Photo that Shows a Pattern in Nature
Take an abstract photo that shows a pattern in nature, like this one of a piece of coral from the October 2020 issue of Stone Soup.
