There's a lot of moving parts in this fresh spin on Cinderella, the first in a four-book series. First, we've moved from a fairy-tale kingdom to a post-World War IV future in New Beijing. Plagued by her stepmother and shunned by society for being a cyborg, Cinder keeps her head down as the city's best mechanic until she catches the eye of the dashing Prince Kai. He's got matters of state to worry about, though, including an incurable plague and the ever-present threat of war from the moon-people, known as Lunars. The over-the-top, spiteful cruelty that dogs the heroine from all sides is a little too cartoonish to take seriously when retrofitted from fairy tale to science fiction, and it's best not to ponder things like why such a technologically advanced civilization would get into such a tizzy about a fancy-dress ball. Still, readers will enjoy lining up the touchstones from the old favorite, and Meyer brings a good deal of charm and cleverness to this entertaining, swiftly paced read.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
