Autumn Equinox and Cinder

Sunrise was at 6:57, sunset was at 7:05, just as much light as dark.

It's the equinox, man, autumn, the days are already short and I'm looking forward to spring. There is something so very paganistic about the changing of the seasons, the notice of the change, the very change of the air. I'm sure I might be making this all up, but the wind had a slight edge to it, didn't it? I know it was hot and muggy today, but when the wind came up it had a little coolness to it. I feel like I should mark these days by saluting the sunrise and -set, going out in the morning and honoring the fact that this is really the beginning of a new season. Maybe I'll pour a little wine to the gods in thanks that the world will continue to spin on.

The air is getting cooler, now; it's later. I just came in from watering the front yard plants and the sun's gone down. The Olympics look like torn construction paper pasted to the sky. Dennis is playing his guitar upstairs and our house is thin enough that I can feel his tapping foot through the ceiling.

Went for my usual Friday walk around Seward Park today and thoroughly enjoyed it. The sky was SO blue, and it was quiet-I could hear the waves lapping at the shore, the wind clapping the leaves together and there were lots of kids yelling and laughing. And then I noticed that there were no planes flying. I don't know why, I think the president's coming next week, but it was nice to have a little break from all that noise.

I walked around the park reading Cinder, by Tacoma (yes, Tacoma!) author Marissa Meyer, and, boy, it was GREAT! I am pretty bummed that it's part of a series, I'd really like to know what happens before next year.

Cinder, as you've probably intuited, is a retelling of the Cinderella story placed in Beijing far in the future. The moon has been settled, surgery has advanced enough to allow cyborgs to live in the world, and Cinder is a cyborg mechanic covered in grease when she meets Prince Kai who needs an android repaired. Ah, such a great start to the story.

But it is different enough to make an old story new again! Cinder is adopted and her father is dead, one of her sisters is horrible, the other is lovely, and her best friend is an android named Iko. There is a nasty plague with no antidote and the Emperor is sick with it. One day while at work in the market place, Cinder is tasked with repairing the nanny droid that the prince has brought in. He flirts with her, and wants to know if she's coming to the ball (of course there's a ball!).

I loved this book, the characters are well-written, and it's always good to believe in the world you're reading. There is intrigue and unhappiness and so much stuff woven into the story. You know from the beginning what Cinder's true self is and how the story will turn out, but the way it advances is so very cool!

I'm pretty bummed that it's going to be a series and we will have to wait for so long for the next one.

Good for ages 12 and up. Feiwel and Friends, publishers. $17.99. Available in January. Of 2012! Oh, man! Sorry, you'll have to wait. Oh, wait, me, too!