![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
*WEB CONTINUATION: This article originally appeared in Volume 106 Issue 1 of our news magazine, Amplifier.
We’ve all heard of Cinderella, the daring young maiden who finds her prince and loses a shoe. But have you ever heard of Cinder, a cyborg who isn’t looking for a prince, and loses a…foot?
This is the story of “Cinder” by Marissa Meyer, a 2011 futuristic fairytale retelling of the classic Disney “Cinderella” story. It follows a young mechanic, Cinder, in a futuristic ‘New Beijing’ filled with robots and a deadly disease, letumosis. After her beloved stepsister falls victim to the disease, Cinder meets the mysterious Dr. Erland, and discovers that she herself is immune to letumosis, throwing her into a new world.
Accompanied by her charming droid, Iko, and a convict attempting to be charming, Cinder must figure out how to overthrow the evil queen of the moon, figure out her unknown history, and find her prince.
Eloise Kausen, junior, first read the series in her freshman year.
“It stood out to me because it didn’t follow the traditional ‘Cinderella’ plot. It had so many new additions,” Kausen said. “And Meyer really made it her own story, not just a copy, although she did incorporate the whole theme and everything, she just made it so much more complex. It was beautifully written.”
The best thing about “Cinder” is undoubtedly the worldbuilding. Meyer creates a rich world that is easy to envision. The ruling systems have clear guidelines, each place feels different to the reader, and rich cultures have been developed that seamlessly fit into this world. The high quality technology is explained and weaved in, allowing the reader to understand how it works without feeling bogged down by explanations.
“I loved how everything was so put together, because in a lot of books there are a lot of plot holes, but this one seemed to flow, and not everything was solved at the end,” Kausen said. “But I liked that, [because] throughout the rest of the books they solved it one piece at a time, which I really liked.”
Cinder, along with the rest of the “Lunar Chronicles” books, are being adapted into an animated film from Locksmith Animations. It is currently slotted for a 2028 release, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Meyer takes a simple retelling and turns it into a vast world. Followed by three books, a novella, and a short story collection, “The Lunar Chronicles” shows that fairytale retellings didn’t end with “Ella Enchanted” and introduces readers to a world they can’t wait to come back to.
PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL:
Want to meet Marissa Meyer?
On Saturday, Nov. 8 Meyer will be at the Portland Book Festival as a part of her “The House Saphir” tour. The Portland Book Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is the largest festival of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. It offers book vendors, author panels, signings, writing contests, and workshops, free admittance to the Portland Art Museum, and free tickets to students. Meyer will present at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, from 5 to 6 p.m. Alongside her will be Kalynn Bayron, author of “Makes Me a Monster.” The discussion will be moderated by Emily Suvada, author of the “This Mortal Coil” series.
THE HOUSE SAPHIR:
Meyer is releasing a new book, “The House Saphir” on Nov. 4, 2025. It follows the story of a girl, Mallory, who comes from a long line of witches. Her problem is that she can’t do magic, she can only see ghosts. So now, she and her sister operate a scam, selling fake spells to gullible people, and conduct tours of a mysterious mansion, where Count Bastien Saphir killed the first of his three wives. When Mallory is hired to rid the Saphir Estate of Bastien’s ghost, another murder plagues the house once again. With the help of the ghosts of Bastien’s three wives, Mallory must solve the murder and banish the ghost.
It is described as a “thrilling romantasy that’s part ghost story and part murder mystery.”
