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meganleighr's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Terminal illness
maria_pell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Medical content
Minor: Excrement
cadybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Ableism
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, and Blood
romiress's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Updated: I reread this, and I think it still holds up great. The plot twist is obvious and clearly broadcasted from page one, but the worldbuilding is fantastic. I was less enthusiastic about Cinder's priorities this time around, but I still think it's a great book, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequels.
Original: I had a hard time deciding a genre. Sure, it's YA, but is it Scifi? Fantasy? Dystopian? A bit of everything. I wasn't expecting much of anything from this, but in the end I loved it. While the plot 'twist' is predictable from the first twenty-five pages, it's well written and kept me reading. I read it in only a few hours, and every time I went to set it down, I ended up picking it up again.
Original: I had a hard time deciding a genre. Sure, it's YA, but is it Scifi? Fantasy? Dystopian? A bit of everything. I wasn't expecting much of anything from this, but in the end I loved it. While the plot 'twist' is predictable from the first twenty-five pages, it's well written and kept me reading. I read it in only a few hours, and every time I went to set it down, I ended up picking it up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Ableism, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
kthedestroyer's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Even upon reread, my 4 stars still stand (I like it more but sorry I don't believe in decimals and it's not good enough for 5 stars)
It's not that I don't like it because I really do (I mean, 4 stars is still a lot) but there is just something about it that I don't get as emersed as I should have.
It honestly might be the pacing. I feel like it's too fast and too slow at the same time. Everything happens so fast so you can't get to know the characters well enough but then again it seems like some scenes take forever.
Maybe it's something about the fact that Cinder's 16. Look, I have nothing against 16-year-olds but there's just no way that I wouldn't break under pressure 2 years ago if I was in her place. When I look at those kids now, I feel like it would be even worse.
I also think that Peony's death came too soon. I mean, she was in the book for like 50 pages and Meyer was just like: "Okay, time to die biatch." I feel like this is why I didn't really care about her death. Sure, Cinder's reaction was devastating but then again, we kinda forget about it right after that scene is finished.
I also miss my girl Iko for the majority of the book. Adri, I hate you for what you did. It's your fault that our fairy godmother is absent. You shall suffer (this is what we call foreshadowing).
It's getting a bit too negative in here, don't you think?
I thought so.
Okay, I know. The romance between Kai and Cinder is very convenient but I crave it. This whole book could have been just a back and forth conversation between them and I would love it. It's a sugar bomb and anyone who knows me would probably question if it was really me who wrote this review when I told them that this is the main reason why I like the book.
Sorry, I lied. It's not the romance... it's the SASS and Iko's hilarious comments.
Firstly, we have Cinder's sass which is not visible that often but when we get her snarky comments, my day instantly gets better.
Secondly, Iko is hilarious. I love her and her obsession with shoes and dresses and Prince Kai. I would love to see more of her in this book (I, again, blame Adri).
And of course, the star of the book... Prince Kai. That man is playing with his life. Levana is a ruthless queen who shows no mercy and this idiot of a man still shoots some very ironic or sarcastic comments even though she would probably want to cut his head off.
Pure gold.
Also... the ending is heartbreaking. I kinda want to kill Kai for the words he said to Cinder. The sass saved him this time but still. This is why I still prefer Thorne over Kai.
Marissa Meyer is most definitely one of my top 3 favorite authors but it shows that this is her first (I think) published book. Fortunately, it only gets better from here.
It's not that I don't like it because I really do (I mean, 4 stars is still a lot) but there is just something about it that I don't get as emersed as I should have.
It honestly might be the pacing. I feel like it's too fast and too slow at the same time. Everything happens so fast so you can't get to know the characters well enough but then again it seems like some scenes take forever.
Maybe it's something about the fact that Cinder's 16. Look, I have nothing against 16-year-olds but there's just no way that I wouldn't break under pressure 2 years ago if I was in her place. When I look at those kids now, I feel like it would be even worse.
I also think that Peony's death came too soon. I mean, she was in the book for like 50 pages and Meyer was just like: "Okay, time to die biatch." I feel like this is why I didn't really care about her death. Sure, Cinder's reaction was devastating but then again, we kinda forget about it right after that scene is finished.
I also miss my girl Iko for the majority of the book. Adri, I hate you for what you did. It's your fault that our fairy godmother is absent. You shall suffer (this is what we call foreshadowing).
It's getting a bit too negative in here, don't you think?
I thought so.
Okay, I know. The romance between Kai and Cinder is very convenient but I crave it. This whole book could have been just a back and forth conversation between them and I would love it. It's a sugar bomb and anyone who knows me would probably question if it was really me who wrote this review when I told them that this is the main reason why I like the book.
Sorry, I lied. It's not the romance... it's the SASS and Iko's hilarious comments.
Firstly, we have Cinder's sass which is not visible that often but when we get her snarky comments, my day instantly gets better.
Secondly, Iko is hilarious. I love her and her obsession with shoes and dresses and Prince Kai. I would love to see more of her in this book (I, again, blame Adri).
And of course, the star of the book... Prince Kai. That man is playing with his life. Levana is a ruthless queen who shows no mercy and this idiot of a man still shoots some very ironic or sarcastic comments even though she would probably want to cut his head off.
Pure gold.
Also... the ending is heartbreaking. I kinda want to kill Kai for the words he said to Cinder. The sass saved him this time but still. This is why I still prefer Thorne over Kai.
Marissa Meyer is most definitely one of my top 3 favorite authors but it shows that this is her first (I think) published book. Fortunately, it only gets better from here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
minimarie's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I read this back in 2012/2013, I personally think this is a great book for middle school students and/or those beginning to read fantasy/sci-fiction
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Violence
sjchoe1234's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Death
tkatt20's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I liked this book but I didn't love it. I found the world itself to be incredibly interesting and the characters are very loveable but the plot was predictable and I felt like I knew everything that was going to happen well in advance. I almost DNFed but continued hoping it would surprise me but it never did.
As previously stated, the characters and the world building are complex and interesting so that redeems it a bit for me. The world itself is set in a sort of post-apocalyptic society taking place on Earth after the 4th world War. The technological advancements are fascinating, my only complaint so that they aren't described well enough. The androids come off as practically human when interacting with the characters but it felt disconnected with the story since there are next to no details about why they respond the way they do or who created them. Im hoping the rest of the series sheds some light on this if I decide to continue reading.
I would have rated this much higher had Cinder's step sister not died the way she did. I had such high hopes when I found out that one of her step sisters was actually nice to her (compared to many other Cinderella retellings) but she was barely in the book long enough to get to know her, and having Cinder right there with the cure was extremely frustrating and I almost put down the book right there
I haven't decided yet if I will finish this series but there is a good chance I will solely based on my fondness if the characters.
As previously stated, the characters and the world building are complex and interesting so that redeems it a bit for me. The world itself is set in a sort of post-apocalyptic society taking place on Earth after the 4th world War. The technological advancements are fascinating, my only complaint so that they aren't described well enough. The androids come off as practically human when interacting with the characters but it felt disconnected with the story since there are next to no details about why they respond the way they do or who created them. Im hoping the rest of the series sheds some light on this if I decide to continue reading.
I haven't decided yet if I will finish this series but there is a good chance I will solely based on my fondness if the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Ableism
empathephant's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think I really do just have a problem getting my brain to adjust the the new conditions of an SFF universe, because on this second read through I enjoyed the book so much more, no longer being unfamiliar with the setting and vocabulary. I need to remember this and just push through in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Excrement, Dementia, Violence, Slavery, Vomit, and Car accident
A pandemic that causes nearly death threatens the world. The plot takes place under the looming threat of war, centering on trying to prevent the war. Main character is an orphan, living in an abusive adoptive family.margojune's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Ableism, Child abuse, and Child death