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katiesbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
Let me start off by saying this was a very interesting book.One of my favorite books.When my friends first told me about this book I didn't think it would be something that i would like.But they kept beggibg me to read it so I gave in and i'm glad I.It is an amazing book.Lots of stuff happens.I think this a book that everyone should read
mcfaddinm1's review against another edition
5.0
Why didn’t I start this series sooner?!?! ITS SO GOOD
aimsyreads's review against another edition
2.0
This book is... Enough? I mean considering the fact that this is a book and I like books, I did end up liking it... But still... It most definitely did not live up to my expectations. It was recommended to me by a friend and while I do enjoy sci-fi every blue moon or so this was not it. It does an excellent job at world-building and I would love to know more about it. Like when I look at this book objectively I am immediately reminded of both the things I hate and love about this book simultaneously.
A thing about reading this book is that, while reading it I constantly and I mean constantly compared it with the author's other series, The Renegades and while I had my nitpicks about that series, it still feels a lot more polished than this one. The characters are definitely more interesting in the Renegades and the scenes were better written too. The plot was more cliché on that series too unfortunately. I guess my main problem with Marissa's books is that the plot is way too predictable. I knew all the major plot twists the minute the first hints were given. This kind of writing can still be salvaged though if you make the reveal fun and interesting... This book failed there too... The renegades, despite having cliché scenes had a less predictable plot which let me have a bit more fun.
Now the characters... Hands down they're better in renegades. There are some aspects of each character in Cinder that I do enjoy but in the end it feels lacklustre and uninspiring. And I definitely expected some more in depth moral conflicts or something that would make it interesting but I was disappointed.
Most fans out there do say that Cinder is the worst book in the series and it only goes up from here but... I don't know... I am very much demotivated to buy the next book. The fact that my review itself is this short is proof enough that this was just not that riveting. An extremely predictable plot compiled with shell like characters set in a captivating world was just not enough to have my attention. The only reason I finished this book was that I was sick and had nothing else to do. So kinda sad... But in the end it is my opinion and maybe if I ever do buy the rest of the series my view might change.
A thing about reading this book is that, while reading it I constantly and I mean constantly compared it with the author's other series, The Renegades and while I had my nitpicks about that series, it still feels a lot more polished than this one. The characters are definitely more interesting in the Renegades and the scenes were better written too. The plot was more cliché on that series too unfortunately. I guess my main problem with Marissa's books is that the plot is way too predictable. I knew all the major plot twists the minute the first hints were given. This kind of writing can still be salvaged though if you make the reveal fun and interesting... This book failed there too... The renegades, despite having cliché scenes had a less predictable plot which let me have a bit more fun.
Now the characters... Hands down they're better in renegades. There are some aspects of each character in Cinder that I do enjoy but in the end it feels lacklustre and uninspiring. And I definitely expected some more in depth moral conflicts or something that would make it interesting but I was disappointed.
Most fans out there do say that Cinder is the worst book in the series and it only goes up from here but... I don't know... I am very much demotivated to buy the next book. The fact that my review itself is this short is proof enough that this was just not that riveting. An extremely predictable plot compiled with shell like characters set in a captivating world was just not enough to have my attention. The only reason I finished this book was that I was sick and had nothing else to do. So kinda sad... But in the end it is my opinion and maybe if I ever do buy the rest of the series my view might change.
ivywwx's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
cryptic_casp's review against another edition
4.0
Ahhhh. I read this book in one day lol, while it’s not this genre breaking culture defining work of literature I really think this series takes a concept and does it so well, practically perfectly. By the time I’m writing this review I may have gotten over excited and already finished the second book (also read in one night heh). I just got really really attached to the characters and world. Meyers is a master of her craft and I love this series
bertiethefern's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
etinney's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 out of 5 stars
I'm just going to be honest here. I didn't really want to read this book.
Ok, Erin, why did you read it then?
Because of the hype.
So I read the synopsis for this a while ago and didn't want to pick it up because I am not really interested in robots and I really dislike the Cinderella story. However, some lovely people on booktube convinced me to pick it up, so I did. I was surprisingly not disappointed.
Cinder is funny and sassy, and that is probably my favorite character trait. I could identify with her so well because she uses sarcasm to calm her down in a bad situation, which is my go-to coping mechanism. The plot was fast paced and I really liked the whole intrigue with the Lunars and the politics surrounding them. Kai sounds like a mega-hottie coated in a candy shell of charm. The plague was an interesting touch and at first, I found it to be unnecessary, but after a while, I realized that the plot needed something like that to tie all the characters together. I really enjoyed reading this book.
However, there were a couple of flaws that caused me to lower the rating.
1. Peony should not have died this early in the series. I think that if she was the same cute little stepsister throughout the whole book and then died in a later installment, I would have been more devastated by the loss. However, I did not have time to get to know her as a character, so I really didn't care about her dying.
2. The whole Princess Selene thing. Is it just me, or did anyone else see the fact that Cinder was Princess Selene coming from a mile away? I mean, as soon as they mentioned the "dead" princess, I went "Oh duh, Cinder is her". And at first, I thought it was the author's way of introducing some dramatic irony to the story. The reader knows that she is the princess, but Cinder doesn't. During the story, however, I began to believe that this was supposed to be the plot twist. Even when that other girl claimed that she was the princess, I knew it wasn't true. So does anyone else feel like that was the most obvious plot twist in the world?
3. Probably the worst one: the romance. Oh god, this is one of the worst cases of instalove I have ever seen. I understand that that is what the Cinderella story is like, but still. I just did not understand why Kai was so obsessed with her. I thought maybe he knew that she was the princess and so he needed her, but then we learn that he doesn't know. So then he was just infatuated with this girl he didn't know. And I understood the first time he asked her to ball; she was a pretty girl and he wanted to ask her out. So after she said no, you would think he would become disinterested. But no. He kept going after her for NO reason. Why? I get that you're super hot and charming but I do not get the extreme persistence in courting Cinder.
4. And why are cyborgs second class citizens? I mean, if I had those robot parts, I would totally have taken over the planet by now. Maybe that will be explained later.
All in all, a good read if you don't mind instalove and some lack of world building and a slightly predictable plot.
I'm just going to be honest here. I didn't really want to read this book.
Ok, Erin, why did you read it then?
Because of the hype.
So I read the synopsis for this a while ago and didn't want to pick it up because I am not really interested in robots and I really dislike the Cinderella story. However, some lovely people on booktube convinced me to pick it up, so I did. I was surprisingly not disappointed.
Cinder is funny and sassy, and that is probably my favorite character trait. I could identify with her so well because she uses sarcasm to calm her down in a bad situation, which is my go-to coping mechanism. The plot was fast paced and I really liked the whole intrigue with the Lunars and the politics surrounding them. Kai sounds like a mega-hottie coated in a candy shell of charm. The plague was an interesting touch and at first, I found it to be unnecessary, but after a while, I realized that the plot needed something like that to tie all the characters together. I really enjoyed reading this book.
However, there were a couple of flaws that caused me to lower the rating.
1. Peony should not have died this early in the series. I think that if she was the same cute little stepsister throughout the whole book and then died in a later installment, I would have been more devastated by the loss. However, I did not have time to get to know her as a character, so I really didn't care about her dying.
2. The whole Princess Selene thing. Is it just me, or did anyone else see the fact that Cinder was Princess Selene coming from a mile away? I mean, as soon as they mentioned the "dead" princess, I went "Oh duh, Cinder is her". And at first, I thought it was the author's way of introducing some dramatic irony to the story. The reader knows that she is the princess, but Cinder doesn't. During the story, however, I began to believe that this was supposed to be the plot twist. Even when that other girl claimed that she was the princess, I knew it wasn't true. So does anyone else feel like that was the most obvious plot twist in the world?
3. Probably the worst one: the romance. Oh god, this is one of the worst cases of instalove I have ever seen. I understand that that is what the Cinderella story is like, but still. I just did not understand why Kai was so obsessed with her. I thought maybe he knew that she was the princess and so he needed her, but then we learn that he doesn't know. So then he was just infatuated with this girl he didn't know. And I understood the first time he asked her to ball; she was a pretty girl and he wanted to ask her out. So after she said no, you would think he would become disinterested. But no. He kept going after her for NO reason. Why? I get that you're super hot and charming but I do not get the extreme persistence in courting Cinder.
4. And why are cyborgs second class citizens? I mean, if I had those robot parts, I would totally have taken over the planet by now. Maybe that will be explained later.
All in all, a good read if you don't mind instalove and some lack of world building and a slightly predictable plot.
haileystewart6's review against another edition
4.0
the perfect fast comfort read. i was never bored, and felt like the plot line was straight to the point while still being entertaining. i can’t wait to read the next book in this series