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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
The problem with fairytale retellings is that they're really predictable. We already know the story, so the element of suspense isn't really there. That coloured my opinion of this book, but really, it's going to be a problem no matter what the author does. I think this book could have been improved by losing the retelling aspect, because the idea could have stood on its own, as it's a really original premise.
I liked Cinder quite a lot. She's a fun character, who was quite spunky but also fragile. She had quite a non-traditional occupation (mechanic), which fitted well with the whole Cinderella thing. My heart broke for her several times... she had such a cruel life. I wish we'd got more of the whole fairy godmother, Cinderella makeover thing, because that's always my favourite part! She did do some really stupid things, but who wouldn't in her situation?
I couldn't actually picture what Cinder looks like... I don't know if anyone else had that problem, but where I could imagine everyone else in the story, Cinder was kind of a blank, faceless thing. It's really unusual to not be able to actually picture a main character, even if they're not exactly what they were described as... Weird. It didn't put me off a huge amount, but it's a weird thing.
I really didn't feel the romance with Kai though. I liked him, he was pretty cool and quite well drawn, but I just wasn't convinced about the romance side or his ability to be an Emperor... I kind of felt like they should just have been friends and bucked the whole fairytale thing, but of course, that's never going to happen with a fairytale retelling.
It kind of bugs me that when an author wants their (usually female) character to be "non-traditional" or challenge the status quo, they stick them in a job like being an engineer or a mechanic. As if girls can't be a teacher or a nurse without challenging anything! Of course, if they have a male in a non-traditional occupation, like say... a dressmaker, he's always gay. Ditto the female mechanic is usually a lesbian (though in this case she isn't). Like people can't possibly just do a job they like, like normal humans in real life! *rant complete*
I felt like Queen Levana was a cardboard cutout villain... wasn't really convinced by her. Maybe she'll become more of a legitimate threat in the next few books, but in this she just didn't really feel like much at all. She seemed to just stand there and make threats and just be evil in general, but not much more. The evil stepmother, Adri, was far more compelling and horrible. I really wanted her to be defeated and turned into a lily pad.
Another little issue for me is that I didn't look ahead to see what the rest of the series is based on, but I've already worked out what happens and who is doing what. It really doesn't make me too enthusiastic to carry on! I've heard really good things about the third book, Cress, which I may read at some point since this was fun... but I've already worked out who she is. The element of mystery isn't there, which kind of bothers me. I also worked out the plot twist really, really quickly... like a couple of chapters in quickly.
Some aspects which should have been explained further just weren't.... like why are cyborgs treated like second class citizens?! We're told over and over again that Cinder is Adri's property, that she can't buy things from certain shops and that cyborgs are generally treated like dirt... but why? It's never explained. Why is it "New Beijing"? What happened to the old city? Was it the war? You wouldn't even know this is set in China, other than Kai being an Emperor and a brief mention of Chinese foods.
I really don't think this busted too many stereotypes at all, which it could have done, but I think the author was limited by the process of retelling the fairytale. Cinderella in particular has been done SO MANY different ways before. This is definitely different to any other retelling I've seen, I will give it that. The cover was pretty funky too, though I wasn't too crash hot on the font they used, but meh... not a huge deal.
Cinder was definitely a fun evening's entertainment and a good fluffy YA novel, but I think it has so much more potential. Perhaps that potential is realised further into the series, which I'll probably read at some point. There's a few major plot holes but I kind of forgave them since it's just a YA book and not some kind of great work of fiction, but they were pretty glaring. If you go into it just wanting something escapist, it's fine and will truly serve that purpose... but I don't think it's much more than that. If I was 10 years younger I would have been all over this like a rash!
I liked Cinder quite a lot. She's a fun character, who was quite spunky but also fragile. She had quite a non-traditional occupation (mechanic), which fitted well with the whole Cinderella thing. My heart broke for her several times... she had such a cruel life. I wish we'd got more of the whole fairy godmother, Cinderella makeover thing, because that's always my favourite part! She did do some really stupid things, but who wouldn't in her situation?
I couldn't actually picture what Cinder looks like... I don't know if anyone else had that problem, but where I could imagine everyone else in the story, Cinder was kind of a blank, faceless thing. It's really unusual to not be able to actually picture a main character, even if they're not exactly what they were described as... Weird. It didn't put me off a huge amount, but it's a weird thing.
I really didn't feel the romance with Kai though. I liked him, he was pretty cool and quite well drawn, but I just wasn't convinced about the romance side or his ability to be an Emperor... I kind of felt like they should just have been friends and bucked the whole fairytale thing, but of course, that's never going to happen with a fairytale retelling.
It kind of bugs me that when an author wants their (usually female) character to be "non-traditional" or challenge the status quo, they stick them in a job like being an engineer or a mechanic. As if girls can't be a teacher or a nurse without challenging anything! Of course, if they have a male in a non-traditional occupation, like say... a dressmaker, he's always gay. Ditto the female mechanic is usually a lesbian (though in this case she isn't). Like people can't possibly just do a job they like, like normal humans in real life! *rant complete*
I felt like Queen Levana was a cardboard cutout villain... wasn't really convinced by her. Maybe she'll become more of a legitimate threat in the next few books, but in this she just didn't really feel like much at all. She seemed to just stand there and make threats and just be evil in general, but not much more. The evil stepmother, Adri, was far more compelling and horrible. I really wanted her to be defeated and turned into a lily pad.
Another little issue for me is that I didn't look ahead to see what the rest of the series is based on, but I've already worked out what happens and who is doing what. It really doesn't make me too enthusiastic to carry on! I've heard really good things about the third book, Cress, which I may read at some point since this was fun... but I've already worked out who she is. The element of mystery isn't there, which kind of bothers me. I also worked out the plot twist really, really quickly... like a couple of chapters in quickly.
Some aspects which should have been explained further just weren't.... like why are cyborgs treated like second class citizens?! We're told over and over again that Cinder is Adri's property, that she can't buy things from certain shops and that cyborgs are generally treated like dirt... but why? It's never explained. Why is it "New Beijing"? What happened to the old city? Was it the war? You wouldn't even know this is set in China, other than Kai being an Emperor and a brief mention of Chinese foods.
I really don't think this busted too many stereotypes at all, which it could have done, but I think the author was limited by the process of retelling the fairytale. Cinderella in particular has been done SO MANY different ways before. This is definitely different to any other retelling I've seen, I will give it that. The cover was pretty funky too, though I wasn't too crash hot on the font they used, but meh... not a huge deal.
Cinder was definitely a fun evening's entertainment and a good fluffy YA novel, but I think it has so much more potential. Perhaps that potential is realised further into the series, which I'll probably read at some point. There's a few major plot holes but I kind of forgave them since it's just a YA book and not some kind of great work of fiction, but they were pretty glaring. If you go into it just wanting something escapist, it's fine and will truly serve that purpose... but I don't think it's much more than that. If I was 10 years younger I would have been all over this like a rash!
adventurous
medium-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:
Complicated
I throughly enjoyed this! I loved Cinder’s coming of age, yet getting to figure out your history. Really liked this take on a Cinderella story, coming from nothing and becoming the most important person in town, but I loved that it was because of her and not because of some man.
I am surprised but I really liked this book. The alien aspect, the cyborg aspect, the loose take on the fairy tale and the fact that it is dystopian. I would recommend. It was a really fun read and I am excited to read book 2!
adventurous
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Eh, like it's not the worst YA series, but its concept is really the only thing to write home about
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
i cant evaluate this series honestly it is always inside my heart
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my least favorite book I have ever read! I know it is written for a younger audience, but I honestly find it frankly insulting how idiotic Marissa Meyer assumes her audience to be. I am confident most people will have 80% of this book's "twists" figured out 20% of the way through. Additionally, about halfway through the book, I realized the author was mostly concerned with setting up sequels instead of making this story satisfying on its own merits. The book ends not at a natural stopping point, but when the source-material Cinderella story ends. I really cannot overemphasize how abruptly this book ends, or how NOT A SINGLE plot line is wrapped up. All of this ruins the book for me without the addition of other major problems, like a sleezy, predatory-feeling "fairy godfather," a predatory central romance, a death that occurs simply to move the plot forwards, an idiotic, passive main character, etc. One of the most incompetent attempts at writing I have ever witnessed. Thank you, Marissa Meyer, for such an explosively entertaining failure.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
No