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A review by jayseejewel
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4.0
8.5/10
A SFF romance that I would have loved if I read it in my teens
Pros:
- It's a fairy tale reimagining (cinderella + snow white) but has a fresh take and lots of interesting sci-fi worldbuilding, alongside interesting magic
- The main character was good for a YA protagonist and the male lead was simple but good
- The world was the most interesting part, especially the villain and her powers. The hints at other fairytale characters (like rapunzel) left me wanting more
Cons:
- There were some coincidences and it was very much a "you were special all along and never knew it" plot but I didn't hate it
- It does read like a YA novel so as an adult, the dialogue and reading experience was slightly lessened
- I wish the stepmother had more nuance. She's very bland and acts evil just because the story demands it. I prefer when the stepmother has a bit more of a complex personality where she is evil but has reasons and emotions behind her actions (like Ever After or the Disney remake).
Overall: Great for teens, good for adults. I did buy the second one so I'd like to see where the story goes
A SFF romance that I would have loved if I read it in my teens
Pros:
- It's a fairy tale reimagining (cinderella + snow white) but has a fresh take and lots of interesting sci-fi worldbuilding, alongside interesting magic
- The main character was good for a YA protagonist and the male lead was simple but good
- The world was the most interesting part, especially the villain and her powers. The hints at other fairytale characters (like rapunzel) left me wanting more
Cons:
- There were some coincidences and it was very much a "you were special all along and never knew it" plot but I didn't hate it
- It does read like a YA novel so as an adult, the dialogue and reading experience was slightly lessened
- I wish the stepmother had more nuance. She's very bland and acts evil just because the story demands it. I prefer when the stepmother has a bit more of a complex personality where she is evil but has reasons and emotions behind her actions (like Ever After or the Disney remake).
Overall: Great for teens, good for adults. I did buy the second one so I'd like to see where the story goes