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awkwardpotat013's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm sad I didn't pick up this series sooner!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma
Minor: Gun violence and Suicide attempt
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, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, 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.therobinjoyce's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
5.0
What an absolutely fantastic read! I would have killed to read this in my teens but even now as a full grown woman nearing 30 I loved every minute of it. The writing was so brilliantly polished that it didn't feel like I was reading a MG book but rather a general sci-fi novel. The blend of familiar elements and futuristic cyberpunk elements meshed so well and never once did I feel bored or that the story was info dumping. The choice of language too never felt over my head or too distracting.
The characters are lovable and relatable and though as am adult I could see several of the plot holes coming from miles off the execution was still flawless and would thrill any reader who picked up this book. I cannot wait to dive in Scarlet and follow Cinder, Kai, and all the other characters old and new on the next adventure in this series.
The characters are lovable and relatable and though as am adult I could see several of the plot holes coming from miles off the execution was still flawless and would thrill any reader who picked up this book. I cannot wait to dive in Scarlet and follow Cinder, Kai, and all the other characters old and new on the next adventure in this series.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Blood
lena_loves_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Violence
nxclx's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Honestly, the combination or Cinderella retelling mixed with a few other fairy tales didn't work for me. The third quarter was the most interesting for me, but then it got right back to being a retelling and it was distracting and all the plot twists were way too predictable for my tastes.
I didn't get the feeling of sadness for Peony and her sickness and death, and Cinder seemed way more concerned with the Prince and the romantics kind of took over there. Also... we get it. The prince is hot. He's attractive. Woo.
Cinder for me could've been such a bad ass character, but she came across as brash and impulsive - which I get it, she's a teenager, but still. She' s grown up in this abusive household and her actions from the beginning don't show that. It would've been more appropriate to me to see that growth. Kai comes across the same way to me: out of character. I know that's a weird phrasing since he is the character but hear me out. He's grown up a prince and has presumably been taught his entire life how to run a country, how to act, proper diplomatic moves to make... and yet here he is, impulsive and not acting like a prince, but more of a regular teenager/young adult.
I feel like I've read this story before many times over in YA Fantasy that came out around this time, and maybe I need to stop reading books like that, but they all start to blend together and sound completely unoriginal..." Chosen" Girls who are commoners/lower class, and they're 'not like other girls' (and who also turn out to be royalty for some reason or another, so that eliminates the class barrier - one of the reasons I love Aladdin) and yet the prince/special higher class boy who either 'isn't like other boys' or doesn't act like the setting he was placed in, still finds her stunning and she catches his attention. It's over played and unrealistic.
I did like that they weren't together at the end of the book, that works more for me than forcing the ending to wrap up quickly and rush things. I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series, but it's been on my TBR the longest, and I'm glad to have gotten it out of the way so I'll stop wondering about it.
I didn't get the feeling of sadness for Peony and her sickness and death, and Cinder seemed way more concerned with the Prince and the romantics kind of took over there. Also... we get it. The prince is hot. He's attractive. Woo.
Cinder for me could've been such a bad ass character, but she came across as brash and impulsive - which I get it, she's a teenager, but still. She' s grown up in this abusive household and her actions from the beginning don't show that. It would've been more appropriate to me to see that growth. Kai comes across the same way to me: out of character. I know that's a weird phrasing since he is the character but hear me out. He's grown up a prince and has presumably been taught his entire life how to run a country, how to act, proper diplomatic moves to make... and yet here he is, impulsive and not acting like a prince, but more of a regular teenager/young adult.
I feel like I've read this story before many times over in YA Fantasy that came out around this time, and maybe I need to stop reading books like that, but they all start to blend together and sound completely unoriginal...
I did like that they weren't together at the end of the book, that works more for me than forcing the ending to wrap up quickly and rush things. I don't know if I'll be continuing on with the series, but it's been on my TBR the longest, and I'm glad to have gotten it out of the way so I'll stop wondering about it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Gun violence and Sexual assault
Clarifications: (partial spoilers, nothing major) - Body Shaming: for being a Cyborg and not human, not related to weight - Medical Content: medical examination and blood draws - Suicide: not actual suicide, but attempted forced suicide (twice.) - Terminal Illness: there's a deadly plague. sound familiar? - Xenophobia: aliens/cyborgs, not modern xenophobia - Gun Violence: again, attempted forced suicide (with a gun) - Sexual Assault: SPOILER she kisses him against his will and he does not reciprocate