Review Detail

I wasn't planning on reading this book, at first, since it sounded a bit boring to me, but I'm glad I picked it up.

It was a fun, quick read, always with a plot that's moving forward rather than being pointless or stagnant. While I did enjoy reading it, I didn't find any of the plot to be particularly shocking or surprising, yet it still managed a bit of suspense. There's an interesting revelation maybe halfway through the book about Cinder that completely surprised me, but after that bit was revealed, I could pretty much guess everything else. Still, I liked how Meyer balanced out the romance with the plot. Despite the story's roots in Cinderella, the story's focus was not at all on the romance, but there was still enough to keep me satisfied. Also loved the setting: futuristic New Beijing (though I usually forgot that this was happening in China), with cool androids and cyborgs. Loved the advanced technological feel to it.

I loved Cinder. I thought she was a great character, struggling for her own freedom but also keeping in mind the people she cares about and sacrificing what she could for them. My only problem with the characters, in general, is that you are more or less expected to either like or dislike each one, no argument. For example, you're supposed to like Cinder, Kai, Peony, and Iko. You're not supposed to like the Lunar Queen, Adri, or Pearl. The "evil" characters especially fell a little bit flat to me, though I will say that the Lunar Queen will make a great villain for the rest of the series.

Which leads me to my next point: this is a four book series. Didn't know that 'til after I finished, and apparently, each book is supposed to focus on a new fairy-tale character, though it all takes place in the same universe. Not really sure how that'll work out, but I might not have read this book had I known I'd feel compelled to be dragged along for three more books. Because this book ends on a cliffhanger (unless you guess the surprise at the end, which isn't hard to do), you'll likely find it necessary to continue reading.

Writing style: nothing special, so I just gave it a 4.

Recommended for: fairy tale enthusiasts, dystopian lovers, anyone who can't decide what to read next.

A small note: don't be turned off by all the cyborg/android stuff, like I was originally. While it is pretty important to the story, it is no way overwhelming. So if that's the only reason you're not gonna read Cinder, find a different reason.