truth be told, i wasn't the biggest fan of Cinder's. despite the new feeling that particular fairy tale retelling had going for it, all of them failed to act outside the parts they had. evil step mom was evil and pitiful cinder was... pitiful. i'm happy to say that's not the case here. for a split second there, and only god knows why, i thought this was a snow white retelling. this tells you two things about me: i might have been living under a rock these past months and i still don't read blurbs. past that teensy (embarrasing) moment of confusion on my part, this was good. scarlet is no cinder... though cinder's improved leaps in this one, too.( scarlet! even the name hints at it.. and not subtly, either.. mah brain, where you gone?!)anyway, scarlet kicks cinder's ass (the books not the characters.) it's faster paced; she's tough as nails and takes no crap. also, she backs up her words with action. then all that's tempered by a sense of loyalty.. that lands her in the crosshairs of some unknown baddy. so, enter the wolf. mysterious guy, an unknown quantity... but not really, because let's face it: settle who she's based on (gack! the embarrasment!) and you can pretty much predict how things are going to progress and the role wolf's got.then cinder, what she's in and what she's up to. frankly, i enjoyed this version of her.. especially the funnies with new people and not so new others. i enjoyed this! mainly because the story is executed so beautifully: faster, funnier, more exciting, and even romantic at the most inconvenient of times. Plus the two stories going on at once and how everything's happening at the same time for scarlet, cinder, kai and others, well... it all gelled for me. very very fun, this one.
