Read and reviewed July 2013, re-read August 2014 
 Marissa Meyer is astoundingly talented, so if you haven't picked up 'Cinder' yet, I really urge you to do so, as it just keeps getting better in 'Scarlet'! 
 I was a bit hesitant to read this at first, actually, even though I had enjoyed 'Cinder' so much. This was because of the introduction of the new (titular) character; I really loved Cinder so much that I worried I wouldn't like the new character, or she'd take time away from Cinder. 
 But Scarlet was a really brilliant character, though different from Cinder, and I did enjoy reading her side of the story, and her relationship with Wolf. Scarlet's dialogue with Wolf was incredibly well done; I think through the dialogue, she managed to really create their characters, and I though for the most part his shyness was adorable. Both Cinder and Scarlet are strong characters; they are well fleshed out and developed, and their also brave and loving and do what they can to help the people that they love. There's also the introduction of Thorne in this book, who helps Cinder (getting involved quite by accident), and I really enjoyed their friendship. 
 There was a slight lack of Cinder in this story - though we do get chapters from her point of view, they are outweighed by Scarlet's, and her story doesn't progress as much. We also don't get any interaction between her and Kai in this novel (though she does shout at the TV showing his speech). However, her story did progress and then intertwine with Scarlet's at the end, so I imagine in the next book we'll be seeing a fair amount of the two of them together, as well as the introduction of a new Rapunzel-like character, called Cress (I believe; correct me if I'm wrong!). 
 I did think that Cinder's struggling with the Lunar side of her, and the powers that gives her, was well done and interesting to read about, also. 
 As well as great characters, Meyer astounds me at her ability to deftly and cleverly weave the main points of the fairytales into her novels without it seeming heavy-handed or overdone. She takes the features of whatever fairytale she's basing it on, and merges it with her own world. What she creates is new and refreshing and original, as well as highly clever. I'm just constantly amazed at her skill; she's a really great writer. 
 As I've said before, I really, really recommend these books. They're really clever and interesting and well written.