Book review 🧙🏿‍♀️Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Queer black girl takes down the patriarchy in a twisted YA retelling of Cinderella. What!!! Yes!!! I love the premise of this book and I loved reading it and going into the adventure.

It’s 200 years since Cinderella found her prince … but the fairytale is over. Sophia knows the story though, off by heart. Because every girl has to recite it daily, from when she’s tiny until the night she’s sent to the royal ball for choosing. And every girl knows that she has only one chance. For the lives of those not chosen by a man at the ball … are forfeit.

But Sophia doesn’t want to be chosen. She doesn’t want to go to the ball at all. Not when she’s afraid the girl she loves might be chosen too.

Pushed beyond breaking by a society that denies everything she is, Sophia sets out on a journey that will remake her world … into one where SHE gets to choose.

As a Steiner Waldorf teacher I’ve worked a lot with fairy tales. I love a retelling too see what modern twists have been taken and this is definitely unique.

Ok so there’s a few plot holes and the writing isn’t always consistent. The world building still has scaffolding up around the edges BUT I loved the characters and couldn’t put it down.

I would definitely recommend this book. It’s an enjoyable, fun, fast read with great representation. I’m excited that these stories are available for YA readers and teens. I’m 100% into more 👏🏻of👏🏻this👏🏻. ❤️

Big thanks to @bloomsburyya and @netgalley for my eARC.

Several weeks before I requested this book, I started hearing whispers about it, hyping it up. The premise- a subverted fairy tale retelling, is exactly the kind of YA trope I live for, so I was excited when I received a copy of the book. I also got to buddy read it with some incredible people, so that made it even better.

Firstly, I want to draw attention to the stunning cover. My E-ARC didn’t have the cover image attached, but again I’ve seen it floating around on Twitter and it’s so pretty! I love how the thorns are contrasted so well against the silk dress. And I love that the cover isn’t whitewashed or is a silhouette. We need more covers that feature Black and POC protagonists!

Straight from the get-go, I felt a strong sense of fury. Not at the book itself, which is really well-written, but at the horrible, misogynistic world, Bayron has created. I can’t imagine how awful it must be for these characters going through this situation, and I especially felt bad for the main character, Sophia, because she’s not interested in men, so her chances of finding a good suitor are nil. It was awful to see the allegory here, knowing that historically LGBT people have had to settle for a heterosexual relationship. I also hated HATED the whole ball, and how all the girls have to just hope they get someone who doesn’t abuse them. The whole subverted fairy tale with a feminist theme reminded me quite strongly of Angela Carter’s Bloody Chamber, which is cool. I liked Sophia from the start, but her defiance in the face of all this crap she has to deal with, really made me admire her. She’s sometimes a little naive, which irked me a bit, but some of it makes sense.

Erin is an absolute pain in the ass. Sometimes I felt sorry for her– the women in this book go through a lot!- but mostly I was just annoyed by her. I don’t want to go into too much info here because of spoilers, but I will say that I just wanted Sophia to leave her and move on with her life, because Erin just seems to lead Sophia on a lot. Again, I think the whole ball and suitors thing makes it difficult, but blaming people who are looking out for you is not cool.

The plot is interesting. There’s a couple of twists that are somewhat predictable, but there’s also a few that should keep most people guessing. We had a lot of fun on my group chat trying to guess what would happen next. The addition of Constance and some of the later characters also threw some interesting curve balls in there. And I spent a lot of time speculating what the true story with Cinderella was. It felt so odd that people were being told that she wanted these awful balls to take place.

Mostly though, I was there for the awesome feminist themes throughout the book, and the brilliant characters.

The ending is a little… too clean? I get that Cinderella is Dead is a retelling, but it also just didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, and it felt a bit too perfect and neatly tied off. Especially considering how the world was like before Sophia runs away, it just didn’t sit quite right with me. I really loved this book, but I think this, more than anything, is why I didn’t give the book full marks.

Overall, I’m giving Cinderella is Dead a 9/10 stars. I thought the world was really well-written, even if the sexism made me angry (which was the intention!) and I thought the characters were complex and interesting. And I found the twists were refreshing and kept me on my toes. But I thought the ending was a little sugar-sweet and simplified some of the messages and themes of the book.

The story of Cinderella is one that everyone knows. But what would you do if the story was a lie? That is the premise of this story, and it was one I was really excited about reading so I was thrilled to get an ARC from NetGalley to read in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Our story focuses on Sophia, a young girl who lives in Lille where everyone abides by the rules set. Every year girls have to attend the Annual Ball - if they are chosen they must be subservient to their husband, and if they are not chosen nobody hears from them again. Though some recognise the problems with such a regime, none seem prepared to stand up to fight it.
Sophia would like nothing more than to live with her childhood friend, Erin. When the time comes for them to attend the Ball, things don’t quite go to plan. Sophia escapes, and takes refuge in Cinderella's mausoleum where she is found by Cinderella’s only living descendant, Constance. Buoyed by their sense of belief, and hope for a different future, the girls take on the challenge of confronting the King. They take on a journey fraught with danger, where nobody is quite what they claim to be, in a desperate attempt to change the lives of girls in the future for the better.
While the story follows a rather predictable path, there were attempts to offer something new. We got strong female characters who weren’t afraid to stand up for their beliefs. There was the odd twist to illustrate the idea that sometimes people can hide their true desires from others, and there were hints that people can change things if they are true to their convictions. Perhaps the Cinderella retelling offers less than it might, but it was certainly an interesting read.

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
4.5 Stars
I was sent a copy of this from Netgalley for honest review, but also purchased in paperback.
If there is one thing I gravitate towards in books it is Fairy-tale retellings or inspirations. If it’s based on, inspired by or in anyway related to a fairy-tale, I’m going to give it a go. This one had me on the title alone. It is sharp, to the point and does exactly what a title should do.
Cinderella is dead, in fact it has been 200 years since she went to the ball, met Prince Charming and lived happily ever after. But, the after is not so happy. The kingdom of Lille is a dystopian nightmare. The current King rules a strict patriarchy and every year the young ladies of the kingdom must attend a royal ball, in honour of Cinderella. The intention is to be claimed and become the wife of some man in attendance, with the promise to live their own happily ever after. If not picked, there are dire consequences. We follow the story of Sophia, who does not fit into the world view. She is in love with her best friend Erin, but in this place it is forbidden. With the annual ball looming she lives in fear of being claimed or not being claimed and being taken from Erin.
The world building in this standalone was so good. Sometimes in standalones this can be a bit short, but this was well thought-out. It took the original tale and used it to great effect, so that the world felt easy to understand but also reflected on our own. What would you get if you crossed The Handmaids Tale with Disney? This book.
The action was pacey and really unputdownable. It took twists in directions I hadn’t expected and meant that I was constantly tense for what would happen next. But the resolution felt rounded and all the pieces of the story were wrapped up well.
There were only two points that stopped this from being a perfect read for me.
1) Dialogue. Not so much in the first half, but it was noticeable in the second. The dialogue felt stilted and clunky. Especially between two characters which impacted the second issue.
2) I wasn’t invested in the romance between Sophia and her love interest. Because the world building was so good, there seemed to be no time to develop this slower. It was instalove and I am much more of a slow burn person. The dialogue didn’t help, it felt over written. I liked both characters, I liked them together but the execution of it was rushed.
Overall a fantastic female/female, feminist Fairy-tale.

This is definitely my favourite fairytale retelling to date, however I was still slightly disappointed with the execution of this fantastic concept.

I found that while this book was written from our main character Sophia’s perspective, the writing didn’t include many of her own thoughts and perceptions of what was happening. This made me feel disconnected from Sophia’s character as I sometimes couldn't decipher how she was feeling as well as the other characters in the book. I definitely ended up feeling more attached to Constance and Amina, as they wore their emotions more on their sleeves.

I appreciated that the romance didn’t take over the entire plot and instead moved it forward, creating more stakes and intrigue. Constance was a really strong and charismatic love interest and her and Sophia had great chemistry.

The villain of this story was extremely strong. The extent of his cruelty and violence was gradually revealed to us throughout the novel and this was very effective. However I did feel that the dialogue within the novel was quite juvenile and simplistic at times, and therefore contradicted the more gory and sinister scenes and lessened their impact for me.

The descriptions of the setting were very immersive at the start of the novel, but unfortunately they became a lot more sparse towards the middle, which made me feel very lost and confused at times. I thought the plot was intriguing, well paced and definitely kept me glued to the page. At times there were some conveniences to the story, but I definitely had no problem with the slight predictability of the novel; for me it’s what aligned it with the idea of a fairytale and kept me hoping for a happy ending.

Speaking of the ending, it was fabulous. I loved sense community brewing in the final pages of the novel and it left me feeling hopeful and very satisfied. This novel had themes of solidarity, feminism, activism and hope. It was so empowering and I really enjoyed reading it.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the e-arc!

This was such a good book, I am so sad that it is not a series so I can read more!

This is such a good coming of age tale with a steamy romance and such a social awareness. It was a unique and refreshing retelling of a classic fairytale I am excited for more stories like these!

A fresh take on retelling a famous fairytale, Cinderella is Dead is both thought-provoking and highly enjoyable. Kalynn Bayron combines common elements of Cinderella's story into a book that questions how said story is told and used.

Set in a world where the story of Cinderella is the blueprint for how girls should act, Kalynn Bayron explores the agency that Cinderella has in a historical context, as well as how stories like hers can be used as propaganda to further the agenda of those in charge. There's a duality between the complicit, such as all the men who benefit from this system and though they may find it wrong, they continue to support it, and the women who don't have agency. The warping of stories to suit the goals of the powerful, such as the stepsisters being made into cruel women and the stepmother being depicted as evil for trying to take down the King, was a particularly interesting element of the story, and makes you examine the rest of the story through a different lens. Seeing all of this really interesting analysis in a take-down-the-patriarchy story was really cool.

Kalynn Bayron did a good job of showing how high the stakes were through people that Sophia had encountered already, which helped carry the first part of the plot very well, although it did feel like some of the people used to show that weren't anything more than motivators for Sophia. I wasn't too sure where the plot was going to go at the beginning, especially since the plot thread I thought was going to be followed was discarded very quickly, but there were some very gasp-worthy twists that I quite liked towards the end. Overall I liked how the original story was very much woven into the world, but I did find the pseudo-French setting to be a little off the mark. The names were fairly inconsistent, alternating between French and English (also, Émile is not a girl's name) and the naming for places did get a little tedious, but I don't know that this would be a particularly noticeable thing for a non-francophone.

While I am not usually a fan of 1st Person POV, I found that Sophia's character did shine through in the narration: she is very much that particular type of righteous that teenagers so often are, and her determination to figure out what is going on a what she can do to stop it make the story a strong one overall. Her motives are not the most developed, but in my experience the desire that teenagers have to dismantle the system isn't particularly refined and is mainly fueled by anger and the desire to do something right, which was definitely in Sophia.

Constance was not quite as developed as I normally would have liked, but the relationship between her and Sophia was very sweet. The two of them clicked really well, and while that relationship was not particularly a prominent part of the story, it definitely had its adorable moments. There were several other side characters who played roles in the story, such as the fairy godmother, who I found was particularly interesting; the King, who was definitely bad even though he wasn't seen much; and Luke, who did feel like he was just there to make Sophia feel bad and had a lot more potential, but I still liked what he could have been.

If you find yourself tired of the formulae that retellings follow, or want a more in-depth exploration of what the consequences and context of a fairy tale could be, this is definitely an excellent book for you. It's got a great mix of compelling plot reveals, interesting themes, and determined characters, and though it had its weak points it was all in a very enjoyable read.

Such an original idea! Cinderella - but not as we know it!

Now I have to admit, I took a gamble with this book. I am not usually too into fantasy-style books - but this one has just had so much hype around it (plus the fact I'm a sucker for fairytale link in a book) that I thought I would give it a go. I am so so pleased I did as I ended up really enjoying this!

This book just doesn't let up - despite being 400 or so pages it just relentless with its pacing. I sped through this. So much happens! Immediately it starts with a bang, and just keeps going!
I loved the fact it uses the idea of Cinderella being a point in history rather than just a 'fairy-tale' - it got me thinking about what things in our history are not all that they seem.

I absolutely adored the characters, and really felt for the characters Sophia ended up 'leaving behind' - I was shocked and heartbroken with what happened to her friends during the ball. I wasn't expecting such drama so close to the beginning of the book.

Within this book Bayron writes with some heavy themes (such as homophobia, domestic abuse, and the gender equality & feminism.) and despite the fact that this book is set in a different world - it makes you rethink things in the current climate. It really made me think about what I am doing personally to do something about it!!I hope it does this for other readers too, especially the young people who read this.

I would love to know more about the character of Luke and Liv - and think a prequel would be really interesting! I would definitely be first in line to read this.

I absolutely adored this book, and will definitely be re-reading at some point (despite not being much of a re-reader) and I cannot wait to see what Kalynn Bayron does next!!

Trigger warnings: Homophobia, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, sexism.

Fairytale retellings are something that I adore! I love seeing how authors put unique twists onto something that is beloved by people of all ages. Cinderella Is Dead was one that I just couldn’t resist picking up and even before I go into this review, I will tell you that it is a big contender for my best book of 2020.

Cinderella is Dead is set 200 years after the story of Cinderella and every girl living in the kingdom knows her story off by heart and has to recite it daily. Every year all the girls in the kingdom have to attend the royal ball to be ‘chosen’ by one man, who they will marry. For those not chosen they are forfeited. Sophia doesn’t want to be chosen. She would rather marry her best friend, Erin. On the night of the Royal Ball, Sophia makes a choice that causes her to run for her life, and into the tomb of Cinderella, there, she meets someone who will end up showing her that she does have the courage to remake this world they are living in.

Well, this book was outstanding, and I devoured every single page, and would so again in a heartbeat. As you may know I’m not a big re-reader, so for me to say this you know it’s a good one. Everything about it had me captivated and I found myself struggling to put the book down, so much so that I finished it within a few days, and even found myself thinking about it when I wasn’t reading. When a book does that to you, you know you’ve found something special.

The world-building within Cinderella is Dead was next to none, and I loved how the author took a well-loved fairytale, and gave it a dark, complex, gritty makeover. The laws of the land are bonded by Cinderella’s story and makes a world that is oppressed and where the women are practically enslaved. This story also isn’t afraid to tackle topics such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse and homophobia. These scenes don’t make for easy reading, but it does open your eyes to things that are happening in the real world today. I commend Kalynn for bringing these topics to the forefront in a YA Fantasy, in a way that is both sensitive and thought-provoking.

Regarding the plot, it was well structured, well balanced and one that kept my interest throughout the book. I loved how it was centred around female empowerment and wanting to fight the patriarchy. Sophia’s determination to fight for a better world was inspiring and seeing her do all that she could to make this happen was honestly, encouraging. The twists and turns throughout the story made for enthralling reading, and I found myself shocked at the climax and would have never had figured it out myself. The romances within the book between Sophia and Erin and Sophia and Constance were different, and I’ll admit I didn’t like how Erin treated Sophia and found her relationship with Constance to be beautiful and although it did move fast, I felt it was right for them. Sophia’s sexuality wasn’t questioned at all throughout the story. She was who she was and she wasn’t going to change for anyone. We need more f/f representation in YA Fantasy and I hope this book is just the beginning.

The diversity within Cinderella is Dead was awe-inspiring. Sophia was a queer, black female and that is something you don’t see a lot of in YA Fantasy either and is one that I hope we start seeing more of. Also, most of the characters were female and I got feminist vibes throughout the story. These female characters were strong, bad-ass and wanted to fight for what they believed in. I feel that young girls that read this will feel like they too can start to make a difference in what they believe in.

Cinderella is Dead was an enchanting, spectacular read that did put an original twist on the story of Cinderella. It is certainly one that you all need to be looking out for and putting on your TBR’s, and I for one can’t wait to see what Kalynn Bayron writes next.

Full review available on my blog from August 6th.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, disappearances, execution, abuse, misogyny, racism, implied suicide.

I really liked the way that the world-building was done. It didn’t feel like there was an info-dump, but that it was threaded into the story very naturally, considering how much there was to learn about Lille. I never felt confused about what was going on, and I even started to put little clues together and predicted a couple of the plot reveals (though one in particular still totally threw me and made me gasp aloud). This is one of those books that made me feel as fiery with rage as it made me warm with hope as Sophia does her best to fight for what’s right, not just for herself but for all the women in Lille. The ending was perfectly tied up, and managed to heal where the book had just broken my heart in two, leaving me warm and satisfied and immediately wanting to order my own copy of this book!

The writing itself is gorgeous, and I already know I’m going to read literally everything Kalynn Bayron writes, because I wanted to devour the words themselves as well as the story. The way the characters interacted was beautiful, and I loved the complex relationships in the book. Sophia’s relationship with her parents was achy to read, their conflict between love for their daughter and fear of the consequences of helping her rebel made my heart hurt. Sophia and Erin’s relationship was equally impactful, and I felt seen in a lot of quiet, and still a little sore, lesbian ways as I read the early chapters. I wasn’t entirely sold on the main relationship in the book, I didn’t feel like it had that much development and I think I would have liked it even more if Sophia hadn’t fallen in love twice in the span of one book, however I do admit that I am a romance-grouch and that might just be my preferences!

A beautifully told reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale. It’s queer black girls over throwing the patriarchy and I loved every minute of it.

I love a good fantasy novel and this definitely was one! I really enjoyed the concept and the strong female characters.

In Lille, the story of Cinderella is gospel to the people, and they are told that women have to follow her example and allow their lives to be ruled by the men. Cinderella died 200 years before the story starts, and since her life, things in the kingdom have been challenging for women. The King is cruel and gives all the power to men in the society. Women are forced to attend a ball each year to be selected for marriage, and if they aren’t selected after three attempts, they are forfeited and their fates are dire.

Sophia is not someone who is willing to submit and conform to this inherently cruel and sexist society, especially as she is gay and has no interest in finding a husband. She loves Erin, but Erin isn’t willing to take the risk and make the sacrifices. Sophia, however, cannot live in Lille how it is, and once she befriends Constance, the two of them are determined to find a way to end the reign of cruelty and reveal the truth about Cinderella’s story.

Sophia was such a great character and I loved her determination to make a change. I also loved Constance. With her fiery red hair and matching personality, she was a force for change. The two of them together made a great team and I loved their slow growing romance!

The plot was fast paced and fun, whilst also having some darker elements. I loved all the magical elements and the feminism! Fantasy novels with strong female leads is one of my favourite type of books! There were so many twists or turns and the book definitely kept me engaged and interested. I recommend this book!

Thank you to Bloomsbury publishing and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so so much, I loved how strong and determined sofia was and I absolutely adored constance, the story was so interesting and I loved the world, there were some parts which caught me by surprise which I love-hated, all of the characters were really interesting, at the beginning I thought I wouldn’t like the book and I was a bit meh about it then all of a sudden I couldn’t stop reading it.

Such a fantastic tale! I'm a huge Cinderella fan, and the retellings always tend to be so creative, but this is one of my top two favorites yet!

Bayron gives you the whimsy and magic of the Disney version while also giving you the darkness of the original Grimms tale. She stays true to both while creating something entirely her own.

It's almost a historical dystopian somehow! Cinderella has been gone 200 years but the tale of her magical night at the ball and marrying the Prince guides Lille on how they live their lives, the women in particular. They are required to attend the ball and present themselves to their King and suitors, to be claimed. They have three years, three chances, and no one knows what happens after they're forced to forfeit/after their parents forfeit them.

Sophia doesn't want to go to the ball, she doesn't want a husband or to live Cinderella's fairytale, she wants to be with her best friend Erin, the same girl who is her first and current love. But this isn't possible in Lille.

The story is well-paced, and it takes time to build up toward Sophia's shining moment, she's made choices and follows through with each one. I loved her interactions with Constance and found that Amina was my overall favorite character because Bayron just wrote her so BRILLIANTLY.

I'm gushing, I know, but I adored this book and can't wait for it's UK release. 4/5 cups of coffee from me, thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘Cinderella is Dead’ was a much anticipated release. The story sounds quite unique in a genre which is currently captivated with fairytale retellings. What Kalynn Bayron has written is not an alternative narrative to Cinderella, she in fact challenges the myth of Cinderella by writing a world which is oppressing the land with its laws cemented around the fairytale itself, spelling out misery for all the eligible maidens in the kingdom.

This book touches on the topic of domestic abuse and certain readers might wish to avoid it for this reason. However, it is an issue that does need to be spoken about and I salute Kalynn for doing so. She goes further in fact, writing a fully conceptualised world that explores issues relating to gender, identity and sexuality. Characters that are fully developed and dealing with their sense of self that doesn’t fit with the world they inhabit.

It’s definitely a great read for those of the younger end of the YA spectrum because the journey you take with the characters is very identifiable for younger readers. It definitely sends a great message too with the characters being able to accept themselves and rise up to fight a system that won’t welcome them. Constance is of course my favourite character, I love seeing my fellow copper haired, freckled and fighting badass sisters rise.

To read my full review go to https://twwbookclub.co.uk/home

As one of the most highly anticipated LGBTQ+ books of the year I couldn't wait to dive in and read all about Sophie and her fight to overthrow the law and kingdom to be with her love.

However, I was disappointed with the way the story actually panned out.

So Sophia is in love with Erin, wants to rebel against the 200 year old system but then falls quickly and suddenly out of love with Erin and falls in love with another girl? I just couldn't wrap my head around the quick turn around of love interests, I mean Sophia was hell bent on running away and potentially dying for Erin and then suddenly she wants Constance?

I also didn't understand that although Sophia is hell bent on rebelling she doesn't really plan her massive rebellion. The system was an unbroken 200 year old law, surely it would have taken careful planning and plotting to attempt to over throw it?

Whilst these two points got me kind of in a slump over this book I did enjoy how the world was developed and all of the 'glass slipper' clues to Cinderella were in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

Plot:
Cinderella has been dead for two hundred years and the fairytale we all know so well has become the basis for a new patriarchy where women have no rights and young girls are forced to attend the annual ball and be chosen by a suitor like Cinderella or risk becoming forfeit. Sophia would rather run away with her girlfriend than go to the ball but as the day draws nearer she realises that she is the only one willing to risk almost certain death to escape. Until she meets Constance, the last living descendant of Cinderella’s family, who is equally determined to bring down the King and discover the truth of Cinderella’s story.

My thoughts:
Cinderella is Dead is a fun, fierce and feminist book. I loved this take on the classic fairytale and the exploration of the power of stories and the truth behind them. The execution of this book fell a bit short for me (more on that later) but I did enjoy it and appreciate the message it carries and themes it explored.

The strong point of this book was the world and its structures and history for me. I loved the way it took such a well known and romanticised fairy tale and gave it a new, darker context and explored what lay beyond the happily ever after. The society in this book is full of misogyny and class divides and is incredibly strict about the right way to behave, which ultimately doesn’t allow for queer relationships or simple things like women having their own money. The one benefit of this society is getting to see the main characters challenge it and try to take down the patriarchy! I also loved the discovery of the truth behind Cinderella’s tale and the ways the past shined through to the present.

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me which I am so upset about! I thought it had a great premise but didn’t execute it very well. I found the characters bland and lacking any kind of nuance or depth; I honestly couldn’t tell you much about them. This transferred into the main relationship which lacked chemistry or really any kind of development. The plot was also incredibly simple and predictable and it felt too easy which led to it feeling quite low stakes and lacking in tension. The story felt quite juvenile, and as if it may have been better suited to lower YA/middle grade at times. This all contributed to the book being a bit boring and frustrating to read although it did pick up at the end with a few tense moments.

Overall, this book was a huge disappointment to me. It was one of my most anticipated books and I was so excited for lesbians taking down the patriarchy but it just fell flat and wasn’t executed as well as I’d hoped. It felt incomplete to me and I wonder how much of that is because it was an ARC? A bit of development and fleshing out would do wonders for this book. That being said, I think this book was enjoyable and a fun twist on a classic tale and I would still recommend it for its themes and representation, I just hoped for a bit more from it.

I fell in love with the cover at first sight and I’m so glad that I requested this book. It’s set in a world where (as the title suggests) Cinderella is dead, and has been for 200 years, and where the people of her kingdom live their lives by her story. However, one young girl yearns to break free of the mould.

When I first went in to this book I won’t lie I didn’t have any expectations and on first glance thought the premise could be slightly childish or unrealistic. But then I was suddenly immersed and invested in this completely fictional society that was a gross exaggeration of our own and yet wholly believable. The writing style could read slightly young but the messages, the representation and the ideas are just so important I fell in love with it and it’s characters.

At times it was predictable but there were some twists and turns that worked to keep me hooked and even thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a fairytale retelling, a strong and relatable female lead or anyone who wants to similarly tear down the patriarchy?

I had such a fun time with this book! From the very beginning I was completely hooked. The world these characters live in is so dark and brutal, and at times it made me want to throw my kindle across the room (don't worry,  I didn't). The way women are treated in this society is horrendous, and you can definitely see the real world implications of it. It made me so mad, but I think that's a testament to how well this book was written. There's no way I'd have felt so strongly if the characters and the world didn't feel as realistic as they did.

I really liked the main character Sophia. She was fierce and determined, but also very caring and sensitive, which I loved. I feel like we don't see many outwardly sensitive characters who are also so bold and stubborn. Normally their emotions are hidden away, but I liked seeing them so out in open.

I didn't care much for Erin as a character, but I did really like Constance. Especially when she was butting heads with a certain other character (who I've actually forgotten the name of... oops). It's nice to have a bit of comic relief.

The plot was also really interesting to me. It was quite familiar as I've spent a lot of time reading revenge-slash-revolution plot lines, but what I really loved about Cinderella Is Dead in particular is that it took a lot of those familiar situations and turned them in a way you wouldn't expect them. I'd be sat there thinking I know how things will turn out and the characters turned and reacted totally differently which was very refreshing.

I just had a great time with this book. It was all so dark, intense and gritty, and if you weren't already wary of fairytale endings, then you really will be after reading this. But it was also just so captivating. I couldn't put it down. If you're into alternate fairytale retellings, I highly suggest giving this one a read!

It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her Prince Charming, but the fairy tale has ended. Teen girls are required to attend an annual ball, where men of the kingdom select wives based on the girls’ finery. If a suitable match is found, the girls are never heard from again. Sophia would much rather marry her best friend Erin, and at the ball flees in desperation, finding herself at Cinderella’s mausoleum. There she meets Constance, a descendent of Cinderella’s step-sister. Together they vow to bring down the king, and learn some truths about the Cinderella story

A YA reimagining of the Cinderella story, the book is told from Sophia’s POV and readers are introduced to a world where men have complete control and power over the women in their lives, starting at the top with King Manford. Sophia is a queer, Black heroine, important representation which does not always appear in YA fiction, who wants something more, she wants to live her own life and truth with the best friend she is in love with, even as Erin and her parents are asking her to accept the status quo. I liked the spirit of Sophia, as she fought to challenge the patriarchy, where every time she was asked to just follow the rules she rebelled.

The twists on the traditional Cinderella story were interesting, especially with regards to the fairy godmother. The characters became aware of something new as they retold the story to themselves. There are some serious points made by the author regarding the patriarchal system, which I think will resonate with readers. Bayron also addresses homophobia in this story, as Sophia is told by Erin and her parents to hide herself so as to become more “acceptable”.

This book was incredibly easy and quick to read, I finished it in a day, but I found there wasn’t a lot world building or depth and development of the characters. The instant relationship between Sophia and Constance moved too fast, for me, especially as Sophia spoke of how she had been in love with Erin for three years at this point. She moved on so quickly the second she saw Constance. That’s not to say I didn’t like their relationship or their characters, but I wish it had been fleshed out more, especially as WLW relationships are so rarely represented in this genre.

I would recommend this book, despite the small issues I have with it. The story is enjoyable; it’s a fun and easy read, and it tells the story of people who are often under represented in fairy tale retellings and YA fiction in general.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury and Kalynn Bayron for this ARC to read and review.