Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Bloomsbury YA (2021), 416 pages
Description
African American Fiction. Romance. Folklore. Young Adult Fiction. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML:"Wholly original and captivating." - Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A Curse So Dark and LonelyGirls team up to overthrow the kingdom in this unique and powerful retelling of Cinderella from a stunning new voice that's perfect for fans of Dhonielle Clayton and Melissa Albert. It's 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl's display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again. Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella's mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all�??and in the process, they learn that there's more to Cinderella's story than they ever knew . . . This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they've been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member MillieHennessy
I was really hoping to love this one, and while I didn't have many of the same issues I encounter with many YA novels (a painfully beautiful heroine who can't stop describing herself, cheesy love triangle, a teenager magically being the most skilled assassin/warrior/whatever in all the land, etc.),
I do love that this is a twist on the classic, Cinderella - the book is set some 200 years after Cindy lived and the land is under the misogynist and oppressive rule of king Manford. Sophie, our Black, lesbian main character, is being forced to attend the annual ball (now that she's of age...I think 15?) in order to present herself as marriageable to the men of the land, regardless of their age. Being queer is not accepted in this society, women are property, and the tale of Cinderalla has been turned into a bizarre set of rules that every woman must follow. Those who don't follow the rules (men and women alike) are "forfeit" and they're used in labor forces or they straight up disappear. There's also the real story behind the Cinderalla tale that Sophie and company later discover. Overall, I like this concept. I enjoyed that rather than just a retelling of Cinderella, we're getting the aftermath. I also enjoyed that both POC and queer characters were actually a part of this world.
What didn't grab me was the writing style. It felt like a lot of the story was told through long conversations between characters that felt like info dumps. We're moreso told, rather than shown, how awful Manford and the prior rulers have been and the oppressive society Sophie lives in. I would have liked a bit more subtlety. The characters were a little flat and the end was wrapped up too quickly and neatly for my tastes.
But I like the final lines of the book and feel they're extremely relevant to the current times: "Do not be silent. Raise your voice. Be a light in the dark."
So while it wasn't a home run for me and it felt a little young, I loved the concept of the plot, seeing queer and POC characters in a fairytale, and the overall message. If you're a fan of YA fantasies/fairytales, or looking for something that could maybe span the gap between middle-grade and YA, you might want to check this one out.
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it didn't live up to my expectations.I do love that this is a twist on the classic, Cinderella - the book is set some 200 years after Cindy lived and the land is under the misogynist and oppressive rule of king Manford. Sophie, our Black, lesbian main character, is being forced to attend the annual ball (now that she's of age...I think 15?) in order to present herself as marriageable to the men of the land, regardless of their age. Being queer is not accepted in this society, women are property, and the tale of Cinderalla has been turned into a bizarre set of rules that every woman must follow. Those who don't follow the rules (men and women alike) are "forfeit" and they're used in labor forces or they straight up disappear. There's also the real story behind the Cinderalla tale that Sophie and company later discover. Overall, I like this concept. I enjoyed that rather than just a retelling of Cinderella, we're getting the aftermath. I also enjoyed that both POC and queer characters were actually a part of this world.
What didn't grab me was the writing style. It felt like a lot of the story was told through long conversations between characters that felt like info dumps. We're moreso told, rather than shown, how awful Manford and the prior rulers have been and the oppressive society Sophie lives in. I would have liked a bit more subtlety. The characters were a little flat and the end was wrapped up too quickly and neatly for my tastes.
But I like the final lines of the book and feel they're extremely relevant to the current times: "Do not be silent. Raise your voice. Be a light in the dark."
So while it wasn't a home run for me and it felt a little young, I loved the concept of the plot, seeing queer and POC characters in a fairytale, and the overall message. If you're a fan of YA fantasies/fairytales, or looking for something that could maybe span the gap between middle-grade and YA, you might want to check this one out.
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LibraryThing member bookbrig
A perfect page turner for fans of Dhonielle Clayton's The Belles or The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg. This walks the line between fairy-tale and dystopian, and I think lots of the teens I work with will eat it up. As an adult reader, I found myself wishing the ending unspooled a bit slower, but I
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will definitely recommend this to our middle schoolers. Show Less
LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Yes this book has some connection to the Cinderella story we’ve all been told, but don’t let that fool you - this book is SO much more than an extended version of the fairy tale fantasy.
This book has it all; a sweet lesbian romance, a strong black heroine who just never gives up believing she
I hope this tale gets rewritten as a picture book so children can grow up with this story. It’s wonderful for many other reasons but I didn’t want to give everything away! Treat yourself and read this one.
This book has it all; a sweet lesbian romance, a strong black heroine who just never gives up believing she
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can change the world and a villain who is super easy to hate. I felt like so much of what Sophia was determined to change was reflective of what needs to change in our world! Lille could actually be any city in North America. We might not have a prince who is hundreds of years old but sadly we certainly do have some males who believe that woman are the property of men. We have women who don’t believe that what they want matters and who don’t know yet that they can be their own hero.I hope this tale gets rewritten as a picture book so children can grow up with this story. It’s wonderful for many other reasons but I didn’t want to give everything away! Treat yourself and read this one.
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LibraryThing member whatsmacksaid
THIS is how you write a retelling. Absolutely taken down to the bones and rebuilt into something ferocious and awesome about the evils of a patriarchy and how complicity furthers its power and the pain it inflicts. Also this thing is unabashedly and unapologetically queer, which is great. I wish
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I'd gotten to read it in high school. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Sophia does not want to go to the mandatory ball where girls in the kingdom are claimed by men. She finds the rules of the kingdom, and its adherence to the lore of Cinderella oppressive, dangerous, and unfair. But no one else seems to be fighting back, not the girl she loves (Erin) or her parents
Soon Sophia finds herself in the dangerous position of being on the run and hiding in Cinderella's long forgotten crypt. She meets Constance and finds maybe she isn't alone after all and has found a partner in bringing the king and his system down.
This story turns the story of Cinderella on its head with a feminist bent in this retelling.
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who know she doesn't fit in the system of how things have always been. Soon Sophia finds herself in the dangerous position of being on the run and hiding in Cinderella's long forgotten crypt. She meets Constance and finds maybe she isn't alone after all and has found a partner in bringing the king and his system down.
This story turns the story of Cinderella on its head with a feminist bent in this retelling.
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LibraryThing member thebookqueensx
it's been like 2 weeks since I read this book and I am still so mad about it.
ugh.
my issue with this book is that the concept was so great, but the execution fell so, so flat. a queer dystopia set in a society that worships cinderella? I wanted to read this book for months! but once I actually
let me start by saying the only reason I binge-read this was because of the plot. even in the middle, which I didn't like, I just wanted to see how things ended and how the society of Lille changed. hence why it got two stars instead of one.
it was the characters that made me want to throw this book. Sophie, the heroine, and the narrator were so annoying. she literally did the opposite of what everyone told her to do, and she didn't even think twice. I'm not saying it was her being defiant of the bad society; it was the fact that she had to talk about it at every waking second. everything she did put her one step away from being killed. she had no other personality trait except for hating the society she was in. she literally stood there and said things and made her mom cry but couldn't even say sorry.
then there was Constance. ugh, Constance. I felt like she also had no personality except for standing around and being Gabriella's daughter. the romance between her and Sophie also felt extremely rushed. Amina was okay. at some points, she read like a teenager rather than a 200+ year-old woman. I was also totally expecting her to betray Sophie, but the part about her being prince charming's mom was a good plot twist.
my favorite character was luke, and I'm sad that we didn't get to see more of him. he was in it for like 50 pages. and erica was a terrible love interest (but I'm assuming she was written to be seen as one).
anyway, I do still want to read This Poison Heart at some point. - Lindsey
ugh.
my issue with this book is that the concept was so great, but the execution fell so, so flat. a queer dystopia set in a society that worships cinderella? I wanted to read this book for months! but once I actually
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started reading, there were just too many issues for me to truly enjoy it.let me start by saying the only reason I binge-read this was because of the plot. even in the middle, which I didn't like, I just wanted to see how things ended and how the society of Lille changed. hence why it got two stars instead of one.
it was the characters that made me want to throw this book. Sophie, the heroine, and the narrator were so annoying. she literally did the opposite of what everyone told her to do, and she didn't even think twice. I'm not saying it was her being defiant of the bad society; it was the fact that she had to talk about it at every waking second. everything she did put her one step away from being killed. she had no other personality trait except for hating the society she was in. she literally stood there and said things and made her mom cry but couldn't even say sorry.
then there was Constance. ugh, Constance. I felt like she also had no personality except for standing around and being Gabriella's daughter. the romance between her and Sophie also felt extremely rushed. Amina was okay. at some points, she read like a teenager rather than a 200+ year-old woman. I was also totally expecting her to betray Sophie, but the part about her being prince charming's mom was a good plot twist.
my favorite character was luke, and I'm sad that we didn't get to see more of him. he was in it for like 50 pages. and erica was a terrible love interest (but I'm assuming she was written to be seen as one).
anyway, I do still want to read This Poison Heart at some point. - Lindsey
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
200 years ago Cinderella won her prince and now that has become a rod to beat the backs of girls with, to force them into marriages that don't always suit and to make them conform. Sophia knows the story, everyone in the kingdom does. She doesn't want to go to the ball, she wants the girl she loves
When your life literally depends on going along with a twisted view it's hard to keep of the path that is well-carved. You can see how hard it is after 200 years for people to think outside the box, or sometimes to see that the box is actually there. It might have magic but this is also about brainwashing and expectations that make no real sense and how damaging it is even to those who take the path of least resistence.
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to choose her not this shadow of a life that is being forced on her and everyone around her. She will fight but the road it full of obstacles and some people that appear to be allies aren't.When your life literally depends on going along with a twisted view it's hard to keep of the path that is well-carved. You can see how hard it is after 200 years for people to think outside the box, or sometimes to see that the box is actually there. It might have magic but this is also about brainwashing and expectations that make no real sense and how damaging it is even to those who take the path of least resistence.
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LibraryThing member Black-Lilly
Mary Sue alert.
The premise was interesting, how does the life of the everyday people in Prince Charming's town is effected by his ruling.
The heroine Sophie was not very likable though and not in a good way. Yeah, she does not want to play the part society wants her to be, fair enough and a lot of
Good idea but not very good execution.
The premise was interesting, how does the life of the everyday people in Prince Charming's town is effected by his ruling.
The heroine Sophie was not very likable though and not in a good way. Yeah, she does not want to play the part society wants her to be, fair enough and a lot of
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us know how that feels if you're getting pushed into something that isn't you. The way she acts to it though is very questionable. She who doesn't want to be told what to do, is trying to push her girlfriend to do things she isn't comfortable with and gets all pissy when the girlfriend is telling her off? That part had me really angry that all the other flaws like that Sophie can do nothing wrong took a step back. There is also this other flaw of the change of personality once Sophie left town, from "bad ass" (not really just stubborn) to all of a sudden, "hey I know how to negotiate" .Good idea but not very good execution.
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LibraryThing member eas7788
Premise is great, but execution not so much. There is some throat-clearing and a lot of set-up at the beginning, plot points that don't resolve well, some beat repetition, and the protagonist needs some flaws. But the development of the relationship between S and C is solid, there are some good key
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moments, and the plot is ambitious. The theme is good too, and its' almost worth everything to have moments where a Black lesbian teen gets to be pretty and kick ass. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I bought this as an ebook for my Kindle.
Thoughts: This is another book that I am feeling kind of mediocre about. I enjoyed the premise of a cursed kingdom that pays homage to Cinderella. I enjoyed the underlying darkness and the discussion around how
Erin is a well done character, she is fiery without being unrealistically tough and I greatly enjoyed Constance as well. I struggled some with how deceptive and unsupportive all the surrounding characters were though. Erin and Constance are really the only characters that are well filled out.
I also felt like this was one of those strange books that targets an ambiguous audience age. The writing style and plot seem simple and a bit immature. However, all the discussion about the abuse these women face and the violence throughout is a more mature. Still the book avoids any discussion of sexual abuse, which in a kingdom ruled like this one (where women are seen as property and regularly physically abused) would be prevalent but that is glossed over. It left me feeling like I was reading an edgy middle grade novel, maybe? But it seemed a poor match to the subject matter here. In keeping with this, things are tied up too easily and conveniently at the end of the story as well.
I do greatly appreciate the way this book turns your typical fairy tale on its head and really digs deep into the implications behind a lot of these fairy tales. I love that this tackles some tough topics of abuse, equality, complacency, etc. I just wish it did it in a way that felt more complete and engaging and not so…surfacey.
In the end this was an easy read and I didn’t mind reading it. There are some big twists at the end I didn’t see coming, so that was nice. However, it wasn’t a book I was excited to sit down and read and when I finished it I was kind of like “Eh, okay, moving on to something else.”
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this is an intriguing take on the Cinderella fairy tale. I really enjoyed a lot of the ideas here. The subject matter and the writing style felt mismatched to me though. The characters and the story just weren’t that interesting to me. I don’t plan on seeking out more of Bayron’s books in the future because her writing style just didn’t mesh with me well.
Thoughts: This is another book that I am feeling kind of mediocre about. I enjoyed the premise of a cursed kingdom that pays homage to Cinderella. I enjoyed the underlying darkness and the discussion around how
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society looks the other way. I also liked the themes about being yourself and trying to forgive.Erin is a well done character, she is fiery without being unrealistically tough and I greatly enjoyed Constance as well. I struggled some with how deceptive and unsupportive all the surrounding characters were though. Erin and Constance are really the only characters that are well filled out.
I also felt like this was one of those strange books that targets an ambiguous audience age. The writing style and plot seem simple and a bit immature. However, all the discussion about the abuse these women face and the violence throughout is a more mature. Still the book avoids any discussion of sexual abuse, which in a kingdom ruled like this one (where women are seen as property and regularly physically abused) would be prevalent but that is glossed over. It left me feeling like I was reading an edgy middle grade novel, maybe? But it seemed a poor match to the subject matter here. In keeping with this, things are tied up too easily and conveniently at the end of the story as well.
I do greatly appreciate the way this book turns your typical fairy tale on its head and really digs deep into the implications behind a lot of these fairy tales. I love that this tackles some tough topics of abuse, equality, complacency, etc. I just wish it did it in a way that felt more complete and engaging and not so…surfacey.
In the end this was an easy read and I didn’t mind reading it. There are some big twists at the end I didn’t see coming, so that was nice. However, it wasn’t a book I was excited to sit down and read and when I finished it I was kind of like “Eh, okay, moving on to something else.”
My Summary (3.5/5): Overall this is an intriguing take on the Cinderella fairy tale. I really enjoyed a lot of the ideas here. The subject matter and the writing style felt mismatched to me though. The characters and the story just weren’t that interesting to me. I don’t plan on seeking out more of Bayron’s books in the future because her writing style just didn’t mesh with me well.
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LibraryThing member ViragoReads
This was an amazing book that in the year 2022 hit a little two close to home. The people of Lille have been subject to to whims of a power-hungry tyrant for over two centuries, with women and girls bearing the brunt of his madness. Cinderella is dead, and it turns out the story everyone has been
This was a beautiful retelling. So original and thought provoking (considering today's current atmosphere.) I was completely caught up in the tale. The characters, even with a few annoying habits, were so likeable. I was right there in it, fighting with them. It was well thought out and wonderfully written. I read along with the ebook, while listening to the audiobook and as usual, Bahni Turpin knocked it out of the park! She captured the emition of the characters and did amazing distinguishing them with different voices. This was a 10-out-of-10 would/will read again.
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told about her is a lie.This was a beautiful retelling. So original and thought provoking (considering today's current atmosphere.) I was completely caught up in the tale. The characters, even with a few annoying habits, were so likeable. I was right there in it, fighting with them. It was well thought out and wonderfully written. I read along with the ebook, while listening to the audiobook and as usual, Bahni Turpin knocked it out of the park! She captured the emition of the characters and did amazing distinguishing them with different voices. This was a 10-out-of-10 would/will read again.
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LibraryThing member Briars_Reviews
Cinderella is Dead is a great YA novel mixing fairy tales together, and featuring a strong female lead who's into women (for once, my fairy tales have women loving women... it's great!).
The premise and thought behind this book is incredible, but it didn't live up to the hype for me. Especially
Also... I wanted more of Luke. And the bad guys were crazy bad and didn't feel like they could be people. I think there was also a lot more that could have been done with the myths and lores of Cinderella and fairy tales, but it wasn't explored all that much.
But man, the cover is a beauty.
Three out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
The premise and thought behind this book is incredible, but it didn't live up to the hype for me. Especially
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since I judged a book by it's cover and picked it up because it is just so gorgeous. I still think it's a great read since I love YA and I adore fairy tale retellings. Picking this book up was definitely something I'm glad I did, but it wasn't as good as I hoped. I think if the story had been a fair bit shorter (400 pages was a LOT for this story), if the action picked up sooner or if the romance was featured a bit more that it would have stuck the landing for me, but it just kinda felt... meh. It felt like barely enough of each piece. Also... I wanted more of Luke. And the bad guys were crazy bad and didn't feel like they could be people. I think there was also a lot more that could have been done with the myths and lores of Cinderella and fairy tales, but it wasn't explored all that much.
But man, the cover is a beauty.
Three out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
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LibraryThing member electrascaife
Sophia lives in a world where Cinderella is much more than a story. The princess and her Prince Charming were real, and they changed the course of history for the land they ruled over. But Cinderella has been dead over 100 years, and now her story is used by the present king to keep women and girls
An imaginative retelling that feels like Cinderella has been plopped down in the middle of A Handmaid’s Tale. In other words, it’s fabulous. Strong female characters some cool and unexpected twists, and an author who clearly understands what myths and fairy tales are for: holding up a mirror to society and asking if we like what we see.
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everywhere submission and powerless. Sophia, on the eve of her mandatory debut at the king’s yearly ball, has absolutely no desire to find her own prince Charming, and instead would much rather run away with the princess. Her resistance leads to her discovering the real truth behind the Cinderella tale, but will that knowledge be enough to change the system?An imaginative retelling that feels like Cinderella has been plopped down in the middle of A Handmaid’s Tale. In other words, it’s fabulous. Strong female characters some cool and unexpected twists, and an author who clearly understands what myths and fairy tales are for: holding up a mirror to society and asking if we like what we see.
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LibraryThing member BarnesBookshelf
Can Kalynn Bayron please write queer, feminist stories based on every princess story? I'm serious, I will buy, read, and cherish every one. There is so much I love in this book. It's incredibly relevant in today's landscape, and I love how it deals with how history is told and recorded. The
Fav Quote: "Look at your children, your friends, your wives, and your daughters. Don't do what is right because they hold those titles. Do what is right because they are people."
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characters are loud, proud feminists, and have discussions that are incredibly important, like why it's valuable to have people from different backgrounds as part of the same movement and how the way you're raised has an impact on how you learn of things. Also, I love the magic and how that slowly flows into the story. I am seriously curious about Mersialles changes after the end of this book. Sequel? Yes, please!Fav Quote: "Look at your children, your friends, your wives, and your daughters. Don't do what is right because they hold those titles. Do what is right because they are people."
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LibraryThing member Linyarai
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review here and on my blog, Samwise Reviews. I thought this book was perfect and I loved every second of it. I found it to be really original and a bit spooky, and while a bit of it was predictable the characters really stood out and had
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their own personalities. It was intense enough that I couldn’t stop reading, but not so fast paced that I was exhausted by the end. I would love to see a sequel about how their changes are working out. Show Less
Awards
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2021)
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2022)
Books Are My Bag Readers Award (Shortlist — 2020)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2022)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2021)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020-07-07
Physical description
416 p.; 8.34 inches
ISBN
1547606649 / 9781547606641