Title: Cinderella is Dead
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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This was a very beautiful book, and important as well. I love the premise, and I love the execution. I’m obsessed with fairytales and retellings, so I was really hyped about this one just from the title and then the blurb!
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This story is set in Lille, in Marseilles, where patriarchy reigns supreme. Every facet of their lives is ruled by the king, who places men above women in everything. Every aspect of a girl’s life is controlled by the “head of household” until she’s 16, then she’s invited to the ball where she’s picked by a man who becomes her husband and then control of her life is passed over to him. There are endless instances of misogyny and the abuse of women’s rights in this book, but they all serve to show the depth of the rot in Lille.
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The root of the women’s problem is Cinderella’s story. The king wants all the women in the land to embody Cinderella, hence the ball. Lots of girls strive to be like Cinderella to increase their chances of being picked at the ball. Failure to be picked by a man at the ball means you become “forfeit”. Forfeited girls are never heard from again and they go off to work their days away somewhere far off from Lille.
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The main character, Sophia, is different. She doesn’t want to subscribe to the norm. She strives for a Lille where things are different and better for every girl and woman. This resolve leads to her making some dangerous choices and she ends up being a fugitive. She meets Constance, and the more they explore the truth behind what happened to Cinderella, the more they discover that they’ve all been living a lie.
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There were so many plot twists and mysteries and reveals in this book, and they were all wonderful. It had a very beautiful ending, and I really loved it. 100/100 would recommend it!
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Blurb/Synopsis:
Girls 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 A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
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.
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