Rilla Perrault is not elegant or charming like her step-sisters. She cannot dance, is incapable of serving an elegant tea, and, according to Mother, curtseys like a constipated boar. When Rilla is betrothed, by force to Lord Bluebeard, a man suspected of murdering his previous wives, she escapes to the capital with Bluebeard’s slave, Jack.Having paid a hefty bride-price, Lord Bluebeard sets his … sets his mercenaries on the chase for the runaway pair. Now, Rilla must reach the capital, a place where ogres like Bluebeard are forbidden to enter, before her murderous betrothed and his blood-thirsty servants exact their vengeance.
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Great story. A wonderful mix of fairy tales. Cendrilla is quite impressive.
I’ve been looking forward to reading this story for a while now, as the author has been rolling the series out at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, that rapid pace is reflected in this first book of the series. The story felt very rushed, at the expense of character- and world-building. I didn’t learn enough about Rilla and Jack to feel invested in whatever their relationship was. What was the deal with the stepsisters? Why has a beaten-down servant girl suddenly developed a hero complex? Do I want to invest more time on this series? We’ll see…
I read this book in one sitting and simply could not put it down.
This book is everything you could ever want from a fairy tale retelling (re-imagining). This isn’t just a retelling of Cinderella, it’s a complete re-imagining of multiple fairy tales. This story takes place in a fairy tale world where all the storybook characters we’re familiar with, hero and villain, are present.
The story is told in second-person from the point-of-view of Cendrilla, Rilla to her friends. Rilla is an incarnation of Cinderella you’ve never seen before. Instead of a meek girl in need of rescue by a prince, she’s the one doing the rescuing! At the beginning of the story, Rilla is biding her time under the tyranny of her step-family, biting her tongue and baring their abuse with the knowledge in a few years she will inherit her family fortune, but the presence of an unwanted groom starts her on an adventure she never envisioned herself undertaking.
This book is the first part in a series and does end on a cliffhanger. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am eagerly awaiting the next part!
Recommended to fans of fairy tales, young adult fantasy, and strong female characters. And if you liked The 10th Kingdom mini-series from back in 2000, you will LOVE this story!
“I received this book for free in exchange for a honest review.
Cordelia Castel is a new author to me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her novel “Cendrilla: A Fairy Tale”. This book excelled in both characters and plot, and I found Cordelia’s writing creative, imaginative and captivating. It is not often that I would read a fairy tale, sick of the many re-writes of Cinderella, however, “Cendrilla” is a novel that stands outside just about being about Cinderella (here called Rilla) and includes many other famous fairy tale characters, including a new favorite, Jack and the Beanstalk.
Rilla, starts her journey alike Cinderella, with a wicked stepmother and two equally horrible stepsisters, but that’s about where the similarities of plot end. Rilla is sold to a horrible org, Lord Bluebeard, making her step-family rich, and sets Rilla up to be the bride of a horrible man with an evil murderous past. The journey now begins for Rilla, and we are taken through magical lands, where we meet many other fairy tale folk. The “Cendrilla” story line remains fun and full of imagination, magic and suspense, while Rilla takes on the many evil elements in her world, all in the hope to be free of Bluebeard, her step-family, and perhaps enjoy a moment of happily ever after. However, with Bluebeard on her trail, will Rilla be safe or free?
I can’t wait to read the sequel as “Cendrilla” by Cordelia Castel captured some of my favorite childhood fairy tales and captivated me into the exciting into the magical world created in this novel. “Cendrilla: A Fairytale (Perrault Chronicles Book 1)
This is great story for readers of all ages. It’s a twist on all fairy tails that leaves you wanting more. I want to read the rest of the tale of Cendrilla in the next two books