“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 … 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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“Do not be silent.
Raise your voice.
Be a light in the dark.”
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.
This is a dark fairy tale retelling featuring plenty of diverse characters.
The heroine not only saves herself, but the entire kingdom by quite literally overthrowing the patriarchy. I also feel like the author tried to show that you can’t always save everyone – especially if they don’t want to be saved, and there’s a bitter sweet realisation to that towards the end of the book.
This story was not subtle in highlighting suppression and the double standards women are subjected to. It has been summed up as “queer black girls overthrowing patriarchy” and it is just that! The message is loud and clear and had me rooting for Sophia from the first few pages!
This is more of a character driven storyline and I wish the world building was a little more fleshed out, but other than that this was a thought provoking and fun fairy tale retelling to read!
There were hints at other fairy tales in the story and I’d definitely read more retellings from this author – if that’s the plan.
Thank you to to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an E-arc for an honest review.
I want to start off by saying that I saw on the reviews that this book has many mixed reviews. But I freaking loved reading this book. When I really got into it. I didn’t want to end. I will be reading more this author. I took my time reading this book. Because this is the first retelling about Cinderella that I have read. I loved how the author twisted and spin this old fairy tale. I into something crazy and haunting. Loved the Queer was added to this story. Highly recommend this book. Very strong and powerful characters.
About Book-Cinderella what we have been reading for years. Evil step-sisters and evil step-mother. How about I tell you that what we have been reading hasn’t been all true. In town of Lillie the women are to read the fairy tale of Cinderella and follow every word and story. Going to a ball and finding their own Prince Charming. To Sophie that’s not want she wanted nor did she want to be with man/husband. She wanted to run and take Erin with her. But that not the case for Erin who wanted a husband and make her parents happy. The night of the ball Sophie wasn’t going to be claimed by some man. What happens next is amazing how Sophie surprises herself.
An LGBT Cinderella retelling in a Handmaid’s Tale esk dystopian where every girl is forced to try to be the next Cinderella.
This is easily one of my favorite books of the year. Fantastic storytelling!
Brilliant! I can’t wait to read more of Kalynn’s books. Imagine living in a world where all girls must read and memorize the Cinderella story, where there’s no free will, and things must be done as the story says. Only, the story doesn’t have a happy ending for the girls and women of Lille. The ones who don’t make a match at the ball are never heard from again. Even those that make a match may be forced to live a life of abuse. Sophia meets a descendant of Cinderella’s and together they vow to take down the king. A wonderfully original Cinderella retelling. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
This book was INCREDIBLE. I love to read reimagined fairytales and this one is one of the best yet.
**POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**
Taking place 200 years after Cinderella has died, her kingdom is now under the tight rule of King Manford, the evilest of men. The people live in fear, dreading the annual Ball, during which their daughters are basically sold off to the highest bidders. If the young women are lucky, their husband’s will be kind in their absolute control; if they’re not, then they’re SOL, trapped in servitude and abuse. But there’s also an undercurrent of an even more pervasive evil, as more and more people begin to disappear.
Sophia is dreading the ball, for more than just the standard reasons. She’s a lesbian, and that just isn’t done in Lille. She’s in love with her childhood friend, Erin, and wants to run away to somewhere they can be together openly and unafraid. But Erin is too cowed by the life she’s been raised in, and when she’s chosen by an abusive man at the Ball while Sophia manages to escape, things change between them indefinitely.
Sophia joins forces with Constance, a descendant of one of the so-called evil stepsister, in an effort to bring down the evil King once and for all, with the help of Cinderella’s long-lost ‘fairy godmother’. But will Sophia and Constance be able to survive and destroy the forces of evil working against them? You’ll just have to read Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron to find out!
.A quick read (like a couple of days due to the hurricanne). It was fast paced. I did not expect the fairy god mother to be the witch and the king to be her son. Very original.
When I first read the title, my attention was caught immediately. I started reading and couldn’t put it down. I personally love when fairy tales are not happy, so when I saw this title I fell in love. Also it’s girl + girl, I can’t say it she’s lesbian or bi because it is not stated specifically. I fell in love with the characters and I raved this books like crazy. There’s no smut but I loved it nonetheless. I completely recommend this book.
this was a great read, it so unpredictable and so incredible to witness.
What good is a four hour train ride if you can’t use the time to finish a book? Thanks to the lengthy transportation, it only took me two days to finish Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron, published by Bloomsbury YA.
This YA fairy-tale retelling is basically about a gay black girl who wants to fight the patriarchy. What’s not to love? 200 yeas after Cinderella’s death, the town of Lille must follow the story rigidly so that the girls can have their own Cinderella story–in a sense. Every year, single girls between the ages of 16-18 must attend a ball and win the heart, (or, well, the hand) of a suitable bachelor. If the girl has not found a husband by the third ball, her life is considered forfeit. But there’s a problem for Sophia, who is now 16 and has her first ball coming up, she doesn’t want to go and win the heart of a man. She’d rather have the heart of a woman. Sick of seeing how women are treated and having to push her own feelings aside, Sophia does what not many dare to do. She defies the king.
Kalynn Bayron is an author and classically trained vocalist living out in Texas with her family. I believe Cinderella is Dead is her first novel, though she has another novel out now called The Poisoned Heart.
I really, really liked this book, but I am always a sucker for fairytale retellings. I don’t know why, but it’s my favorite subgenre. The text wasn’t simplistic, but it was easy to read. The chapters went by fast and I typically wasn’t left confused or tired by that. I love the representation–we have BIPOC, LGBT, feminists, etc. With the whole theme basically being about taking down the patriarchy, I was in for this narrative. I also really liked the action in the book. It was definitely full of scenes were the main character and her sidekicks had to fight , hunt, and use magic. There are even some plot twists I didn’t see coming, which really surprised me because reading it I had thought it was predictable, then BAM! The twist happens and I had to read on, my jaw slackened.
What I didn’t like as much was how the main character acted sometimes. This isn’t necessarily a flaw to the book, as Sophia was always consistent in her character, but she still struck me as selfish sometimes. It was ironic how she felt like she’d been slapped every time another character dared to call her out on it, though. For instance, there is this one scene early on when Sophia runs away and leaves her friends to the mercy of the king. I understand trying and failing, but she didn’t even try. Then, she turns around and talks about wanting to save the whole kingdom when she didn’t even try to unlock a door.
I also thought the romance in the book was too insta-lovey. I’m a sucker for a slow-burn, and this just felt like they looked at each other and immediately were together. I’m curious on to what others’ thoughts are on this.
Still, I recommend this book to young adult fantasy and fairy-tale readers–but one’s who are prepared for a bit of gore and violence. It was definitely a great read, and though I don’t usually read standalones, I highly enjoyed this one. Four stars out of five from me.
Trigger warnings for the book: murder, assault
This was a really cool and interesting twist on the Cinderella fairy tale. I enjoyed the writing more than I expected and read this book so fast. While I felt a good majority of this book was predictable and easy to guess what was going on, I didn’t care. I had a lot of fun and enjoyment reading this book. Constance and Sophia annoyed me a lot because at times I felt their anger was directed at the wrong people for reasons they couldn’t exactly be blamed for, I loved the fire inside them to make a change. This has romance, action, a nice twist of a classic fairy tale, and good characters. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Boring
When I was much younger, I enjoyed fairy tales. But as I got older, the stories were no longer appealing because they expected women to play a passive role. That’s so not me.
I’m not going to provide you with an overview of the plot as I don’t want to spoil it for you. But if you’re looking for a fairy tale with depth, plots twists, and an awesome update, this book is for you .
Happy reading!
A wild retelling of Cinderella. Much more action-packed than the traditional fairy tale. With magic, feminism, and tough, yet caring, female characters. Plus a dash of f/f romance. What more could you want?
A much-needed update & interrogation of the lessons of Cinderella, through a YA fantasy lens with a queer Black girl as narrator. The oft-told fairy tale is just a jumping-off point for an original story of adventure, longing, rebellion and declaring your true self in a hostile world.
Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales. I love all the various tellings, and the messages that each have. As a child it was a tale that reminded me that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and it was worth fighting for. The prince was a metaphor for happiness.
This idea, of what happens after the fairy tale, where the town within the story is centuries after the princess is dead was enthralling. I loved the way the author played with the way that stories can shape our beliefs. How not everything we are told by those in power is true, but many will follow it willing because they either have accepted defeat or have heard it so many times they believe it to be so. But like fire, it just takes a spark of defiance. A single soul to question the truth, and it will ignite a resistance.
This book held many parallels to our current society. They were woven into the story is such a manner that wasn’t overbearing, but after reading it, one can’t help but feel inspired and stabby.
You’ll love this book if you love retellings, fairy tales within fairy tales, and books with happy endings. While it’s YA, and the MC makes some of those dreadful YA choices, it did not feel like the typical YA.
Note: LGBT Characters, Own Voice
I was worried this book was overhyped because it seemed to be on every booktok/bookstagram feed for months. Still, I love a good twist on a fairytale so I had to give it a try and I am so glad I did. This book deserves every bit of love and hype it is being given. I loved it and devoured it so fast I think I’ll have to reread it again to catch the nuances I missed the first time through. I was immediately sucked into the fairytale world that is in no way magical for the women of the kingdom. I loved Sophia. Her strength and determination to be her true self instead of bending to the will of others was beautifully written. This is a fiercely feminist book about taking control of your life and your destiny and given the state of the world right now I think it’s hitting at exactly the right time. This should be required reading for all teenage girls going forward because if they’re going to watch the simpering Disney princesses they should get a dose of Sophia as the flip side of that coin. Highly recommend
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this fresh take on a fairy tale retelling! There are so many out there, but this is the first one I have seen that weaves in the original fairy tale into the history of the story. They reference reading the book so many times – each home has a copy! It was amazing. There was also a shoutout to another fairy tale – I’m hoping we get a book on that one too!
The characters were amazing and diverse. This was a true dystopian time, but there was so much hope in the book! Definite must-read if you love retellings or dystopian tales!
I loved the concept of this book and the idea that there is more behind the Cinderella Fairytale than we are bought up to believe. I think Kalynn Byron did a brilliant job in creating a truly powerful and captivating story that makes you want to keep turning the pages. Furthermore, I love that it makes you question fairy tales and life in general. Sophia is always being told what she has to do, how she has to act, what she’s allowed to wear and who she has to be. I adored that she went against all of that and wanted to be herself and live her truth. Moreover, I thought it was awesome that she didn’t just want to do that for herself but she wanted to free her village of the King and his evil rules and regulations. I found myself getting caught up in the lives and history of Cinderella and how these stories are told to us and how they effect the world in which we live. I was rooting for Sophia to overthrow the King the entire way through the book and disrupt the village and show them a new way and I couldn’t help relating it to the world we live in today. I love fairy tales, I do, but this one just gave a whole new meaning to women that I want to see more of. Disney make amazing films and we are staring to get more fierce females but they’ve still got a long way to go if they want to represent everyone in the world, both in characters personalities, sexualities, breaking down stereotypes of what men and women should be, what people should look like, etc, and telling stories that empower people from all walks of life and backgrounds. I digress, but when reading this book it made me think of the kinds of stories I want to share with my kids one day and how I would be teaching and reading the fairy tales we are used to, I might have to adlib a bit like Sophia.
Now, I will say that I found this book really intense. I know I’m terrible with anything gruesome but this book can get quite gory. There are also a lot of parts where the men are talking that really made me sad, angry and feel a bit sick. I did have to pause a few times with that. It truly makes you want to see Sophia succeed in her mission but some of their actions and comments towards the women are extremely harsh. But, again, it does make you want to see Sophia triumphant, I was sitting at the edge of my seat and cheering for her out loud.
Sophia is a wonderful character. I loved her very much. My heart broke for all she had to go through and how her friend Erin treated her. At the same time, my heart hurt so badly for Erin too and I just wanted to give her a hug and make all the horrible stuff go away. This book will definitely have you feeling incredibly protective over the characters. I loved Sophia’s fierceness and boldness. I loved how she didn’t take no for an answer and that she had such a strong will and fight in her, she was incredibly inspirational. It made my heart happy when she met her match in Constance. The two of them together made for a gorgeous, kick ass team. I adored that they believed in each other and shared the same dreams, that was truly beautiful. Their banter with each other and the way they flirted with each other was everything and made me smile so big. They just fit together and truly deserved the happiness they created for each other.
This book is a magical, scary, heart racing and heart warming story of standing up for what you believe in, fighting back against those who try and keep you from being all that you are and finding both yourself and your person, all while changing the world.
This was an absolutely lovely (and at times heartbreaking) story of what happened to the kingdom after Cinderella and Charming had their happily ever after. The main characters were lovely and flawed and there was a lot of depth to them. As this is a YA book, the story and the cadence felt a bit simplistic to me, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Will be sending it along to my 11 year old for her to read next, and I know she will love it!