Book review – Cinderella Is Dead (Spoiler Free)

“I think sometimes we make the mistake of thinking monsters are abhorrent aberrations, lurking in the darkest recesses, when the truth is far more disturbing. The most monstrous men are those who sit in plain sight, daring you to challenge them.”

• Title: Cinderella Is Dead
• Author: Kalynn Bayron
• Genre: YA Fantasy/Retelling
• Pages: 400 pages
• Publication date: July 7, 2020

I can’t remember where I first heard about Cinderella is Dead. Its cover was everywhere from Book Twitter to Goodreads to WordPress and more. So, of course, I had to pick it up.

After Cinderella died, Prince Charming decided that every girl must follow her footsteps by finding the love of her life at a ball. Two hundred years later, the balls continue. Girls have one chance to find a man when she’s sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen. After that, she’s a forfeit, destined for nothing. Anyone who rebels ends up missing.

Cinderella is Dead follows Sophia, a young girl who doesn’t want to live the way society deems best, especially since she’d rather marry a girl. When she’s forced to go to the ball, she can’t quite keep her mouth shut. She’s determined to put a stop to the king, the laws, and the chaos.

I enjoyed reading the story. I finished it within a handful of days. The world itself is complex and makes your skin crawl. I liked how it twisted Cinderella’s origin story into a more interesting tale.

The main thing that stuck out to me though was how much went over Sophia’s head. I could tell what was going on before her almost every single time. She never quite knows how to put clues together until another character stands in front of her and tells it.

Also, I wished for more character development for a few characters.

Overall, it’s a great, quick read. It has feminism, gay roots, and an important message. It also puts a fun twist on Cinderella’s origin story that is unforgettable.

Score: 8.7/10
Average rating on Goodreads: 3.75/5