I knew I wanted to read this book the second I saw it. I mean, a black Cinderella? We have not been this blessed since the Brandi movie. If that wasn't exciting enough, after reading the description I found out it also had lgbtq+ representation. I was 100% here for this story.

Like most fairytales, this one begins with romance, a wish, and a ball. Only, Sophia, our wonderful main character, wants out of this twisted tale. Sophia has grown up in the patriarchal kingdom of Mersailles and is about to come of age. She must attend a ball where, assuming she looks beautiful enough, a man will select her as his wife, just like Cinderella was chosen 200 years ago. However, Sophia would rather marry her girlfriend Erin, and when someone tries to claim her Sophia flees and finds herself enmeshed in a far more deadly story than she ever thought was possible.

I really loved this story. Sophia is one of my favorite characters of the story, besides being a black lesbian (hell yeah) she's also brave, outspoken, and determined. Sophia speaks her mind throughout the story, often causing tension between herself and her friends and family. Sophia sees the way women and anyone considered "abnormal" is treated within society, and is vocal in her admonishment of such behavior. While Sophia revels in small acts of defiance, she doesn't truly start trying to take action until there is no other choice, which is something I really enjoyed. Her original goal was to simply leave, to get herself out of a bad situation. Sophia feels like a real person. She's not power hungry, she's not brave for the sake of being brave; instead, Sophia is just a person who is doing her best to exist, and wants to make the world better for everyone else in the process.

The second Constance showed up I knew I would love her. Constance is a descendent of Cinderella and her stepsisters, and while I won't say who she's descended from, I will say I adored the twist. Constance is a great balance to Sophia. She's brash, and loud, and intelligent in a different way. Constance is quick to make jokes but carries the weight of her ancestors. She has been trying to save Mersailles for as long as she remembers.

The other side characters (and main characters that I'm not talking about because of spoilers) are just a varied and wonderful. I wished they had been better integrated into the story, as I wanted to know more about them. While Cinderella is Dead is clearly a standalone, I would have loved to learn more about the side characters. (Looking at you Luca).

My only complaint about the book is the pacing of the plot and the world building could have been better integrated. The story itself is wonderful. I like the idea, it's unique and not something I've heard of before. However, sometimes I felt like the tension was just starting to build when the scene would be resolved, and I would have liked a bit more detail about the world in general. I had a few questions left at the end, and most of them were regarding the world. As I did read an arc, I'm not sure if the published edition with have a map (it would help). I would also like to know more about the witches and magic in general within the world.

Overall, I really did enjoy the book. I do have really high standards, and this book was a solid four stars. I will always be here for queer women of color taking down the patriarchy in a fairytale world!

Many thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC!

I approached this book hoping to find some unique concepts and new twists on “Cinderella,” and it didn’t disappoint! 200 years after her death, Cinderella’s story has become almost like a religion and a method to keep women subservient to men. Girls try to emulate the heroine in hopes of earning a visit from a fairy godmother and families bankrupt themselves paying for gowns so their daughters will be chosen as brides at the annual ball. But it turns out the story they (and we) all know so well isn’t quite the truth. I read a lot of fairy tale retellings and many authors take on “Cinderella,” so I’m always impressed to find an author who does something completely new and different. Bayron definitely manages to do this. I loved how she twists the tale and incorporates it into her dystopian society.

I also appreciated the representation in the book. Sophia, our protagonist, is a lesbian woman of color. Anyone who has read some of my Fairy Tale Friday posts will know I always love finding LGBT+ retellings. In addition to Sophia and her love interest, there are also a few secondary LGBT+ characters. Fairy tale retellings tend to be a very white genre, so it’s also great to see some racial diversity.

My main issue is the lack of character development. I’d say it’s probably most noticeable with Sophia, Constance, and King Manford. Sophia’s personality boils down to outspoken and rebellious. That’s all I really know about her, and I had a similar problem with Constance. King Manford as a villain suffers from a lack of clear motivation. As the story unfolds we learn what he did, but we never learn why he did any of it. It seems that he just does evil things because he’s evil, and I prefer complex villains with more nuance than that.

Another result of the lack of character development is that relationships between the characters come off as incredibly rushed. Trust, anger, and love all come out of nowhere at various points. This isn’t helped by the fact that more than the first half of the book takes place over just a few days. The romance developing so quickly was particularly disappointing to me because Bayron does a great job deconstructing the love at first sight trope when revealing the true story of Cinderella.

Overall this a fun spin on a classic fairy tale full of fantastic and creative concepts.

So I love a good retelling, and I thought the plot of this one would suck me right in, but I just thought it was okay.
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, like when Sophia ends up meeting Constance, a decendant of Gabrielle one of Cinderella's "evil step-sisters." Or when they find the fairy godmother and learned the truth about the King, Cinderella and her not evil stepmother and step-sisters. and necromancy! um also the ending when Sophia and Constance try and stop the king, and sophia ends up finding some of the forfited? girls in the dungeon, and find Luke again. I really liked him. He was doing is best, and trying to help Sophia so she wouldn't end up with some random guy that would probably beat her. So Im really happy that he survived.
This had a really slow burn romance that also seemed to happen kind of fast. if that makes sense. Sophia is in love with Erin, and wants to run away with her before the ball, and during the ball. But she ends up having feelings for Constance pretty quickly after escaping the king and fleeing into the forest.
So while I think the premise was good, I just found my self kind of bored with it. Especailly during the middle portions. With the occasionally tid bit that kept me interested enough to keep going.

I saw the cover of this book and a brief synopsis on Twitter and it was enough for me to want to read it. I was fortunate to snag an ARC, and I’m glad I did. This is a really cool twist on the ‘princess saves herself’ trope, with a very unique callback to fairy tales, legends, and how they relate to society and culture. The points made here aren’t subtle, but frankly, they don’t need to be. What’s cool is that the narrative voice embraces it; Sophia’s inner monologue tells you what she’s thinking about her society and its problems, without sugar coating it. A lot of us will recognize the fear she lives in; it might be drawn out to the extreme in this fantasy world but it’s damned familiar. (I do wish I’d seen a warning about the level of domestic violence discussion in this book; while there is, of course, a happy ending, it can be harrowing to get there if this stuff impacts you at all.)

Without giving anything away, a title I thought was simply cool is actually extremely meaningful and has a lot to do with the twists and turns the story takes. It’s this kind of hidden subtlety that’s woven throughout the book; there are plot twists upon plot twists (some of which are predictable, some of which were a surprise) and a satisfying ending that takes on the nature of cultural change in plain language. This book has a lot to say, and it’s saying it on several different levels.

I found the contrast of the plainness of the narrative voice to the subtlety of the plot structure and its many twists intriguing. I also loved the treatment of Cinderella; what a satisfying re-imagining of a problematic classic! This book takes some of what Mercedes Lackey did with her Five Hundred Kingdoms series and dives much deeper (and darker) into what happens when legends become rules, and how dangerous rigid adherence to charismatic leadership can be.

And yes, this is a book for young readers, but you know I can’t let the romance pass me by! The relationship between Sophia and Constance was charming. It’s harder to build realistic romance into a book like this (without explicit details and with a LOT of plot going on to take up real estate), and occasionally the romantic arc leaps unaccountably forward, but the two characters more than make up for it. The contrast between Sophia’s feelings for Erin and her feelings for Constance is carefully explored, with a resolution that explains – with Sophia’s characteristic plainness – the difference between the two relationships with a nod to self-worth. I’m so glad to see more F/F relationships in YA!

First off, I love this feminist anthem. An all encompassing feminism sweeping through the land, in a place where women are seen as property. I thought the plot was not only unique, but exciting. I read this book in a single afternoon - I couldn't put it down.

The twists and turns of this story just prove how versatile the story of Cinderella could be. And I thought this was a great tale to tell. We have a POC main character who is also LGBTQIA+, because representation, and she is not a demure girl. She is ready to change the world.

I really enjoyed this new take on a classic fairytale, proving that men are trash. Well, most men are trash. In this world, men have all the power. Women have no rights and are property owned by their husbands - if they can manage to be married. The king hosts a ball every year allowing suitors and girls to come together and get engaged. Except it's mandatory for the women to attend while it's optional for men. Also, women only get three years to go and find a husband before they are forfeited and forced to work in the castle as a spinster.

Yeah - these men are TRASH.

I thought the writing was great, the message was great, and we have some awesome representation for girls everywhere. I don't think there was anything I disliked about the story, except maybe Sophia's obsessed with her crush Erin at the beginning. It was borderline creepy how pushy she was, but it's as indicative of a man as any, so maybe just proves once again that men are trash. Besides her pushiness at the beginning, and her quick ability to fall in and out of love, this was an awesome story and I am going to scream about it for a while.

Also men are trash lol

A refreshing take on an old tale that we need right now.

Cinderella is Dead is the gay, feminist, POC story that I've been waiting for. It is a standalone novel that hits all the marks without feeling forced.

Thank you Bloomsbury YA and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. I will be posting this review on my blog (abookishstar.blogspot.com), Instagram (@abookishstar) and Amazon on July 1, 2020.

Kalynn Bayron has created a unique twist on the tale of Cinderella. I enjoyed the overall premise of this novel. I also love the diversity presented in this book. My favourite characters were Constance and the fairy godmother. I was fond of the interactions between the two of them and Sophia.

Bayron did a good job of plotting and unravelling the truth behind Cinderella's story. I thought Cinderella's story was well thought out in this standalone The author has also created a scary dystopian world for women. Mersailles is a highly patriarchal kingdom where women are oppressed and forced into marriages at annual balls.

I did not like Sophia at the very beginning of this story. However, she started to grow on me by the end. She is a very strong female lead and she starts off that way. She is not afraid to speak her mind and notice all that is wrong within Lille's society.

This book was a bit slow, in pace, for me. The story, including the ending, was also a bit predictable.

I felt the romance and character development could have been a bit stronger. The romance, that appears later in the book, was a bit rushed. The characters fall in love, almost, instantaneously without really getting to know one another.

I also felt that Sophia's relationships with her friends (Erin and in particular Liv) could have been stronger. I felt Liv, Luke, and even Erin to some extent were characters who were important one minute to Sophia and then forgotten a second later.

Overall, I encourage fans of fairytale retellings to check out Cinderella is Dead on July 7, 2020.

*Review will be posted on my blog on June 8, 2020*

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

Now this is an imaginative and creative retelling of the infamous Cinderella story. Cinderella is Dead is a big twist on the happily ever after story we’ve been fed since Disney created the Cinderella movie. Poor Cinderella loses her father, is raised by her wicked stepmother, meets a fairy godmother, a Prince and all is well in the kingdom.

Not so in this retelling. Prince Charming has left a legacy of oppression against women in the kingdom of Mersailles. Girls are paired up to be married to eligible men (doesn’t matter their age) and if they are abused, people don’t blink an eye. Everyone think it’s a man’s right to treat women however they want, but Sophia is not having it. Plus, she wants to be with another girl, and that’s not allowed in Mersailles so she flees. Sophia uncovers the horrible truth about Prince Charming and Mersailles, but can she help turn the tide and take down the king?

Likes:
*Talk about a twist! I love the way the Cinderella story is upended in this retelling. By the way, I do love the happily ever after Cinderella story I grew up with but this particular take is definitely reflective of our women empowerment times today. The girls in Mersailles have this legacy – to “be happy” and in love like the original Cinderella story, they have to follow the rules set out by King Manford. But it’s all a lie. Women are being abused, killed, mistreated and no one can do a thing about it – until Sophia tries.

*Sophia knows she likes girls, and she tries to flee Mersailles the night of her pairing, where she is supposed to find her future husband. Sophia is a rebel and tries her best to uncover the truth about Mersailles and the king.

*There is a lot of diversity in this book, which is always nice. We have the f/f relationships going on and Sophia is a queer black girl. And let me say, it was awesome to see the girls in this book take this Cinderella story, expose it for what it is (a lie) and then take down the king. DO IT. They did. Haha.

*The fairy godmother’s role in this story is very interesting. When she tells the story of the true Cinderella it’s an eye opening tale. But there are more surprises in store.

Things That Made Me Go Hmm:
*I thought Sophia was so in love with Erin at first, to the point she begged her to run away with her. That ends quick in the beginning. Eventually something grows between Sophia and Constance but it may seem like insta-lust right after things with Erin have ended. Anyway it just made me go..🤔. The friendship between Sophia and Constance is strong though, so that was a plus.

*I did find parts of the book that lagged, especially during the explanations and the back story of the real Cinderella. Also I read an e-arc that was just formatted in a way that made reading not enjoyable. 🤦🏻‍♀️ So that is not something against the book at all.

*Triggers: violence, abuse

Final Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this dark retelling of Cinderella! The concept is creative and entertaining. The message is empowering. Not everyone wants Cinderella’s life and I’m glad this book tells girls they have plenty of other options out there. Everyone’s personal happily ever after is going to be different and that’s perfectly fine.

Thank you to BloomsburyYA for sending me an e-arc of this book!
I really enjoyed this alternative post Cinderella story. There were some parts of the book I felt were "too easy" but ultimately the book kept me engaged and I wanted to keep reading. The main character Sophia was likeable and rebellious, she would not go with the crowd and stood up for what she believed in. Who doesn't love a strong female character!?
The love interest was interesting but maybe a little predictable.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and think it was a good read 😊
3 1/2 stars from me!

Y'all this book is the feminist dystopia I've wanted for ages.

There's a hole in my heart, a The Grace Year shaped hole, that stems from wanting a YA dystopian novel about a girl who dismantles a deeply misogynist society with heroics and swordfighting, and failing so abysmally to find it thus far. People of the internet, that hole has been filled.

Cinderella is Dead follows Sophia, a girl born into a post-Cinderella nightmare, in which Prince Charming transformed the country into a misogynist's fantasy. She is forced to attend the annual ball, where a man may claim her as his bride. If a girl is not engaged after three years, her life is forfeit. Rather than allow herself to be claimed by an abusive bully, Sophia flees the ball and encounters Constance, a descendent of one of Cinderella's step-sisters, and the last remaining guardian of the true Cinderella story. Together, the two seek out the truth about Cinderella and their country, and fight for the freedom of all who live there.

It is admittedly true that the book industry is slowly diversifying, but that doesn't mean that this story of a black lesbian saving the world from an entitled white man isn't 100% necessary and 100% appreciated by this reviewer.

I'm a sucker for retellings, so I loved that Bayron managed to write a truly unique retelling that provides commentary on modern issues while still retaining the magic of the original story. Yes, Sophia gets a magical gown that disappears at midnight, and yes, she kicks ass in it. The action was exciting, and Sophia was such a fun, strong, lovable heroine.

I really only have one complaint about this book, and that is the romance. Sophia and Constance spend very little time getting to know each other, and while they are both really fun characters, I honestly didn't feel like there was much development for their relationship. That would have been fine -- there were about a million other things going on -- but it was very instalovey and honestly I kind of wished Bayron had focused on the main plot, and left the romance at its beginning, as a step towards a hopeful future.

Nonetheless, I could not recommend this book more. And was Bayron teasing us with the hint of other stories in the same world? Because I feel like I caught a whiff of a Snow White retelling coming next, but who knows.

This book took a little bit to pull me in but when it did, I couldn't put it down. It is a ingenius retelling of the Cinderella story that takes on misogyny and toxic masculinity. Sophia is a fierce main character who, from the start, is not going to participate in the disgusting rituals of her world. She does not want to be chosen to be a bride to any man who wishes to select her at the ball and she fights back and in the process takes down the whole system.

Highly recommend.

I chose this. Book based on the title and description. I love twisted fairy tales and strong female characters. Descriptions of the landscape were vivid enough from the beginning for me to quicken my breathing from the first conflict in the woods. With a diverse character on the book cover, I would have enjoyed more character descriptions to better place myself inside the characters’ lives. Overall, a great read for me and Young Adult readers I know

Pros

-Having a black girls and guys be apart of this Cinderella fairy tale world.
-The author came through with gowns and fairy tale for me.
-Fantasy- when we finally got to the fantastical it was very interesting.
-The world it was fascinating to read about.
-Queerness- One of my favorite parts of the story because the message about queerness is shown layered into the story and not heavy handed. There is an added layer to story because the conformity is also about not presenting queerness.
-The little bit of adventure aspect to the story.
-That the story had a definitive ending- there are threads for a series but this book can be a standalone.

Cons

-Feminism is weak- there is no argument this is my least favorite part of the story.
A. Feminism is heavy handed & not explored deep enough

B. Is this feminism black feminism or white feminism applied to black girls?

For example, I don’t like the damsel in distress being seen as a bad thing when being applied to black girls because black girls have never been allowed to be damsels in distress…

C. I’m over the whole character telling me they are feminist without characters being about it- actually showing their feminism

D. Main character veers into not like other girls and girlie girl-ness is bad

E. This was built up to be this hardcore take down of patriarchy (look at the cover and the marketing) when it is not.

-There was not enough fantasy.
-Telling not showing is bunk- bunk=wack
-Convenience- the king seemed to not be trying that hard to find Sophia because she would be in the most obvious places, the story wrapped up too easily
-Angry girl- I’m not feeling this new trend of the girl who is angry as a personality trait. I am seeing characters who are brash without the proper characterization to back up their anger/brashness. What makes it even worse is they seem to be missing common sense (for lack of better word) that would make them more intriguing characters to follow. It just seems they go from plot point to plot point based on either convenience or stupidity.

I liked this book a lot!

It has some flaws. There are a few coincidences in the plot which could have been products of skill and determination instead, if the author put some more thought into it. But mostly my problem was was that the writing of the Horrible Oppressive Patriarchal Kingdom was So Obvious. It conveys the horror of the setting, but at the cost of more subtle and evocative writing. I think the misogyny and hopelessness and horror could have been conveyed with writing more like a scalpel instead of a pick axe, if you get what I'm saying. On the other hand, the straightforwardness of it means no one could be dense enough to miss the message. And with its retelling angle and not having sexual content but with the same message, it might be a fantastic The Handmaid's Tale for younger audiences.

I also wanted more fleshing out of the fairy-tales-are-state-propaganda angle! The treatment of Cinderella this way is the basis of the entire book, but the mention of Snow White caught my interest so hard, I wanted to know how so many other tales would go if they got the same treatment. Hoping this was left to be fleshed out in sequels!

Though I wish the flaws were fixed, I am very happy with this book. We got gay girls. We got queer characters supporting each other. We got morally gray characters and heroes and villains. We got a million different ways people crumple under and quietly resist and loudly revolt against the patriarchy, and incredible character development as Sophia learns not to judge people who go quietly because they just want to survive, even though she is a different kind of person. And she does it all while kissing girls.

If you love fairy tale retellings you should read it. There so many twists and turns that this book kept my attention and I didn’t want the book to end. Loved this book!

This Book was in short great.
If you love fairy tale retellings you should read it I absolutely loved the original twist that Kalynn Bayron provided to Cinderella.
It starts out with us learning about the ball and that 200 years after Cinderella and Prince Charming have lived their “happily ever after” and now everyone is under King Manford's rule. Sophia is defiant and doesn't want to complacently follow the king's backwards way of living. So after the ball she meets Constance and they make plans to find out the truth.
There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

I was hyped for this book as soon as I saw it advertised and immediately logged on to NetGalley to request an ARC. I was so thrilled when I received my e-copy and immediately started to read. This book did not disappoint!!

Retellings are extremely popular right now, so figuring out a story to stand out in a genre so saturated is an extremely difficult task. However, Bayron proved why we all needed one more cinderella story. This retelling is full of female empowerment, a queer black character, adventure, romance, and suspense. Literally everything you could want in a fantastical Cinderella retelling.

The novel is in first person POV, narrated by Sophia. Sophia lives in a repressive society where men are in charge of their daughters and wives. Women have no rights or say in the world. They can work, but all the money they receive has to go back to the head of household. Women are expected to memorize the Cinderella tale and be able to recite it upon request if asked. This was a really interesting part because it was like Cinderella was viewed as a goddess and all of the women are expected to strive to be just like her in order to get their happily ever after.

Well Sophia is in love with her best friend Erin, who is also a female. Erin, though fond of her, is too terrified of the king and his laws to really act upon these feelings and makes that clear before the night of the ball. At the ball, all eligible of aged girls are expected to attend. This is where men find the girl they wish to marry. If a girl does not get chosen, she has the ability to attend another ball or her parents had the ability to "forfeit" their daughter. When a daughter is forfeited, no one hears from her again.

Sophia is defiant, as well as she should be, and doesn't want to complacently follow the king's backwards way of living. This is where the story truly begins. I loved how Bayron structured her plot and how we learned the true story of Cinderella and her step sisters. I typically have a hard time with first person POV, but I found myself loving the writing style and unable to put this book down.

The plot flowed smoothly and I did not anything was pieced together awkwardly. There was even a plot twist that I did not see coming, but loved it. The only complaint I had was that the ending felt a bit rushed, but probably because I wanted more from Sophia and Constance (her companion in her journey.)

I ADORED how the book ended though. It could not have been a more inspirational ending.

Do not be silent.
Raise your voice.
Be a light in the dark.

I'd never been a fan of the Cinderella story but this book made it all feel so eery and dark. There's such a beauty in this book. This breaks down notions and explores love that is true. Pick this book up if you're thinking about it.

Please note: I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron is a fantastic, fierce, feminist reimagining of the Cinderella fairytale. In this patriarchal world all girls must attend a ball to be selected as a wife. This was a super fun and fast read. What originally pulled me in was the cover art. The cover is eye catching and immediately lets me know i'm going to be immersed in a world of intrigue with a gorgeous female protagonist.

Kalynn Bayron has really created a wonderfully lush world with multi dimensional characters. Sophia is such a great heroine. And Constance! What can I say but WOW! She really evoIved throughout the course of this book! We get great female representation, and enough of a backstory to make all of the characters feel real and let you want to root for them to win. It kept me flipping pages all the way through. I have been loving all of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy YA coming out lately, there are so many top notch gems to pick from and Cinderella is Dead is another contender...purely badass! Readers of varied backgrounds will enjoy and be able to relate to this book.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in action, adventure, and queer girls of color smashing the patriarchy! Published by Bloomsbury YA, Cinderella is Dead is available for pre-order from all major booksellers. I give Cinderella is Dead 4 out of 5 gems. I really hope there will be more books set in this universe.

A well written take on an old classic. Unexpected twists and turns abound in this updated fairy tale..