Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Published: July 7th 2020 by Bloomsbury YA
Review:
Myth: 3.5/5
A truly unique retelling of Cinderella’s story. What I liked about this, was that it didn’t just look at the story of Cinderella but the impacts of the “happily ever after” on generations to come. Sophia’s life, some 200 years later, is completely ruled by Cinderella’s story, trying to fit her into a box that she’s not meant to fit into.
The way that Sophia saw the world was amazing. There were moments where she could see through the way that fear was presenting itself in another, to really see a person’s heart and acknowledge that they were just as scared of a situation as she was, but as the heroine of our story, she continued to fight for change.
Magic: 3/5
I liked that the idea of the fairy godmother was very much a myth that still existed 200 years after Cinderella’s pumpkin turned into a carriage (even though no one had seen one since). The simple re-labeling of some of the magic and beings from Cinderella’s story definitely put a different spin on the story of true love.
Overall: 3.5/5
There were a few scenes where Sophia’s insight or commentary on those around her were so well done, they will definitely stick with me. While I really liked the concept and themes the characters didn’t completely pull me into the story with them.
