This is a great Cinderella retelling! I loved that this was not your typical retelling of the story. Definitely a bit darker and more adult, which was great to see. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a Cinderella retelling, but is looking for something different from the same old takes on the story.

Fabulous retelling of the Cinderella story with a fresh twist. Rich worldbuilding, dimensional characters. If you love meatier looks at fairy tales - versions that have never been Disneyfied - this is the book for you. Hester Velmans is an amazing writer, and this book is unputdownable.

I have always been a sucker for fairy-tale retellings, and it had been a long time since I read a Cinderella retelling.

It's nice to read an adult retelling of a fairy-tale for a change (most of the ones that I encounter are YA). There were some pretty heavy topics.

Small problem that I have with this book, is that it didn't really stuck with me. I didn't post a review on Goodreads, and just remembered that I had put it on here as "will not be giving feedback on this title". I realized that I will have to reread this book to give a clear opinion on it, but since I did read it, I didn't want it to stay as a "will not review" book.

For now it's a 3.5, but that might change when I reread this one in the future.

I love retelling of fairy tales and will always attempt to read as many as I can. Slipper by Hester Velmans was an interesting take, however it didn't engage me as other retelling novels had. The first few chapters couldn't grasp my attention and I was able to finish several other novels before I tried to finish Slipper. I tend to lean more towards the fast and furious books that grip my attention and don't let up the hold until I've finished it. While Slipper wasn't one of those books for me, I have no doubt it may be for others who enjoy retelling of fairy tales.

I really wanted to like this book because iris a fairytale retelling. However, this book was not for me. I really could not get into the story. The story was very dark. There were many graphic scenes in the novel that made me uncomfortable. The only thing I liked about it was the setting. This willbe loved by fans of fairytales, but it is definitely for mature readers.

Ho un debole per i retelling delle fiabe tradizionali, e Slipper, presentato come la storia vera che avrebbe poi ispirato Cenerentola, ha catturato subito la mia attenzione, ma è diventato purtroppo uno dei pochi libri che non terminerò.

La protagonista, Lucinda, rimasta orfana alla nascita, viene maltrattata dalle proprie zie, una delle quali la fa lavorare per un periodo come sguattera a casa sua.

E questo è ciò che di meglio capita alla povera bambina: qualsiasi disgrazia la prende di mira. Angosciante.
Il suo mondo finisce col diventare cupo e asfittico. Intollerabile, per me.
Avrei voluto fermarmi una volta arrivata al 31% della storia, a cui ho però dato un'altra possibilità.
Ed ecco che il peggio accade: un personaggio buono come il pane trova ingiustamente la morte, ma, soprattutto, due uomini adulti approfittano di Lucinda quattordicenne.
Disgustoso. Non pensavo che si sarebbe arrivati a tanto.
Non ho potuto proseguire, non è un romanzo che fa per me (la stessa autrice ha ammesso: "It may not be everyone's cup of tea..."), non in questo momento e probabilmente nemmeno in futuro.
E' angoscioso vedere Lucinda andare incontro alla propria rovina ed essere continuamente disillusa.

Nulla da ridire sullo stile della scrittrice, che ha di sicuro ricostruito con maestria il periodo storico ed ha descritto molto bene alcuni sintomi e malattie, tanto che mi sono chiesta se fosse un medico.

A perfect amalgamation of different fairytales with a historical basis. I love fiction retellings of fairytales set in the real world, both present and past. I also love the real grit that was put into this retelling, rather than being simply the whimsical fantasy that we come to associate with these stories. It felt very much like Ever After, but far grimmer. Definitely a recommended read.

I wasn't able to download the ebook before it was archived. The archive date was not set, but then it was and I never noticed until it was too late. I'm sure it is an incredible story.

Although I was tempted to give up at several points, I continued and on the whole enjoyed this book. The main character, Lucinda, is not the most likable young woman, but as the story went on and she grew up, I liked her more. With some real-life characters such as Charles Perrault in the mix, this is an imagined story of how 'Cinderella' came to be written, while showing its origin in older folk tales. I really liked the characters' names and the sly references to other fairy tales. However, there were a couple of points in the story when events jumped on and I thought I'd missed something ... perhaps overzealous editing? Anyhow it was an enjoyable read, with a satisfactory ending.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

I received a free advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Hester Velmans has written an imaginative retelling of Cinderella in "Slipper." I have loved fairy tales since I was little, and I always seem to find retellings a little lacking. I guess I prefer the Disney version because that's what I grew up with. "Slipper," on the other hand, is a fantastic retelling, one I enjoyed and one that has me admiring Velmans and her talent very much.

"Slipper" is a realistic, sans magic, historical fiction story. Lucinda, our protagonist "cindersweep," doesn't have a fairy godmother or mice that sing to her. Instead, we meet a young woman who is so realistic, I could see myself in her.

We first meet Lucinda the day she's born, and we journey through her upbringing into adulthood with her. Yes, she's swept off her feet by a handsome suitor. And she struggles with the concepts of love and "being rescued" by a man and happiness and truth and consequences in very real ways.

She begins as rather naive (she reminded me a little bit of Buttercup from "The Princess Bride"), and through a lot of trials, we see her wisdom grow.

Velmans has a real gift for spinning sentences. While the plot was engaging, part of the reason I kept reading was I just wanted to see how she turned the words on the next page. She really is creative and colorful with her word choices. I think my favorite example is when she's explaining a particularly nasty character who likes to nitpick the servants, and Velmans describes the character as "venting her spleen" when yelling at the servants.

I did find the book to be a bit too long. I felt like the second and third of the three parts dragged a little in parts. But overall, this is a well-done, wildly creative, a bit sad, definitely tender book.

I does cover some tough topics (such as rape), but I think the topics and how they are handled really illustrate what life was like in the 17th Century for women - and what it is like for women today.

All in all, "Slipper" is a book I would recommend to people who enjoy fairy tales, historical fiction and feminist books. And I'll definitely look for Velmans' future efforts. She has a gift!

Wow! What a fantastic book! I wanted to read it in one sitting! I almost did. This is an exquisite twist on the classic Cinderella. It's amazing and unputdownable! The things our heroine is subjected to in this book is unbelievable. I thought it was awesome and I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.

I had some high hopes going into this one. I love the trend of re-imagining the fairy tales and exploring the historical context of each. However, I felt this one fell flat. At times the plot line felt extremely forced. The excessive descriptive nature of some of the scenes did nothing to contribute to the plot. Overall though it was interesting to see the elements of the classic fairy tales in the characters lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Van Horton Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Slipper by Hester Velmans is a delightful piece of fiction retelling and re-imagining the much loved tale of Cinderella. It is creative and beautifully written. Velmans’ intertwines pieces of fairy tales from history to create a magical but sometimes tragic tale of heartache, rejection, the cruel twist of fate and ultimately redemption and love. I did find myself wishing for happier outcomes for characters that I got to know. However, the reality is that happiness is sometimes what we make it and destiny is often made by oneself.

The author’s superb ability to bring a page to life allows the reader to immerse oneself in its picturesque landscapes, glittering ballrooms and sometimes lonely corners of its grand estates.
Overall, I would give “Slipper” 5 stars and will certainly look forward to reading more from Hester Velmans.

Reviews for this book have been made on both Amazon and Goodreads.

What if Charles Perrault's story of Cinderella was based on a real story of a real girl he just happens to meet? That is the tale this book tells. It's definitely an adult book with rape, witch hunts, and abuse. It's written very realistically. There is still so much whimsical charm and it includes other fairy tales like mother goose, the frog prince, the emperors new clothes, and of course Cinderella.

The emotional involvement with the characters was there for me and even though Lucinda can be childish, she experiences things in life that make her grow and become an adult. Do you remember the movie Ever After? I kept thinking of that movie as I read this book only change the rating to mature. I highly recommend to adults who live fairy tale retellings and historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

Once upon a time a little girl was born, who upon her birth, became an orphan. Once upon a time the mid-wife who delivered her, also became the child's nurse. As we would have it, Bessie Goose all too soon became Mother Goose and of course, Lucinda became Cinderella. This adult fairy tale was definitely not the fairy tale I remember as a child, nor do I think my mother would have read it to me. However, this version is much more interesting I'm happy to say. Set in the Seventeenth Century, we follow along, willingly. Historical or whimsical, I enjoyed it!! My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Think of this as the origin story for Cinderella. This isn't a re-telling, per se.

This historical fiction novel is the story of Lucinda...the poor little orphan, who swept out chimneys, lived with mean Steppys, and dreamt of Prince Charming. This is also the story of England in the 17th Century, the pox, nasty old men, and war.

This is a fabulous story and won that keeps the readers attention far beyond the damsel in distress narrative that most 'fairy tales' follow.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An adult compilation of fairy tales. Taken from one of the masters of fairy tales, Charles Perrault.
Our author has taken the freedom of writting fiction to build a story of Cinderella. A more realistic Cinderella. This Cinderella is not the perfect lass of the original tale. Oh, she is an orphan, she does have a God mother, of sorts. She has all the wicked relatives and more. In this cleverly, charming tale. she has to find her " prince". He will not be rescuing her, she does not know she needs rescuing. In fact there are no magical scenes that are found charming. No, there is war, starvation, begging, rape. However, life is what we make of it. And Lucinda discovers that she can be the heroine of her own story.
Well written, interesting.
5 Stars

Having just finished “The Slipper” by Hester Velmans, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you Net Galley!

I thoroughly enjoyed all the period details Ms. Velmans has used in this twist on the classic Cinderella story, but I really had trouble warming up to Lucinda. Her selfishness and cruelty to the only person to love her, Bessie, became irritating and tiresome to say the least. By part two in the novel, I was engrossed in the direction that the story had taken Bessie and Lucinda, but again Lucinda’s naiveté and selfishness continued to irritate. As the conclusion, and part three finally arrived, I can say that I enjoyed the story completely. At long last a strength and talent emerged in this woman that was truly fascinating. In my mind the introduction of Charles Perrault into the storyline was as if a version of a “fairy-godfather” had arrived for Lucinda. Whether or not that’s what the author intended, that is what I came away thinking. Wisdom through his words and belief in her ability is what eventually led Cinderella… I mean Lucinda, to find her true happiness. I definitely enjoyed Lucinda’s story as it unfolded, but I can’t say I liked her along the way.

*** I thought the book trailer was unique too, and worth a look if you have a minute. :)

https://vimeo.com/259698256

This is definitely not the fairy tale you know or remember. Though I can see the fairy tale within the story, this one is so far flung out there that you have to really have to think hard to remember this is supposedly the true story of Cinderella. Though like with all historical <i>fiction</i> I take the story with a grain of salt. You honestly don't know if this is how the actual story went or if it was all in the author's head. Both this one & the fairy tale one.

I gave this four (4) out of five (5) stars due to the fact that I think Lucinda and some of the other characters could have been "fleshed out" a bit better. The story line is good & engaging so there was no issue there, but to me there were holes that needed to be filled. I just disbelieve the nativity of Lucinda also. After everything she went through in the very beginning of her life before running after her love she should have realized what was eventually gonna happen. I am sorry, but I just fail to see her being that dumb.

This book is a good quick read of a decent story line but I don't think I will look into the other books by the author. It is a good book & decent story line, but not anywhere what I expected or did not expect. I hate giving poor reviews on a author's hard work and to someone else they may love the book. I was just not thrilled with it.