Full review here: https://fictionfixerreads.wordpress.com/2020/06/27/arc-review-cinderella-is-dead/
I think Cinderella Is Dead was a fun read and I loved the clear Black sapphic representation this book portrays. I love the twist in the fairytale and the critique of sexist and toxic governmental systems, BUT a lot of its execution was lacking because of the spoonfeeding, slow pacing, and so-so handling of nuance on its villain.

I received a physical ARC from the publisher at Yallfest and an electronic copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cinderella's story has lived on for over 200 years after her death. Teen girls are required to appear at the Annual Ball in order to be selected as brides. If the girls aren't chosen by suitors, they are never heard from again. Sophia would rather marry her best friend Erin than subject herself to the tortures of the Ball. However, the world of Lille hasn't left many choices for its young women. At the Ball, Sophia makes a snap decision to run and stumbles on a young girl named Constance at Cinderella's tomb. Together the two of them learn the untold aspects of Cinderella's tale and the terrible truth of Lille's history.

I loved this retelling of Cinderella. It was so cool to see the different pieces of the fairytale twisted and turned into another story. I feel like this is story of Cinderella's rage and all the other women who were silenced by the patriarchy. The bleakness Sophia faces throughout this story was hard to swallow and definitely made me feel a bit depressed at times.

However, Sophia, Constance and the truth of Cinderella's story kept dragging back my focus to the action. I wanted to like Erin for Sophia's sake, but I never felt the chemistry between the two. Constance and Sophia on the other hand... Constance was a whirlind and a wildfire all in one. I loved how fierce she was, and her readiness to throw daggers didn't help. It complimented Sophia's willfulness and refusal to be less than she was.

Around 75% I was a little worried the story wouldn't be wrapped up. I'd love a sequel or spin off just sayin. But by the time the book had ended I was in shock with the last couple of revelations that occurred. I LOVED how it ended, it gave me hope and it made me happy. Is there any chance I can have a novella set like 10 years in the future?? Or maybe Ms. Bayron will bless us with another queer fairytale retelling next? Whatever the case, I will definitely be reading it.

“When the leader of this kingdom treats women as property, it sets an awful precedent. People think it’s okay to do the same.”
Before I get into the substance of my review: thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing me an ebook galley of this story!

This book. THIS BOOK.

Cinderella is Dead is set in a fantasy kingdom that has been ruled for 200 years by a misogynistic tyrant. Every year there is a ball where women are mandated to go and men are encouraged, and the men size up the women before taking them home. It’s a meatmarket, but in pretty dresses.

The main character, Sophia, realized at a young age that she didn’t love men, she loved women. When she rebels against the ball and the leader of the kingdom, she becomes public enemy number one.

This story is engaging and fun. At some points the writing felt a little rushed and the characters a bit stilted, but the atmosphere and the commentary on the Cinderella myth made all of that worth it to me.

Girls grow up hearing of the Cinderella fairytale, reciting it, wishing for a Prince Charming, and this fictional kingdom reflects the damaging realities of this myth. Girls who aren’t Cinderella, who don’t fit her perfect domesticity and her humility, often feel like they can’t be a princess, can’t find love. This story takes that idea, takes feeling like Cinderella is not your role model, and gives it a voice. A loud, angry voice.

A couple reviews of this book have described it as “queer black girls dismantling the patriarchy”, and I’d like to say amen to that. This book is fierce and angry and feminist in all the best ways. I highly recommend it.

I just want to say how much I loved and devoured this book.  I could NOT put it down!  This was one of my late night reads, finishing it in a day.

Sophia lives in Lille, 200 years since Cinderella found her Prince Charming.  Now, at the age of 16, every girl gets to meet her own "Prince Charming" at the annual ball... whether she wants to or not.

Under an authoritative rule by a demanding king, Sophia is living a life she does not want.  Women are no more than property of their fathers and husbands.  There are curfews, rules, and laws.  They have little rights.  They are required to attend a ball, look their best, and draw in the best suitor.  If they don't, after a certain amount of times, or if their parents chose, their lives are forfeit - at the mercy of the king.  They don't get to chose their suitor - they especially don't get to chose a suitor of the same sex.  

Sophia is not like the other girls.  Not only does she question the official Cinderella story, she would rather marry her childhood friend Erin, not some male suitor.  When the ball arrives, and drama ensues, Sophia runs, and finds herself in Cinderella's mausoleum.  From there, the story of Cinderella and Prince Charming starts to unravel.  Did Cinderella really get her happily ever after, or is there more to the story than what the official story says?  Who is the real evil in the story?

I feel that this book needs a TW right away for spousal abuse.  It's not much, but it's there, and may affect some people.  That does NOT take away from the story, and it actually makes such a point for the story. 

This is a love story, a fractured fairy tale, and an alternative perspective to what we think we know.  I absolutely loved this book.  Sophia was a believable protagonist, who didn't want to hide who she was or conform to the expectations that were made for her.  She wants to live her life.  Erin is a believable friend, a character who denies who she is because of the expectations put upon her, and ignores what she wants because everyone tells her to.  I hurt for Erin, but at the same time, I shake my head for her.  There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and a lot of things I didn't expect, which I loved and kept me reading.  It is a great book, a great representation for the LGBTQIA+ population who have been forced over time to conform to societal views of heteronormative relationships and expectations.  I hope it gets the reception it deserves.

Over the past 72 hours, I’ve read two “Cinderella” books, which both release the same day. One is your traditional Anglo-Saxon version reimagined, the other is dark tale that questions “happily ever after.” Kalynn Bayron’s Cinderella is Dead is infinitely more complex.

I’ve read a number of reimagined Cinderella’s over the years. Some are the actual Cinderella story. Others look at life after. None have been as evocative as Cinderella is Dead. The story is at once familiar and foreign, dystopian and fairy tale. In many ways, it’s like looking in a mirror.

There are two elements that I struggled with, though not enough to not recommend the book. I don’t want to give too much away, here, so my descriptions will be vague.

First is Sophie’s sudden change of heart. She’s practically obsessed with one love interest only to drop her as soon as she meets someone else. While it’s clear the author tried to account for this, it feels almost like a plot prop than storyline.

My other issue comes with a character who doesn’t come into play initially but is consequential to the overall outcome. This character is complex and probably more interesting than any other — they could have their own book. And yet, this character’s key climactic actions are rushed an never completely fleshed out.

Author Kalynn Bayron has created a world that will resonate with most readers. It’s hard not to see yourself in at least one of the roles. Her writing envelopes you from the first page and sticks with you after you finish. I’m excited to read more from this debut author.

I really enjoyed this creative reimagining of the classic Cinderella story. Set only 200 years after the death of Cinderella, it imagines a harsh and patriarchal society reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale. A cruel king rules the land, where women serve no purpose other than being wives and mothers, and Cinderella’s story is the governing text by which women are required to conduct themselves. The book is a delightful blend of modern social issues (the main character longs for society to accept her sexuality, while a villager tells the main character she would be prettier if she smiled), and imaginative fairy tale lore. I especially loved the twist about the King’s true identity. A great read for young adults.

This book was off to a rough start for me. It took a very long time for the story to be set up, when at the same time the world building felt very straightforward. And it wasn't until around halfway into the book that I felt like the story was really kicking off. That was too late for me to really become invested in the story, but I did start to feel intrigued because an exciting plotline was introduced.

Unfortunately, that plotline ended up less exciting that I hoped, and even though it pains me to say this, I just found this a really boring read. The main character was so flat, I could hardly tell you anything about her. And the rest of the book just felt so bland to me.

Overall, I feel like this book could have been structured better to pull the reader in earlier on. I did think this take on the Cinderella story was promising, but I just found the execution to be lacking.

I thought this book was a such clever twist on the Cinderella tale that we all know. Bayron creates a world that feels so foreign yet so similar to ours socially. I liked Sophia's tenacity and confidence in who she is. FOr a second, I thought there was going to be a f/f/f love triangle, which I was down for. However, I think I loved that each of Sophia's relationships (her growing apart with Erin and growing closer with Constance) was a much better choice for the narrative. The plot twist at the end; with the witch being the mother of the prince, felt a little obvious, but entertained me nonetheless.

I loved this. I'm a sucker for queer fairytale retellings and this perfectly filled in that niche of my heart. I can't wait to read more from Kalynn Bayron.

This has been one of my most anticipated books of the year ever since I first heard about it and man, did it not disappoint. I enjoyed this retelling, especially how original it all was.

It takes place 200 years after the events of the Cinderella story. The king of the land forces the young women to all attend a ball, where they are meant to be chosen by the men of the kingdom. If they are not chosen during the ball they get two more chances. And if they are not chosen by the end of two more balls they disappear from the kingdom, most likely to be never seen again. The story follows sixteen-year-old Sophia, who wants to marry her childhood best friend Erin. At the ball, she flees and then meets a descendant of one of Cinderella's stepsisters, Constance. They decide to try and take down the king.

I'm a lover of a good fairy tale retelling and this one checked all of my boxes. This was such an inventive take on the Cinderella fairy tale that twists it in such interesting ways. We have seen the story done so many times before, so it was great to see it done in such a different way. I also enjoyed the romance but wanted a bit more from it. Overall, this was a read that I enjoyed a lot.

*I received an ARC from the publisher for my honest review. Thank you so much*

Can we first just take one whole minute to admire the incredible cover art by Manzi Jackson? It is so incredibly stunning, and personally I would have read this book based on that cover alone! But the synopsis is pretty awesome too, and definitely the main reason why Cinderella is Dead deserves your attention.

It's been 200 years since Cinderella's death. It's also been 200 years of the town of Lille being run by a strict and dehumanizing patriarchal hand. 16-year-old Sophia Grimmins (I see what you did there Kalynn Bayron!), is getting ready to attend the annual ball held by the King, where the town's young women are matched with suitors in true "Happily Ever After" fashion, just like Cinderella. Except there's nothing happy about the ball for Sophia, who is in love with her best friend Erin, and is hell-bent on escaping a fate that seems set in stone. And while she's at it, why not take the whole thing down!?

I. WANT. TO. SHOUT. FROM. MOUNTAINS about how this book pierced my heart. I was transported from the very first page; Bayron crafted a fairytale world that felt so intricately real and so purposefully disheartening. It wasn't just another angsty teen trope where the character is melodramatically angry about her life and her future, this narrative delved into the very real, and very prevalent issue of male dominance. My heart hung heavy the entire time, but was picked up by moments of genuine and heartfelt emotion; each character was written with such care and detail. And OMG THAT SAPPHIC REP, it made my whole being sing, I swear. Sophia is easily one of my new favorite characters, and I cannot WAIT to read whatever Bayron puts out next!

A++ for diversity and representation, so important in YA. But the language was too cliched for me. I couldn't get past the first few pages. There was also issues with the e-galley, which made the file really hard to read.

I'm sure this is great for the age group its meant for, so many people seem to love it, but its just not my type of YA. I much prefer YA that reads like adult fiction, where it doesn't matter if the main character is 17, 27, 37, or any other age.

I've loved fairy tale retellings for years -- especially the twisted ones. This book gets points for its clever premise, but let itself down in the execution. The characters lacked nuance, the plot was overly simplistic, and the world-building was all tell and not enough show. That said -- I repeat, what a premise! If Bayron does another book in this vein, I will give her another try.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

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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This book was advertised as a queer black girl taking down the patriarchy. And that’s exactly 👏🏽 what 👏🏽 it 👏🏽was.👏🏽
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This story takes place 200 years after Cinderella has died. Girls grow up reading and knowing Cinderella’s story my heart. Every year, they are forced by the king to attend the ball where they are “claimed” as wives (🤮) by men of the town. Because apparently that worked so well for Cinderella. But Sophia wants more for herself & would much rather marry her best friend Erin.
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Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. This is young adult but felt like it was on the VERY young side of that spectrum. The plot was predictable, the romantic interest was insta-love, and the relationships and story lines felt underdeveloped.
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BUT, the underlying meaning behind Cinderella is Dead is fantastic. It’s a nudge to women to raise your voice and tear down the walls built to keep you confined. Be a light in the dark and don’t let anyone stop you.
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I don’t want to rate this because I don’t think I’m the intended audience, but I truly think your young reader at home will enjoy this important tale and finish it feeling empowered!
👑

What if the storybooks and Disney got it all wrong? What if Cinderella was secretly a bad ass who didn’t just swoon over Prince Charming, but was rather a woman under a spell who taught against her Charming captor?!? In this great retelling if the Cinderella story nothing and no one is how you know them. There is no way to “bipppity boppity boo” out of the situation the town finds themselves in thanks to a tyrant king. Sophia knows things should be different, that women should have rights and voices, and she is willing to fight to make that happen. With a new friend 😉 by her side she is determined to overthrow the tyrannical patriarchy that is smothering her town and all the women in it. A great retelling and an uplifting read!!

This book was such a great read! Cinderella may be dead, but that doesn't mean the fairy tale is over. In Sophia's world, everyone is forced to learn the story of Cinderella. Girls are told to strive towards being her. Cinderella was the blueprint after all right? She had a horrible life, went to a ball, and met a man who made all her dreams come true. Having a husband is what changed Cinderella's life, so of course it will change every other woman's as well. Unfortunately, that means that women have no control in this world. All of their decisions are made by their husbands or their fathers or the King.

Sophia wants no part of this. She'd rather marry her best friend Erin, but of course it's not allowed. In fact it's seen as unnatural. Instead, Sophia must ready herself to be chosen at the upcoming ball held in honor of the night that Cinderella met Prince Charming. Going to the ball means sealing her fate and instead of following along, Sophia escapes and comes across someone she never expected: a descendant of Cinderella's evil stepsisters. Except it turns out, the stepsisters weren't so evil and Cinderella wasn't so happy. Now, with the King searching for her high and low, Sophia must work with Constance to not only spark a rebellion, but to put an end to the King's tyranny.

What was great about this story was the fact that it was so applicable to the real world. Let's be honest. We're not too far removed from a time where women didn't have any rights. It was fascinating to watch women return to that time and put in that place by a fairy tale that is so well loved. But what if the story we were told really wasn't the true story? Would Cinderella really want so many atrocities committed in her name? That's the question that Sophia is constantly asking as the fairy tale is shoved down her throat. The men we meet in this story are reminiscent of men we all know in the real world and trust me, they suck.

The other element of this story I enjoyed was the mystery behind King Manford and the throne. For 200 years, kings have followed in the footsteps of Prince Charming, who, it turns out, wasn't so charming after all. Combine that with the mystery surrounding the fairy godmother and Cinderella's stepsisters who were villainized for not bowing down and well.....can you see why I was so intrigued??

The sapphic romance in was great, but this definitely isn't a romance driven fantasy despite the plot. For anyone worried that the romance element takes away from the story, trust me it doesn't. I think there's the right amount of balance between romance and fantasy here.

All in all, this was a great read once I got into it and even though the men here were absolutely trash, trust me when I say, they come up on the losing side in the end.

This review can also be found on my blog: https://bookswhitme.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/arc-review-cinderella-is-dead-by-kalynn-bayron-release-date-july-7-2020/

I love the cover (and the UK cover, even more), and I really wanted to love this book...unfortunately I didn't. It's probably about a 2.5 star book for me, though I suppose I'll round up to 3 since that's not an option. I saw this book praised as a book that uses a fantasy world to critique misogyny and homophobia...and it does. BUT, it didn't do much more than that, for me. The pacing was slower than I like, the world-building wasn't the most rich or in-depth, and the characters were on the shallow side.

The two things I struggled with the most were:
1) It felt like everything (plot, character development, world building, etc.) took a back seat to the story as a platform to bash the aforementioned misogyny and homophobia. I'm all for novels that leave you thinking about issues in the real world, but I want to be so sucked into the story along the way that I get lost in it and can't stop turning the pages.

2) The romance was a love-at-first-sight trope, while also having an almost love triangle drama, and it wasn't for me. I mean, Sophia, who we've just been told is completely in love with Erin, is running for her life, and stops to lust after a total stranger who could be about to try to kill her, for all she knows. I know some people love this trope, but it made me cringe. And it continued for a long time, and never felt believable for me.

I'm sure this book will be a highly enjoyable read for those who just want to read about queer black girls teaming up to overthrow the patriarchy, especially if they enjoy love-at-fist-sight romance. If you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

{Thank you so much NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for a free eARC to review. }

(I'll share my review soon, along with a styled photo of the cover, on my IG)

I unfortunately just couldn't get into this one, even though I really, really wanted to. Insta-love is just not my thing at all, and that's what I got here. I can see others really enjoying this one, but it wasn't for me.

CINDERELLA IS DEAD is very nearly a masterpiece. I absolutely *love* reimagining of fairy tales, mostly because fairy tales have such a complex history and it's nice to see how people reclaim them as forms of revolution. A story about queer Black girls overthrowing the patriarchy set within the backdrop of Cinderella's kingdom? Ummm, yes, please. And, for the most part, CINDERELLA IS DEAD and Kalynn Bayron's work did not disappoint.

Plot summaries are everywhere, so I don't think I need to go into a whole lot. A queer 16-year-old girl named Sophia struggles to accept the kingdom's rules that every girl must be presented to a potential suitor, so she's prepared to fight back, not just to resist this oppressive patriarchal custom but also to preserve her chances of being able to spend her life with her childhood best friend-cum-love interest. And revolt they do. The journey is beautiful, empowering, heartbreaking, enraging, and full of truths that YA audiences desperately need to be immersed in.

The world building was almost perfectly there, although I do wish we'd be immersed in the world all the time, rather than the descriptive world-building Bayron sometimes relied on. This was not enough to derail the book, though, and I know that subsequent works will just get more and more refined. I think the reader gets a very vivid sense of Sophia's world and what she's fighting against, and I continue to have images in my head of what I imagine that world looks like.

It's important to remember that this is YA book, and it is a SUBSTANTIVE YA book at that. The prose isn't flowery or overly complex, but I actually think that's quite important. The subject matter is able to come to the forefront if younger readers aren't struggling to decipher the meaning of phrases and conversations. It seems like a useful tool that Bayron employed to keep the prose relatively straightforward so that the reality of Sophia's world can be digested, understood, and thought deeply about. The fact of the matter is that the world in which Sophia is growing up is, unfortunately, not vastly different from the world today's youth are growing up in, and it's imperative that young readers are exposed to stories featuring these realities so they can understand, through literature and through diverse perspectives, what we are up against, the work we need to do, and why they, as youth, are so incredibly valuable.

I am excited to purchase this for my collection and to gift it to YA readers in my life. This is a powerful testament to the power of youth. It is a testament to Bayron's skill as a storyteller and her ability to imagine new worlds and reimagine classic texts. Youth matter. Youth with all identities matter. No one will question that after reading CINDERELLA IS DEAD, and the people who most need and deserve to see themselves represented, amplified, and celebrated in literature will feel empowered by Bayron's newest release.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance copy. My review is entirely unbiased.

Cinderella is Dead tells the story of Sophia, a 16 year old girl living in the same world as Cinderella, but 200 years later. Their society is built around the story of Cinderella, which is used to subjugate women and girls. In this patriarchal and misogynistic society, girls must attend the annual Ball, where they may be chosen by a man to be his wife. If not, an uncertain fate awaits. As a gay teen, Sophia doesn't want the life that set out for her. When it looks like she may be forced into this unwanted life, she runs away, with a goal of changing her world for the better.

This was a really good read! I found it to be an easy and gripping read; I read the book over just a few longer reading sessions. Sophia (and this book as a whole) has a revolutionary spirit that feels timely, both personally and within our current moment/movement. Sophia does not see any way to better her world other than starting over. This book sends a positive message towards readers and, through Sophia's story, encourages them to believe that radical change is possible, to keep the hope alive.

There were a few things that I didn't love about this book, however. In the book, there is a side romance, and while it isn't quite instalove, it doesn't feel necessary, and considering the timeline of the book, feels like she's moving on too quickly. that being said, I know it's there to contrast from another relationship, and in that way it does make sense. Another thing that was a little jarring to me in this book was how the society was presented. Knowing that it is patriarchal, misogynistic, and authoritarian is just assumed or hinted at, but explicitly stated. TW: domestic abuse, mainly. Early in the book, there is a joke between two guardsmen about murdering one's wife and making it look like an accident so that he could take a younger, prettier girl. There is another scene where Sophia comes upon domestic abuse, which is clearly prevalent in the society. These things didn't bring the book down in rating for me, but there were just a little surprising to read in such terms.

Overall, this is a book I'd recommend. The way that the Cinderella story is twisted and used to create this new world challenges the reader to think not only about the stories we know and love, but also the ways in which the government dictates our lives. Sophia's story is a hopeful one, and this is an exciting fantasy/fractured fairy tale read!