Cinderella is dead, but her story lives on as a national treasure 200 years later. In the kingdom of Lille, little girls dream of their own balls, fairytale books of Cinderella's story reside in every household and trinkets relating to the tale are sold in the marketplace. But the mirroring of her story is not a game for her kingdom's citizens; it's actually a matter of life or death. There are many retellings of fairy tales today, but not many explore what a nation might look like if it lived under the tyranny of a legend.

For young women like Sophia, a majestic ball where you'll meet your future husband is not a dream, but a future set in stone. Every young woman from the age of 15 upwards is required to attend an annual ball held by the king, where men of various ages and stations will select brides. Each girl gets three chances in three years to be selected, and if they are not they will be considered "forfeit" and generally consigned to a life of labor in workhouses. All of this is done to supposedly honor the former queen Cinderella, who the first king of Lille fell in love with at a ball and chose to make the symbolic goddess of the rest of the kingdom's love lives. While many of the girls act like dutiful followers to this kingdom-wide practice of systemic mating, Sophia has never been one to blend with the crowd and, secretly, doesn't have an interest in any man. She dreams of a future with her childhood friend, Erin, and when the book opens, she's living the last moments of youthful freedom before her first ball.

Sophia, Erin, and their friend Liv all show different reactions to the ball, based on their circumstances and personalities. Sophia dreads the day it comes and speaks out to any who won't harm her for doing so, while trying to obey her parents' wishes as they risk debt to ensure her a lifetime of security; Erin seems to return Sophia's feelings of romance, but has resigned herself to her future and knows the risks of even verbally defying it. Liv is eager for her second year at the ball and hopes to win a good match by virtue of being "like Cinderella", good and faithful to the kingdom's edicts and an obedient daughter. Sophia feels the pressure on all three of them even when her friends don't speak of it, and her view of things is quite different from most heroines facing a ball; rather than dreaming of waltzes and the gaze of a true love, the sense of polished walls closing in on a wild bird becomes stronger with each passing day in her life. When the night of the ball finally arrives, it becomes clear to Sophia as well as the reader that the opulent palace is hiding something more evil than most of the kingdom's citizens could imagine.

The night of the ball changes the lives of Sophia and both her friends, in ways very different from the fairytale they were taught. Sophia is confronted with the worst of the monarchy's tyranny and abruptly separated from everything she knows, forced on a path that even her rebellious nature hadn't prepared for. As she finds herself fleeing for her life in every sense of the word, she's led to forbidden places few have ever witnessed, each of which reveal dangerous truths about the history behind the fantasy story every girl has been forced to live. Abandoned tombs, forgotten chambers and wild forests all become important keys to any hope of survival Sophia might have, for both herself and many others.

.Author Bayron builds her characters as well as the plot masterfully, making Sophia's journey resemble a climb through steep hills or a descent down a dark staircase at different times. I was distracted a few times by the dialogue, which was occasionally too modern for the setting, and my only annoyances with Sophia were how easily distracted she became from Erin when another girl came into her life (this was compounded by her acting like a lovesick boy a few times, most jarringly while she was training to use a weapon). Another young girl in the story grated on my nerves a bit by picking a fight with an older character almost every time they were in the room together, an immature and petty trait that contrasted with her usually measured personality. Overall, though, this is a masterful and carefully built novel that presents vital questions and issues every human being should consider.

Finished in a day! I can’t wait to read her other works. I love a good retelling and a dark one?! Sign me up every time. I loved the twists she added to the story and the strength she gave the female leads that so many fairytales lack.

This was the first book that I read last year, and I loved it so so much! I am now a lifelong fan of Kalynn Baryon's books!

This was a very good book. It’s a great retelling of the Cinderella fairytale from a queer feminist standpoint. It includes wonderful world building and I’d recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book in return for a fair review. .

I love diving into a fantasy world. The author did a great job worldbuilding and the plot just sucked me in. This was a fresh take on a classic tale and I LOVE the author using the source material to fuel the book. In this story, the tale of Cinderella is legendary. Definitely recommend reading this book and grabbing an extra copy for a friend!

I love the retelling of classic stories and CINDERELLA IS DEAD is no different. Bayron updates and reinvigorates the tale we have all come to know so well. A uniquely fabulous way to show that not every happily ever after is the same for everyone.

I am a sucker for a good retelling. This is a slow burn on the Cinderella retelling. It does take a while for the action to start happening. I almost DNF’d this book but I kept going because I just new it would off in the end. I was not disappointed. Huge thank you to Netgalley, and Bloomsbury YA for the advance copy.
Everyone knows the story of Cinderella and how she married the prince and lived happily ever after. But this version of Cinderella does not quite go that way. Our main character Sophia grew up in a town two hundred years after Cinderella went off with her prince. Ever since the town has been obsessed with Cinderella’s story. Every year there is a ball just like the one Cinderella went to and danced with the prince. Every girl between sixteen or seventeen are required to dress up and attend the ball. Failure to attend is a death sentence to you and your family. The ball is a way for girls to be parted off to future husbands whether they want to or not. Sophia hates this tradition and because she would prefer to be with her best friend Erin instead of marrying a man she cares noting about. The night of the ball Sophia makes a dangerous decision which forces her to run. While on the run Sophia meets Constance, who is the last known descendent of the true Cinderella and her stepsisters. Together these girls must find a way to fight against the societal norms or die trying to bring it to its knees.
To really get through this book you have to suspend your disbelief. Just given in and enjoy the book as a whole. I don’t think there was enough worldbuilding and background information to support the misogynistic society. Because this town is very misogynistic. Once you just go with it everything just clicks into place and works really well. By the end you will root for Cinderella to get her princess. Thanks again to Netgalley, and Bloomsbury YA for the advance copy.

A refreshing look at a classic tale. In a world where Cinderella is more than just a legend, she is a true part of history. Bayron captures the fairytale aspect with her insight into Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the townspeople. A village filled with monuments and statues keeps the legend of Cinderella alive, but the story is only half the legend, Every year, young girls between the ages of 16-18 must attend a ball, where eligible men will choose their bride. The girls are required to be present, while their male counterparts may choose to attend or not. Young Sophia has already found love, must still attend the ball and have her fate chosen for her.
Characters and their offspring from the original Cinderella make appearances, contributing to the world building and reimagining of one of the most popular fairytales. Readers will be drawn to the classic fairytale elements, mixed with modern ideals, and a fight for love, and a voice of your own.

I flew through this book. It is gripping and empowering to all girls and women to fight for what you believe in even if it is dangerous.

This sapphic Cinderella retelling was *everything.* It turned the fairy tale on its head in the best way and had the perfect ending. Highly recommend!

This book is amazing! I love the idea of examining our fairy tales and what they do to us as people. And the girls in this are kickass! Are you ready for the revolution?

This book has such a cool premise, I really loved the idea of this spin on a Cinderella retelling! For me the pacing was a bit off and I didn’t get as invested in the characters/world as I wanted to though! I’m excited to see what the author comes out with next as maybe I didn’t like this as much because it was a retelling.

A new take on the tale of Cinderella, "Cinderella Is Dead" is an interesting retelling of a classic tale.

I expected more out of this. It was well written, but it was not what I was expecting at all. The book was decribed as queer black girls, overthrowing the patriarchy, and I applaud them for standing up for themselves. However the plot was not what I was expecting, and I expected it to go differently.

Cinderalla is Dead was a re-telling I didn't know I needed. Bayron has to be one of the most creative minds to create this world. Feminist have long considered fairy tales problematic but she takes it a step further and imagines what type of legacy the story of Cinderalla might leave on a society. Then, she makes it evil.

I really enjoyed Sophia, her attitude and strength will stand as an example for girls everywhere. The character development for her as well as Constance and Amina was so well done. However, the "villian" needed more of a back story for me. I believe that it was crucial to the plot.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Honestly, this was such a fun retelling (? extension feels like a more fitting word) of Cinderella. It tackles some topics that I think are really important for young women to read about. And who doesn't love a sapphic romance with a Black female lead?? Excited to give Kalynn Bayron's next book a go!

4.5 stars

Ahhh this book was EVERYTHING! I loved this retelling sooo much! What great creativity the Author has, and the cover is stunning!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of Cinderella is Dead. While I had extreme high hopes for this novel, unfortunately they were shattered. The main character Sophie comes across as reckless and disregards the worries of those closest to her. I did love the idea about the world being built around the Cinderella fairytale; this gave the novel a wide range of possibilities to grow and develop the story. However, the story began to fall flat after Sophia meets a new friend on the road and goes to her first "ball", then that same newly introduced character never reappears again in the story until the very end.

I felt as though the story itself needed more work on the plot's timeline, how the series of events began to connect with each other rather than jumping from one thing to the next. In addition, I felt that Charlotte could have been the main character instead of Sophia since she was the one with the significant background into Cinderella's story and the mystery of how the king stayed in power for so long. The more I saw of Charlotte, the more Sophia became the side character instead of the main. I wished the story contained a more serious undertones and dangerous situations than the pair being told what to do and what to find. the story definitely felt like more of a working draft, than a finished novel.

This was a unique and interesting take on a Cinderella retelling! I enjoyed the plot twists and the way this ended! I recommend this book to fans of a darker retelling of classic Disney stories.

A dark sequel to a twisted fairytale readers have not been told.

Sophia has grown up in a Kingdom built on the fairytale of Cinderella and her devotion to the King. However, life is far from a fairytale for the women in this kingdom. Forced to begin seeking marriage at 16, girls attend balls in the hopes of capturing a man's heart or perish in the factories until death. Sophia not only disagrees with the treatment of women in the kingdom but is deeply in love with her friend Erin which is forbidden. In an act of defiance, she flees from the ball and escapes with a mysterious girl dressed like a man into the woods. Between the two of them, they hope to bring an end to the balls and free the women of the kingdom.

A compact story with many moving parts, but a good adventure throughout it all. Sophia will appeal to many readers from the start with her wit and humor. It is clear from the beginning she is lesbian and that plays an important role in the story. Through her experiences, readers understand the challenges women face in the oppressive kingdom and the lies they are told. The adventure moves at a steady pace with a small cast of characters at the core. The plot has a few twists and surprises up until the very end of the story. The romance is somewhat dramatic but pleasing in the end. The themes of abuse, homophobia, and patriarchy are very present and well addressed.

I enjoyed the story and cannot look at the fairytale of Cinderella the same way! I would readily recommend this to readers interested in strong heroines, fairytale retellings, and wholesome lesbian romance.