Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Kaylin | Academy of Allied Health and Science, Grade 10

Rating: ***

Cinderella is Dead takes place 200 years after the death of Cinderella, and society isn't as picture-perfect as it seems in the fairy tale. Every year, the girls in the Kingdom of Lille must attend a ball, where they will be chosen by a suitor to spend the rest of their lives with. If they aren't chosen within 3 balls, they will become forfeits, outcasts of society. Sophia hates the way girls are raised to obey and be fit for men. She has always dreamed of running away with her friend Erin, but Erin would rather stay and fit in. On the night of Sophia's first ball, she escapes the castle and runs for the woods, where she meets the last remaining descendant of Cinderella's family, Constance. As they spend more time together, their feelings for each other grow, and they come up with a plan to defeat the patriarchy.

This book puts a twisted and creative spin on the tale of Cinderella. It stretches the boundaries of the story quite a bit, but it still makes enough sense in the context of the story. I love the diversity of the characters. One thing that isn't that significant but bothers me is the relationship between Erin and Sophia. Erin and Sophia are supposed to be best friends and even have romantic feelings for each other, but I don't really see it. Erin acts rather distant towards Sophia, even in private, and although I know it's because she wants both of them to be safe in their restrictive society, it still doesn't make that much sense. Sophia also gets over Erin and falls for Constance rather quickly. The storyline is also rather predictable and not that satisfying when you get to the climax. It was a really unique story, but didn't really capture my interest the entire way through.