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lmaowolf's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Emotional abuse, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Abandonment
pipingplots's review
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
sarah984's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was fine - I thought some parts of it were really sweet (for example the scene where Lilly helps Ella do her makeup in the bathroom) but other parts were a bit weird (for example a really long scene about eating sushi at the ball). The romance was kind of boring but I did like the tie in with the roses. I don't really get why the stepmother wanted Ella to wear a dress to the ball in the first place (like she says it's to humiliate her but if she wants to wear dresses and used to do so regularly why would it bother her?) and it probably would have worked better having her sneak out. There were also a few irritating typos. Overall though simple sweet story with a positive message.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Animal cruelty, Excrement, and Racism
smartie_chan's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
Minor: Racism
f18's review
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Outing, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Violence, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
lenabrary's review
adventurous
fast-paced
Delighted to see Cinderella as a Black trans woman, that's a great retelling. I would have loved more of it; unfortunately this doesn't quite work as such a short story. It reads more like the bare bones first draft of an idea rather than a story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming
folkofthebook's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a very sweet and endearing retelling of Cinderella with a trans Black woman as Cinderella. TW there is a bit of misgendering and deadnaming from her awful stepmother and stepsisters early in the book, but aside from that, the story is largely whimsical and almost mystical with its use of magic and happenstances. All the qualities that kind of annoyed me growing up to the original Cinderella (ugh, whyyy make her so homemaker-y) actually worked so well with Ella; she is incredibly resourceful, even so much as creating her own compost pile for her garden (love a sustainable queen). A short but hopeful read with well-crafted writing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming and Transphobia
minervacerridwen's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a quick read and a great trans retelling of Cinderella. Content warnings for transphobia and deadnaming, but the story itself holds more respect for the main character than the original tale ever did. I loved how this made me curious for every next page even though the story is so well-known. A very nice piece of magic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia
misssleepless's review
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Fatphobia, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Confinement
mctoomanybooks's review
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There is so much to talk about with this book.
First of all, I read it in one sitting. I was so drawn to the characters and Ella's struggles that I wanted to see what was going to happen next. I also loved the ball scene; it was so fun.
I also love how it feels pretty similar to the usual Cinderella story we mostly hear -- a young girl who has been turned into a servant by her evil stepmother gets to go to the ball through a wish she makes.
I also want to say that the antagonist is SUPER EVIL. Like, she just told Lady Tremaine "hold my wine." But nice o see that we don't know what happened to her or her horrible daughters after the climax.
But everything else was really nice to read. The only reason why I bumped it down from 5 stars was because of some editing errors and that the names (in the Jones house) were confusingly similar.
First of all, I read it in one sitting. I was so drawn to the characters and Ella's struggles that I wanted to see what was going to happen next. I also loved the ball scene; it was so fun.
I also love how it feels pretty similar to the usual Cinderella story we mostly hear -- a young girl who has been turned into a servant by her evil stepmother gets to go to the ball through a wish she makes.
I also want to say that the antagonist is SUPER EVIL. Like, she just told Lady Tremaine "hold my wine." But nice o see that we don't know what happened to her or her horrible daughters after the climax.
But everything else was really nice to read. The only reason why I bumped it down from 5 stars was because of some editing errors and that the names (in the Jones house) were confusingly similar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Deadnaming
Minor: Physical abuse
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