Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Cinderella Is Dead

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

313 reviews

ren_dragon's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Handmaid’s Tale meets Cinderella but it’s also sapphic.

This was a fun story with a good amount of action and intrigue. However, the characters felt inconsistent and a bit flat. Their motivations didn’t make sense a lot of the time and it felt like their actions were dictated by what the plot required rather than being driven by their own internal and external conflicts. The romance felt very insta-lovey with little to no build up or development so it wasn’t satisfying for me.

The main protagonist had much more potential for growth than the plot allowed. She ultimately felt inconsistent and somewhat passive (ironically) after fleeing the ball and the city (which is what she has wanted to do her whole life) compared to before she was forced to run.

I did like that there were references to some of the older Grimm’s versions of Cinderella later in the story rather than just the Disney retelling.

Content Warnings

holiday7's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny informative mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I don't really know what to say besides I loved the book. It was really good. And I think it was a really good story. Also, stan Constance. I live for her.

Content Warnings

bzliz's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

In a harrowing world where women are commodities to be bought and sold, used and abused, Sophia desires more. She’s memorized the story of Cinderella just as the King has mandated and she has a few qualms with the lessons the citizens of Lille are supposed to learn from it. Sophia’s best friend (and first love), Erin, makes it clear that she’s not willing to go against the grain of society to hopefully live in exile with Sophia. Heartbroken, Sophia attends the annual (mandatory) ball where men get to select wives for themselves and the girls have absolutely no say in anything but she escapes after her friend Liv is singled out by the cruel king and dragged away. She meets Constance while taking refuge in Cinderella’s tomb, who offers her an escape, a chance at freedom, and eventually an opportunity to kill the king and fix their broken society.

The world is pretty vivid in how horrible it is. Abuse of all kinds apparently runs rampant and people truly just ignore it in hopes that they won’t get executed for speaking out. Obviously some people aren’t chill with what’s going on but they keep to themselves for the most part because they’re punished if they do speak out. I liked Sophia’s connection with Luke but I wish it was more substantial- like they’d been friends for a while and he really had a reason to stick his neck out for her- because when he came to save her at the ball, it felt unnatural. Like he’s been protecting himself for so long but after a few sassy interactions he feels compelled to protect her so they can both be secretly gay together but still stuck in this horrible place. I’m also confused by Erin’s characterization. She breaks Sophia’s heart by refusing to run away out of her own sense of self preservation and wants to follow the King’s terrible laws, but she already broke rules and norms by having a relationship with Sophia. Someone that set on keeping themself safe doesn’t seem like they’d ever admit or act on any gay feelings.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Sophia and Constance, and I really liked Amina’s murky morality. Even though it was easy to guess at the “plot twist” of the prince’s secret to youth, I did not see Amina’s plot twist coming. Constance wasn’t a knight in shining armor; she was a solid foundation on which Sophia was able to build her own feelings of rebellion against tyranny and I think the message of “we can stand up to things that are wrong and also girls can save themselves” is a pretty good one to put out in the world.

Mind the content warnings, especially if you can’t stomach descriptions or discussions of misogyny, sexual assault, physical abuse and domestic violence, and implications of pedophilia.

Content Warnings

alyvia_jeane's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

Content Warnings

mila_21's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I think when I stated this book last yr I wasn't in the mood to read, but I picked it back up yesterday after having read about 50% and I couldn't put it down until I finished. It was a little slow to start

the twist with the fairy godmother and thr importance of her death on defeating the king was so unexpected but also obvious breadcrumbscan be seen in retrospect

Content Warnings