Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

188 reviews

mushmysteriesandmore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 A retelling of Cinderella, featuring a queer romance, feminist movement at its finest and a whole new slant on the Cinderella fairytale. The familiar characters of Cinderella, Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother in particular are not what we are familiar with. What if Cinderella didn’t love the Prince like we thought? What if the Prince wasn’t as Charming as we were led to believe? And what if the Fairy Godmother wasn’t the answer to every girl’s problem but the cause?

I loved the two leads in this book. Sophia does not want to be chosen by a man at the mandatory royal ball, she doesn’t want to be beholden to a man, like every other woman in her town. This town is completely backward in its treatment of women, they should be seen and not heard, all women have a curfew of 8 pm and at the age of sixteen they are legally bound to attend the royal ball in the hope of being chosen by a man to be their wife, otherwise, their lives are forfeit into servitude or worse.

This book was brilliant, I was completely hooked from start to finish. I loved the new take on the old fairy tale and how our heroine Sophia refused to accept the laws passed down for centuries. Her fledgling romance with Constance, a descendant of one of the ‘evil’ stepsisters is wonderfully innocent but passionate.

The plot will have you swinging this way and that as you try to figure out what is happening. There are a few weird and dark moments (necromancy for one) but all in all, this book was one of my favourites so far this year. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Murder

Necromancy

gbrds762's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Trafficking

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ebp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Outing

Minor: Slavery, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

ladybanecourt's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.25

✨4.25/5✨

This is the third-ever fairytale retelling that I have read, and let me tell you something: fairytale retellings slap. I can confidently tell you that I found this book to be a wonderful retelling that really just boils down to taking back our control over the narrative. To raise our voice against oppression and not be silent to the plight of our fellow people.

It's filled with interesting characters and a storyline that kept me hooked whenever I read it. Plus, as someone who has a short attention span, the short chapters kept me engaged, so that's definitely a plus in my book.

Cinderella Is Dead is definitely a story that deals with a lot of heavy themes, and though it is fantastical in its setting, it exposes heavy-hitting truths about a society that reflects our own. You'll definitely find out when you read the book, so I encourage you to read it! ✨

P.S. For a lot of reasons, I feel like this book will make for a REALLY good film. I'd definitely watch.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Homophobia

micaelacccc's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Kidnapping and Grief

chelskiig's review

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Violence

mariamj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Amazing take in a classic fairytale. It was really dark with so many twists and turns. Love every minute of it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Minor: Homophobia and Pedophilia

ka_ke's review against another edition

Ugh, whats with all the man hate. 

As a feminist, I get wanting to tear down the patriarchy, but why is every man (except for the queer ones) in this book a misogynistic abusive ass? We know better than this. 

Also, the mc’s perspective on anything and everything is whiny and unintelligent… gross

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Hate crime, and Abandonment

mirroaoror's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship