Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

44 reviews

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

An excellent retelling of Cinderella from the point of view of a sapphic poc. Predictable at times but still a delightful read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Classism, Murder, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Rape

e_riahh's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Sexism, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Slavery, Grief, Homophobia, Trafficking, and Fire/Fire injury

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

dark

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

3.5

Cinderella and the information she took to her grave played a disappointingly smaller part in the plot than advertised, but giving Prince Charming dark origins was imaginative. The plot twist involving the “fairy godmother” (Amina) was unsatisfying. I can’t put my finger on it, but there was something missing from this book. It fell into that YA trap of feeling obligated to send a message instead of just telling a story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, and Animal death

dragongirl271's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Animal death, Police brutality, and Bullying

Minor: Gore, Violence, Suicide, Torture, and Trafficking

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

Moderate: Trafficking

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

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Homophobia

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

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

Minor: Pedophilia and Homophobia

eni_iilorak's review

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Gore, Outing, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Death, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Child abuse, Police brutality, and Body shaming

waywardcrow's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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? No

4.0

The first 150 pages of this book were very difficult for me to get through, mostly because I was not expecting the darkness of this story. It very much feels like a fantasy version of the Handmaid's Tale Lite. But, once I got past my initial shock, I became very interested in the plot and the characters. In the beginning, I couldn't understand Sophia's actions but by the end, appreciated her unwavering resolve and realized it's necessity to defeat the evil. This is a very unique retelling of Cinderella that in my opinion, more accurately captures the patriarchal society we live in. It is especially timely as I read this after the repeal of Roe vs. 

Wade and the rise in far right conservatism against women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Trafficking

majesticisme's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring sad slow-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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Trafficking

The entire focus of this book is systemic womens’ oppression within a fairytale/kingdom/fantasy setting, so if that is a topic which is triggering to you then I suggest you do not read. Women are objectified, harassed, married against their will, etc. but of course described by the author in a negative way. A woman is decapitated as she is falsely accused of assisting the main character. Another thing that may be triggering is a brief horse death as well as a bunny death which is more detailed.