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hannahbailey 's review for:
Cinderella Is Dead
by Kalynn Bayron
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cinderella is Dead has all the markings of a classic YA: present tense first-person POV, a tyrant to overthrow and a feisty teenage heroine! What's not to like (especially if you're a teen reader feeling a little revolutionary)?!
There were some interesting themes explored throughout the novel, such as how patriarchal structures enforce the gender roles of both women and men and how marginalised characters experience different levels of suffering. The queer representation is strong and is partly what drives the main character to challenge the way of things, so this made for an interesting subversion of the Cinderella fairy tale.
The plot just moved too quickly for me – the main character gets herself out of scrapes almost as quickly as she gets herself into them! More detail in each scene would have helped build the tension and suspense. Unfortunately there was always just the perfect something or someone around whenever she needed it, so despite the fast pace and the odds seemingly stacked against her, the stakes felt quite low.
There were some interesting themes explored throughout the novel, such as how patriarchal structures enforce the gender roles of both women and men and how marginalised characters experience different levels of suffering. The queer representation is strong and is partly what drives the main character to challenge the way of things, so this made for an interesting subversion of the Cinderella fairy tale.
The plot just moved too quickly for me – the main character gets herself out of scrapes almost as quickly as she gets herself into them! More detail in each scene would have helped build the tension and suspense. Unfortunately there was always just the perfect something or someone around whenever she needed it, so despite the fast pace and the odds seemingly stacked against her, the stakes felt quite low.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Murder