A review by kaitrates
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous dark inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Struggling to rate this one because upon finishing, I'm left with a sense of disappointment but none of the things I can pinpoint feel they are *the reason* why it felt disappointing.

That being said, there were many things in this that I did enjoy. The elements of the original Cinderella that were woven in and how they existed, the book's commentary on white feminism, misogyny, fasicsm, and "doing things the way they've always been done", and the way it held accountable all who saw what was going on and said nothing. The last 10-15% had me on the edge of my seat as one reveal after another came to light. I also liked that the thing I was internally screaming about—how Manford gets his power—wasn't actually the crux of the resolution. I also like how we got to see each of their prophecies come to pass and in a different way than the characters expected. Oh! And the epilogue which lets be real is The Dream.

Now for things that I didn't enjoy as much. The Amina reveal lost some of its punch given what happens right after. I don't like being left with ambiguity
over who's side she was actually on and don't feel that the betrayal really had any tangible impact beside shock value
. I didn't buy the depth of feelings between Constance and Sophia. Insta-lust, sure. But we didn't get to see that lust develop into something more. It just felt like unhealthy trauma bonding to me. OH and Luke was one of my fave characters and played such a big part earlier on...why did we see so little of him later in the book?

And I wish part of the new Lille included therapy for everyone lol Lastly, this read as a younger YA to me despite the darker themes. 

Overall, this was a great idea that I don't think was excecuted as well as it could be. I'd try another book of Bayron's.
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