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A review by celia_thebookishhufflepuff
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
5.0
I've been getting really into fairytale retellings this year, and I've heard so much about it that when I had the opportunity to get a free copy, I jumped at the chance.
This is not your normal cinderella story. It's not even a retelling, really, although it does deal with some aspects of that genre. But more than that it is a story about female empowerment in a world where men attempt to control all aspects of womanhood. It's what the world might look like if certain legislation was passed or overturned by the American government.
It's still a fantasy story of Cinderella, but it also breaks down the walls of the Cinderella story in general. It features strong female characters defeating the patriarchy, characters who happen to be LGBT and black and oppressed women. It's a story that resonates with the world as it is today, where people are murdered in the streets and the world does nothing.
I loved this book, but there were a few things that I feel could have been better done. For one thing, there was almost no physical descriptions of characters other than a few things here and there. I know from the cover that the MC is supposed to be a black woman, but I wish this were addressed more in the story. This is an instance where character descriptions would help with world-building, because the story is based on oppression, and it would help to know the faces of the oppressed beyond just that they are women.
Another thing was the ending. It felt rushed, and in a way it inadvertently sets the reader up for a sequel, but I don't think this was necessarily the intention. It just sort of happens, and I feel like there needs to be more of an explanation of the "after."
I really do hope [a:Kalynn Bayron|18885814|Kalynn Bayron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1570491795p2/18885814.jpg] writes a sequel or at least a spinoff. This world is one that needs more explanation, and I would happily dive into it. This is also going on my Christmas list so I can own a physical copy as well.
This is not your normal cinderella story. It's not even a retelling, really, although it does deal with some aspects of that genre. But more than that it is a story about female empowerment in a world where men attempt to control all aspects of womanhood. It's what the world might look like if certain legislation was passed or overturned by the American government.
It's still a fantasy story of Cinderella, but it also breaks down the walls of the Cinderella story in general. It features strong female characters defeating the patriarchy, characters who happen to be LGBT and black and oppressed women. It's a story that resonates with the world as it is today, where people are murdered in the streets and the world does nothing.
I loved this book, but there were a few things that I feel could have been better done. For one thing, there was almost no physical descriptions of characters other than a few things here and there. I know from the cover that the MC is supposed to be a black woman, but I wish this were addressed more in the story. This is an instance where character descriptions would help with world-building, because the story is based on oppression, and it would help to know the faces of the oppressed beyond just that they are women.
Another thing was the ending. It felt rushed, and in a way it inadvertently sets the reader up for a sequel, but I don't think this was necessarily the intention. It just sort of happens, and I feel like there needs to be more of an explanation of the "after."
I really do hope [a:Kalynn Bayron|18885814|Kalynn Bayron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1570491795p2/18885814.jpg] writes a sequel or at least a spinoff. This world is one that needs more explanation, and I would happily dive into it. This is also going on my Christmas list so I can own a physical copy as well.