Photo Taken by: Me :)
Summary:
It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.
Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew . . .
This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.
“Do not be silent. Raise your voice. Be a light in the dark.”.
My rating: 3.5 Stars Rounded Up
I have mixed feelings about this book because I liked it and it was unique and fun to read, but there were also a few things I didn’t like.
The Idea
The Idea was probably what I liked best about this book because it was just so unique and intriguing! It feels like a mix between a fairy-tale retelling and a dystopian and I really enjoyed that mix in genres.
Characters+Romance
I don’t have too much to say about the characters other than that I really liked Sophia and Constance! They were both so fierce and brave, and I liked reading their dialogue. The other characters were okay, but I didn’t particularly like any of them.
What I didn't like was how even though Sophia's relationship with Constance was cute, it felt really rushed and undeveloped and I couldn't really feel their connection.
Plot+Pacing
This is yet again another place where I’m mixed. I liked some of the events in the plot, but I didn’t like the pacing, since it felt like most of the action happened towards the end.
Worldbuilding
The worldbuilding was fairly well done since it showed how restrictive their dystopian society was. I liked how we were able to see the rules they had to follow as well as some interesting magical elements, but I still would have wanted some more information.
Writing+Themes
I actually really liked the writing style! It was atmospherical and powerful at the same time.
More than the writing though, I loved the themes in this book about not staying silent and about making change and just how feminist it was!
Ending
I usually don’t give the ending a whole separate category but I feel like I should talk about it. I liked how it ended in some ways, but I felt like it was rushed and not as satisfying as I had hoped for.
Overall this was an enjoyable read and though it had some shortcomings, I would recommend it to who anyone who likes fairytale retellings and thinks this book would be their cup of tea!
Comments