Reviews

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

lohopkins's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

nightworldlove's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.5

pcrthos's review against another edition

4.0

Just- It was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who's interested in solving 200 year old mysteries, fighting corrupt governments, questionable magic, compassionate & clever protagonists falling in love with tender & tenacious renegades, long & meandering walks in creepy forests, and anyone who's ever felt lost & alone because of who they are or who they love.

Things I loved about this book, in no particular order:

- The twisted lore on Cinderella, and the firm acknowledgement that the story you're taught may not always be the full truth.

-Always keep a healthy skepticism of your government.

- Sophia's endless hope and determination, even in the face of everything falling apart around her.

- The last lines : Do not be silent.
Raise your voice.
Be a light in the dark.

- It feels very much like a dystopia, and I had a similar sense of foreboding in the descriptions of Lille that I encountered when reading about Big Brother's London (not nearly as gut-wrenching, but the ghost of it definitely hovered at the edge of my awareness)

amandabooktopia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

thatonebooklover425's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.25

marisa_dc's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

geckobookcooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

carnimdream's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

jenmangler's review against another edition

3.0

I like how Bayron plays with the idea of how stories have the power to shape our reality, especially when they're lies told about history.

zikeyag's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was very conflicted during this story because of the way the FMC was portrayed. At first, I was annoyed by her lack of perspective. She only cared about what she wanted and not the safety and feelings of others. To me, it was either her way or the highway because she wanted everyone to have her way of thinking when they had their own thoughts. As the story progressed, I do realize that those individuals were scared and she was just trying to get them to believe what they thought was “impossible”. I understand both sides, but I still feel she was rather pushy. 

This was an interesting take on the classic fairytale, Cinderella. It had me thinking about cartoons and how you watch them as an adult you notice all the hidden meanings behind what the characters say. Who truly knows the true story of Cinderella? What was the story actually based on and then turned into a “fairytale” to make it magical to all? 

I enjoyed the twist at the end. I didn’t really expect one and that’s what caught me by surprise. The character development of the FMC was strong and there was a diverse set of characters. I would recommend.