We continue our 12 Days of Blogmas 2021 with Day 17, using Sophie @ Beware of the Reader‘s Blogmas prompts. Hers features Best Debut Novel of 2021:
Blogmas Day 17: Best Debut Novel
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron was such a fantastic debut! Who knew a Cinderella retelling about a girl and Cinderella’s descendant fighting back against old, tired patriarchy and archaic rules would be so badass?! I loved the slow burn pacing, the romances, the drama, the race against time, and realizing what you thought you knew wasn’t real. This book taught me to stick to your guns and always believe in yourself, while still being afraid. And know that it’s not too late to start over.
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Published by Bloomsbury USA on July 7, 2020
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations, Young Adult Fiction / Girls & Women, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBT
Pages: 400
Buy on Amazon
"Wholly original and captivating." - Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Girls team up to overthrow the kingdom in this unique and powerful retelling of Cinderella from a stunning new voice that's perfect for fans of A Curse So Dark and Lonely.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.
Buy on Amazon here:
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Thanks for reading,
Hi Danielle! Sorry I missed your posts! I will go back and comment now! And Cinderella is Dead is a great choice!
Hi Sophie! It’s okay, I’m glad you saw them and commented. 🙂 And thanks, I loved Cinderella is Dead!
This sounds facinating. I may have to pick this up sooner than later. I kind of want to know why the king is forcing this. What of Cinderella’s story made the kingdom think this was a good idea?
It is super fascinating! It’ll give you a new perspective on Cinderella and the whole fairytale. Hope you read the book to find out why the king did this rule! It’s wild!