She is in love with Erin, though their relationship is not allowed in Lille (whatever would the men do then?). Most of the girls are resigned to their fate, but not Sophie. The consequences of not being chosen are severe. Families will do everything they can to give their daughters the best chance.

They must look and behave as though they have stepped straight out of the pages of Cinderella, whatever the personal cost. All girls of age must attend to be chosen by the men and married off, and they must do so in a way that suggests they have been favoured by a Fairy Godmother with a magic wand that most of society don’t believe exists. Sophie is about to attend her ball, an occasion that mirrors the ball where Cinderella was chosen by Prince Charming. There is little to suggest anyone in this world is living the happy-ever-after they were promised. There is a barely concealed undercurrent of domestic abuse and most women we meet are poorly treated by the men they marry. It is an oppressive, suffocating society and even reading about it feels oppressive at times. No-one is allowed to question the story of Cinderella or the laws that have arisen from it.

These rules are restrictive for women and are strictly enforced by their cruel King. Lille is governed by Cinderella’s story, and its inhabitants live by the rules of the text. It was my first book of 2021, a brilliant start to the new year, and one of the best fairytale retellings I’ve read.Ĭinderella is Dead is set 200 years after Cinderella found her happy-ever-after with Prince Charming. I pre-ordered Cinderella is Dead the second I heard about it. If you know me, you will know that I am a big fan of retellings and twisted tales. Click to view book information on The StoryGraph

Cinderella is dead book