Just when I thought there could not be another way for someone to retell the Cinderella story, I was very pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong.
Cinder–part girl, part machine–makes a living fixing androids in order to help financially support her stepmother and stepsisters. That is, until she finds herself wrapped up in a strange conspiracy linking all the way to the royal family. This tale loosely based on the beloved tale Cinderella is a refreshing dystopian take on a beloved fairytale!
Likes
- Setting. While it was set in dystopian China, the tale did not rely too heavily on the culture that we know it today and instead focused on what it had become, which helped the story moved forward a bit better.
- Characters. Each character was very well-rounded and the protagonist was a nice balance between the “not like other girls” trope and one who also maintains some femininity.
Dislikes
- Predictable ending. I’m sure this comes with any Cinderella tale or retelling, but I kind of knew how the ending would turn out. However, I was happy that the author set up the end for a sequel!
Recommendation
I would recommend this read to people who are fans of Cinderella retellings, but also YA dystopian novels. I read this book as part of a curriculum for a YA literature course and I would suggest teachers implement this book as well; I’m sure their students will not only learn more about the fairytale retelling trope, but also how to develop unique adaptations to well-known tales.
