Cinderella Is Dead

by Kalynn Bayron

Overview

"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 Dhonielle Clayton and Melissa Albert.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547603886
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	187,568
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

Kalynn Bayron is a debut author and classically trained vocalist. She grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. When she's not writing you can find her listening to Ella Fitzgerald on loop, attending the theater, watching scary movies, and spending time with her kids. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas with her family.
@KalynnBayron

Editorial Reviews

07/13/2020

Two hundred years after Cinderella’s death, the kingdom of Mersailles is a totalitarian patriarchy: women have no rights and live with children under a strict curfew, while young women must present themselves to prospective suitors at the annual ball. Those who aren’t selected in three years—married by 18—are considered forfeit and destined for lives of servitude; some vanish altogether. In the city of Lille, headstrong Sophia Grimmins, 16, wants nothing to do with marriage—unless it’s to her girlfriend, Erin. But while Erin succumbs to fear and social pressure, Sophia refuses to yield, fleeing the ball. On the run, she encounters beautiful Constance, a descendant of Cinderella’s vilified stepsister Gabrielle, who knows the truth behind the official legend. Determined to overthrow the corrupt system, the two decide to trace the rumors behind another storied figure: Cinderella’s fairy godmother. While the budding relationship between Sophia and Constance fulfills an emotional component, logistical failings and a hasty conclusion weaken the novel. Even so, Bayron’s deconstructive reimagining of the classic fairy tale is ambitious, replacing the happily-ever-after with a tragic legacy and a defiant, feminist tone. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jamie Vankirk, Rainbow Nerds Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairy-tale . . . She breaks it apart and rebuilds it into a wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after." - Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY

"Flipping the Cinderella tale on its head, Bayron’s take challenges patriarchy with kick-butt heroines and a counter-story that will forever change how readers perceive fairy tales." - Booklist (starred review)

"Readers looking for dystopia, queer romance, LGBTQ inclusiveness, and women sticking it to the patriarchy will be pleased." - School Library Journal online

"A queer dystopian fantasy that questions written history and societal expectations." - Shelf Awareness Pro

"Bayron’s deconstructive reimagining of the classic fairy tale is ambitious, replacing the happily-ever-after with a tragic legacy and a defiant, feminist tone." - Publishers Weekly online

"[A] promising debut . . . twists and turns will keep readers in suspense." - Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

03/20/2020

Gr 9 Up—A Cinderella retelling set two centuries after that famous happily ever after. Each year, young women must attend a ball where they are judged and selected by the men of the kingdom. Sophia is a headstrong young woman who just wants to marry her best friend and secret girlfriend, Erin. The book follows a “What happens next?” plot, and from the start Sophia is outspoken, always trying to do what is right. The cast is diverse and inclusive, though the character development is uneven. VERDICT Readers looking for dystopia, queer romance, LGBTQ inclusiveness, and women sticking it to the patriarchy will be pleased, though some may find the plot predictable.—Gilly Yildiz, Eisenhower Public Library, Harwood Heights, IL

School Library Journal

2021-04-27
In Mersailles, “Cinderella” is more than just a fairy tale: It’s the basis for a harsh monarch’s throttlehold on his kingdom.

Sophia is turning 16, the age at which young women must attend King Manford’s annual ball, at which they are scrutinized by and married off to male attendees. Any young woman who has not been claimed after her third ball is destined to spend the rest of her days engaged in hard labor. But being chosen can be its own curse in a society where domestic violence is common. Sophia is a beautiful Black girl in love with dark-haired Erin, one of her best friends. While racial diversity is a natural part of this world, the same acceptance does not exist for those who defy rigid gender norms: Anything other than heterosexual desire is strictly forbidden, and while Sophia wishes to escape as a couple, Erin is too fearful. After fleeing the ball, Sophia stumbles across Cinderella’s mausoleum, hidden in the woods. There she meets rebellious Constance, an attractive young red-haired woman with a very personal motivation for sabotaging the monarchy. As the two grew closer—and sparks fly—they discover secrets that could end Manford’s cruel reign. This promising debut deals with themes around rebellion and empowerment as well as the toll that rejecting the status quo can take on relationships. The atmospheric setting is a particular strength, and the twists and turns will keep readers in suspense.

Will both entertain and encourage reflection. (Fantasy. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews