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Cinderella Is Dead: the TikTok sensation Paperback – 6 Aug. 2020
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'Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairytale ... 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' - New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer
'A richly diverse and lovely read ... relevant, modern and inclusive' - NetGalley Reviewer
'An intense experience, but a captivating one' - Paper Lanterns Magazine
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It's 200 years since Cinderella found her prince, but the fairytale is over.
Sophia knows the story though, off by heart. Because every girl has to recite it daily, from when she's tiny until the night she's sent to the royal ball for choosing. And every girl knows that she has only one chance. For the lives of those not chosen by a man at the ball . are forfeit.
But Sophia doesn't want to be chosen - she's in love with her best friend, Erin, and hates the idea of being traded like cattle. And when Sophia's night at the ball goes horribly wrong, she must run for her life. Alone and terrified, she finds herself hiding in Cinderella's tomb. And there she meets someone who will show her that she has the power to remake her world .
An electrifying twist on the classic fairytale that will inspire girls to break out of limiting stereotypes and follow their dreams!
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions19.7 x 2.9 x 12.9 cm
- PublisherBloomsbury YA
- Publication date6 Aug. 2020
- ISBN-101526621975
- ISBN-13978-1526621979
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From the Publisher
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
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Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,831
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4.5 out of 5 stars 1,045
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4.0 out of 5 stars 1,137
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4.3 out of 5 stars 126
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Price | £7.99£7.99 | £7.35£7.35 | £7.89£7.89 | £6.37£6.37 |
More from Kalynn Bayron | A contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deadly power. | The breathtaking and empowering sequel to This Poison Heart. | At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game. Can you survive the night? | Pre-order Sleep Like Death now! |
Product description
Review
A richly diverse and lovely read ... relevant, modern and inclusive ― NetGalley Reviewer
This was gay, romantic and perfectly set, with a mixture of traditional fairy tale elements that were flipped on their head and new elements that made it seem less susceptible to tropes and problems. It was a really enjoyable read and really put an exciting, original spin on the Cinderella tale ― NetGalley Reviewer
Did somebody say feminist? As someone who was raised on fairy tales and Disney, practically conditioned to believe the woman was supposed to be rescued by the man, I ADORED this book. I was captivated from the start and the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ themes warmed my heart. I can't wait to see what Bayron does next ― NetGalley Reviewer
Cinderella Is Dead is an incredible feminist retelling of the classic tale I never knew I needed in my life, but I'm so glad it exists ― NetGalley Reviewer
Full of power, humour, strength and love, "Cinderella Is Dead" shows itself to be one of the most engaging novels I've encountered this year. With a powerful story that is about doing what is right and a host of characters you come to care for deeply, I can find so few faults with this. It will be one I recommend to everyone over the next few months ― NetGalley Reviewer
Bayron masterfully brings the reader into the action and the emotions of the characters. It is an intense experience, but a captivating one ― Paper Lanterns Magazine
Book Description
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of young adult novels Cinderella Is Dead, This Poison Heart, This Wicked Fate, You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight and Sleep Like Death, and the middle grade Vanquishers series. She is a classically trained vocalist, and she grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. When she's not writing you can find her listening to Ella Fitzgerald on loop, attending the theatre, watching scary movies, and spending time with her kids. She currently lives in Ithaca, New York with her family.
www.kalynnbayron.com
@KalynnBayron
Product details
- Publisher : Bloomsbury YA; 1st edition (6 Aug. 2020)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1526621975
- ISBN-13 : 978-1526621979
- Reading age : 11+ years, from customers
- Dimensions : 19.7 x 2.9 x 12.9 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 43,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer reviews:
About the author

Kalynn Bayron is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the YA fantasy novels CINDERELLA IS DEAD and THIS POISON HEART. Her latest works include the YA fantasy THIS WICKED FATE and the middle grade paranormal adventure THE VANQUISHERS. She is a CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominee, a two-time CYBILS Award nominee, and the recipient of the 2022 Randall Keenan Award for Black LGBTQ fiction. She is a classically trained vocalist and musical theater enthusiast. When she's not writing you can find her watching scary movies and spending time with her family.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They appreciate the unique storyline and gripping narrative. The characters are described as powerful, feisty, and captivating. Readers praise the writing quality as beautiful and creative. They value the representation of LGBTQ people and femininity in the book. However, some feel the pacing is too slow or rushed at times.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the unique storyline and excellent twist on the classic fairytale. They find the concept brilliant, the book gripping, and the retelling solid. The story is described as a fantastic love story with adventure, family, and challenging the status quo.
"...Though fast pace at times, Cinderella is dead tells a wonderful tale of independence and the power youths have to change the future of our society..." Read more
"...Black woman in books are a whole new level! I absolutely loved the story and Kalynn's writing, so immersive and polished, a book to remember..." Read more
"Very enjoyable read! A great twist on an old tale most of us grew up reading! It does make you think about the other side of all the other fairytales" Read more
"Cinderella but the twists aren't boring" Read more
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it a fun and interesting retelling of Cinderella with different plot twists. The book is well-written and they enjoyed the last 70 pages.
"...Amazing writing on the authors behalf, not to mention the beautiful cover art!!!" Read more
"...I can't possibly describe how amazing this book was. Super fun and creative, a whole new perspective to the story and THE REPRESENTATION!!..." Read more
"Very enjoyable read! A great twist on an old tale most of us grew up reading! It does make you think about the other side of all the other fairytales" Read more
"...Plus, sparkly hairpins double as lockpicks. There was also a (possible) Shrek reference that made me laugh when it was revealed...." Read more
Customers find the characters captivating and strong-willed. They appreciate the feisty female protagonists, including Sophia and Constance. The narrative shows inner strength and a desire for power for the women in the story. Overall, customers describe the book as an interesting feminist retelling of a classic fairytale.
"...Sophia, a strong and smart protagonist, takes her life into her own hands despite always being told to be quiet a follow orders...." Read more
"...I really appreciated was Sophia’s attitude towards dresses and traditional femininity...." Read more
"...And what about the characters? Well, Sophia is a great protagonist. She's strong-willed, brave, smart...." Read more
"...The characters were brilliant, I loved them all (unless they were evil), and the relationships between each was perfect...." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They find it well-written, creative, and immersive. The author's storytelling is described as excellently executed.
"...Amazing writing on the authors behalf, not to mention the beautiful cover art!!!" Read more
"...I absolutely loved the story and Kalynn's writing, so immersive and polished, a book to remember always! 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐..." Read more
"...And the thought that went into this retelling; it was so well done...." Read more
"...The execution however is more than lacking. The writing is clunky, and pacing is awkward...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's representation of LGBTQ characters and love. They find it a great story with feisty female characters, a reminder that femininity is not a bad thing, and an examination of misogyny, sexism, and homophobia.
"...The examination of misogyny, sexism, and to a lesser extent homophobia, and how the world of this book relates to our own, is about as subtle as a..." Read more
"...I ended up pulling a near all-nighter to finish it! It has some lovely queer rep as well...." Read more
"...I loved the representation of queer people I'm it. 10/10 would recommend." Read more
"its a great book, great lgbt rep but also a really great story" Read more
Customers find the book has a strong and smart protagonist. They appreciate the quality, saying it arrived in perfect condition. The book starts well with great themes, but some feel the delivery is underwhelming.
"...Sophia, a strong and smart protagonist, takes her life into her own hands despite always being told to be quiet a follow orders...." Read more
"...Well, Sophia is a great protagonist. She's strong-willed, brave, smart...." Read more
"I loved this book it was in very good condition when it arrived" Read more
"Amazing quality, so far it is a good read." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book too slow, especially at the beginning leading up to the ball. They also say it's rushed and wish it was longer so they could see the characters more clearly.
"...The writing is clunky, and pacing is awkward...." Read more
"...After this, the events slow down a little, but the pace never really drops, if that makes sense. I was never bored...." Read more
"...So firstly, why three stars? The pace was a little too slow, especially at the start leading up to the ball...." Read more
"...Also the timescale of Sophia and Constance's relationship was quite fast and not very realistic. But overall a good book just needs more detail." Read more
Reviews with images
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An empowering and intriguing update to the Cinderella story
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 May 2022A great read for LGBTQ+ youth who don’t feel represented in the media. Sophia, a strong and smart protagonist, takes her life into her own hands despite always being told to be quiet a follow orders.
Though fast pace at times, Cinderella is dead tells a wonderful tale of independence and the power youths have to change the future of our society for the better!
Amazing writing on the authors behalf, not to mention the beautiful cover art!!!
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 August 2021Do you ever feel like Cinderella was absolutely amazing but, nowadays, it could be turned INTO something better?
If your answer is yes, then you've found your book.
'Cinderella is Dead' by Kalynn Bayron is a retelling for the original story we all grew up reciting. However, when the actual ball comes, everything has already crumbled.
I can't possibly describe how amazing this book was. Super fun and creative, a whole new perspective to the story and THE REPRESENTATION!! Black woman in books are a whole new level! I absolutely loved the story and Kalynn's writing, so immersive and polished, a book to remember always!
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5.0 out of 5 starsDo you ever feel like Cinderella was absolutely amazing but, nowadays, it could be turned INTO something better?Cinderella has a whole new story!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 August 2021
If your answer is yes, then you've found your book.
'Cinderella is Dead' by Kalynn Bayron is a retelling for the original story we all grew up reciting. However, when the actual ball comes, everything has already crumbled.
I can't possibly describe how amazing this book was. Super fun and creative, a whole new perspective to the story and THE REPRESENTATION!! Black woman in books are a whole new level! I absolutely loved the story and Kalynn's writing, so immersive and polished, a book to remember always!
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 October 2024Very enjoyable read! A great twist on an old tale most of us grew up reading! It does make you think about the other side of all the other fairytales
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 August 2020200 years after Cinderella’s death, the kingdom that she used to live in has become a dystopia. When girls turn 16, they are forced to attend a ball, where the men of the kingdom choose which girl they want to be their wife. Any girl that doesn’t get chosen by the time they’re 18 is taken away, never to be seen again. Main character Sophia doesn’t want to go through any of this for all of the obvious reasons, and also because she’s gay and in love with her childhood friend.
I loved this book!
I’ve seen a lot of people pitch it as queer girls in a fairytale setting teaming up to overthrow the patriarchy, and that’s exactly what this book is! The examination of misogyny, sexism, and to a lesser extent homophobia, and how the world of this book relates to our own, is about as subtle as a brick to the face, but that is the opposite of an issue for me. People with the same view as the villains in this book still exist in the real world. Some anvils need to be dropped. I enjoyed this book being so clear and unambiguous, and it’s definitely going to bring joy to the young girls who read it.
Did I mention that this book is queer yet? It’s queer as hell! Our main girls are very gay for each other and are completely unapologetic about it, which I adore! Girls waxing poetic about other girls is A+++ and that was very present in this book.
A small detail that I really appreciated was Sophia’s attitude towards dresses and traditional femininity. At the start of the book, she’s being prepped for the compulsory ball, and is obviously unhappy about it. But later on she says that she does like dresses, and sparkles, and all that. What she doesn’t like is being forced into them for the gaze of anyone but herself. I related to this a lot, and I’m sure that many people who read this book will too. And even if they don’t relate to it, it still serves as a good reminder that femininity in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, rather it’s the expectation of conformity to a specific performance of femininity that’s bad. Plus, sparkly hairpins double as lockpicks.
There was also a (possible) Shrek reference that made me laugh when it was revealed. I don’t even care if it wasn’t intentional, I love it anyway.
I would’ve liked to have seen a deeper exploration on how LGBT+ people are treated in the kingdom. This does get briefly touched on, but in nowhere near as much detail as how women are treated, and while it’s obvious that they’re not treated well, I’m still left with some questions. The ‘forfeit’ system, and how that works, is also left a little unclear. Enough information is given so the reader can understand that it’s bad and to be avoided, so the story functions perfectly well without a detailed explanation, but I still would’ve liked one. But these are nitpicks! That I didn’t even come up with until I was halfway through writing this review! Honestly, this book is great and I had a great time reading it.
All in all, I would recommend this book to people who like fairytales, dystopias, queer girls, and smashing the patriarchy into tiny little pieces.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2020The premise of the story is great. A town brainwashed by the story of Cinderella finding her prince at a ball has used this to create a suffocating patriarchy with a totalitarian monarchy. Whilst not totally unique, it is an interesting premise for those that have enjoyed such tropes in other books such as Girls of Paper and Fire.
The execution however is more than lacking. The writing is clunky, and pacing is awkward. It is very much 'I did this then she did that' with very little scene-building or real description which is crucial to inviting a reader into a fantasy world. The main character is kind of dull, and so the idea that everyone revolved around her is rather unbelievable. There was no development with any of the characters really. The big 'plot twist' had very little build up and was soon glossed over. The book as a whole is lacking emotion, the reader gets told x character feels x way (despite this being in first person), but the actions don't reflect this which makes for a jarring read. There was also little conclusion, with some prominent characters' fates not mentioned at all, which is a bit of a disappointing note to end a book on.
Overall, it's not awful, however it did become a bit of a chore to complete during the later chapters. It's a shame, as it had so much potential, I'm quite confused as to why the publisher didn't re-draft it before publishing.
Top reviews from other countries
- Tasha M.Reviewed in Canada on 16 January 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars LISTEENNNNNNN!!
Ohkay, this was a ride and I LOVE IT!
I loved the back story of Cinderella and the history of it. The twist, secrets, betrayal. Oh soo good.
I get what Erin was saying tbh(I wouldn’t go through with it but still). I understand where she was coming from. She was scared of the unknown future and just what to stuck with what she was forced to do sadly.
Sophia, baby. You are a fire and I love everything you did.
Why did I take sooooo long to read this???!!!
Anyways, this was a ride and I’m glad I was on it. So perfect!!
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Isabella Juarez LunaReviewed in Mexico on 4 December 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Bueno!!!
Muy bueno!!!
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niReviewed in Brazil on 14 October 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars cinderella doesnt like boys
Não li ainda, mas o inglês é bem intermediário. Não que seja difícil, mas tem bastante palavrinhas para ir pesquisar enquanto você lê.
Em geral o estado do livro veio impecável, sem nenhum arranhão. Veio bem rápido, cerca de 2 dias. As folhas dele são boas para ler também, não é durinha, mas também não é fina, como folha de bíblia.
A capa é linda também, uma das mais lindas que já vi em minha vida. Primeira vez em que eu acho que uma capa é mais bonita em sua versão em inglês, porquê geralmente as editoras brasileiras arrasam nas capas!
O livro é menor do que eu esperava. Ele é pequenininho gente, mas é grosso.
ele é MUITO leve, muito mesmo. Me surpreendi real com o peso. Parece ser uma leitura gostosa e leve, não sei bem oque esperar mas pra essa capa, precisa ter uma história a altura
Gente tudo no livro é lindo, e quando vc ver vc vai abraçar ele como se fosse um filho de tao lindinho que é.
Por ser pequeno achei que até ficou mais bonitinha a capa
- mrrReviewed in the Netherlands on 29 September 2024
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read
It’s a good story but too much lagging if they have written da book little shorter I would give 5stars because the book was long with less content I felt bored in some occasions
- AbhipsaReviewed in India on 8 June 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
The book came in a stellar condition. It was wrapped securely and and there is not a single fold. My friend has been eyeing this book for a while and I got it for her birthday 😁