By Melissa De La Cruz
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2022. 316 pages. Young Adult
1682. The king sends out an invitation to all the maidens in France: their presence is requested at a number of balls and events that will be held in honor of the dashing Prince Louis, who must choose a bride. While Cendrillon de Louvois was once the darling child of the king's favorite adviser, her father's death has turned her into the servant of her stepmother and cruel stepsisters--and at her own chateau, too! Cendrillon--now called Cinder--manages to evade her stepmother and attend the ball, where she catches the eye of the handsome Prince Louis and his younger brother Auguste. Even though Cendrillon has an immediate aversion to Louis, and a connection with Auguste, the only way to escape her stepmother is to compete with the other women at court for the Prince's hand. Soon, as Cendrillon grows closer to Auguste and dislikes the prince more and more, she will have to decide if she can bear losing the boy she loves in order to leave a life she hates.
As someone who loves to read Cinderella retellings more than any other book in the world, I would definitely recommend that you read this this one! I love that it's set in seventeenth century France, that almost all of the characters were inspired by historical figures, and all the historical French etiquette I learned while reading it. French phrases were scattered throughout, and while it's not necessary to the development of the plot, you may want to keep a French dictionary or translator app handy! The characters were all well-developed, and while many of the 'shocking reveals' were not-so-subtly hinted at many chapters in advance, I found this to be a comfortable retelling that was a worthwhile read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
If you like Cinder & Glass, you might also like:
By Jennifer Donnelly
Scholastic Press, 2019. 342 pages. Young Adult
Isabelle is one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, who cut off their toes in an attempt to fit into the glass slipper; but there is more to her story than a maimed foot, for the Marquis de la Chance is about to offer her a choice and the opportunity to change her fate--there will be blood and danger, but also the possibility of redemption and triumph, and most of all the chance to find her true self.
By Alethea Kontiss
Harcourt, 2012. 308 pages. Young Adult
When Sunday Woodcutter, the youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week, kisses an enchanted frog, he transforms back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland--a man Sunday's family despises.
ERB
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