Review: Cinder & Glass by Melissa De La Cruz

Inspired by the stories of the court of Louis XIV, the sun king and based on a fairytale, Cinder & Glass is an entertaining read, adding its own twist to the story of Cinderella. Left at the will of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters after the death of her father, Cendrillon De Louvois is forced to become a servant to her new family. After attending the royal ball, she captures the heart of Prince Louis and his brother Auguste. Although she has a disinclination towards the Prince and a connection to Auguste, Cendrillon knows that the only way to leave the cruelty of her stepmother is to compete against the other courting girls for the Prince’s hand. This leaves her faced with an impossible decision. Is she willing to lose the boy that she loves in order to escape the life she so desperately hates?

While based on a well known fairytale, this book offers enough nuance to make the characters feel new. I really adored the friendship between Cendrillon, Elodie and Marius, it was heartwarming to see how much they cared for each other. The book has a way of getting you invested in the characters quickly and so it wasn’t too long before I found myself rooting for Cendrillon and Auguste’s relationship. The writing had good descriptions, in particular when the Hall of Mirrors was being described, it felt like I was actually standing right there. The only minor issue for me was that I felt like the pacing was a bit off however, at no point did I feel bored of the story. The quotes at the start of a new part were lovely and in my opinion, a great addition to the telling of the story. 

Perfect for fans of the Cinderella fairytale and fantasy genre, Cinder & Glass is an elegant, inventive retelling with a twist and a story worth reading. 

Sarah Thompson O Sullivan, 16