Not Your Mother's Cinderella

Cinder House by Freya Marske

What Amazon sez: Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske—a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.

What I say: Cinderella, but make it feral. We like to pretend the original story is wholesome: all pumpkins, wishes, and a girl who just wants to go to the ball. But if you actually read those older versions? It's all human bondage, dismemberment, bird vigilantism, and a prince with what is—let’s call it politely—a foot-forward romantic preference.

Cinder House leans all the way into the darkness. It’s Gothic. It’s queer. Honestly, it’s more polyamory with a touch of ash and obsession, and a Happily Ever After that you'd never guess.

Synopsis: Ella is a ghost, murdered at sixteen and trapped in her father’s house, seen only by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Every night at midnight, she’s dragged back to the staircase where she died. When a fairy charm-seller offers her three nights of freedom—three nights to be seen, touched, alive—Ella takes the deal.

You think you know the story: the ball, the slipper, the prince. Half right. Entirely wrong!

Marske keeps the fairy-tale magic while twisting everything we think we know. The writing is elegant, the pacing sharp, and the characters feel vivid and alive, even the dead one. This retelling hits every classic Cinderella beat, but the ghost angle adds a delicious twist. The revenge on Ella’s tormenters is deeply satisfying, and the romance? Let’s just say “happily ever after” gets a very modern, very hands-on update.

The story never drags, and Marske slips in surprises that keep the pages turning. The ending wasn’t what I expected, but it was intriguing and earned. The spice is tasteful, and the emotion genuine.

And remember, the version of Cinderella we grew up with is already a retelling of a retelling. Fairy tales evolve. Cinder House just evolves with fangs and excellent kissing.

If you like your fairy tales dark, queer, magical, and a little bit wicked, pick up Cinder House.

Explore these YouTube videos for an in-depth look at the evolution of the Cinderella story.