#the blue fairy wouldn't exist without elena...

[lilacerull0]

[wondereads]

What is the best Cinderella retelling?

I did this a while ago with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which can be found here, and it went pretty well, so here I am again. This is my ranking of Cinderella retellings, from worst to best.

7th Place: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Have you seen the movies Starstruck or A Cinderella Story? If you have, congratulations! You don't need to read this book! This book was horrendously predictable, out of touch, and cringey. I will say that the concept was sweet, and the lore is surprisingly in-depth, but that's about where my praise ends. The main character, who loves to disparage other girls for the unforgivable crime of liking a celebrity, verges on not-like-other-girls, and she's a caricature of fandom. Pretty much all the worst parts of 2012 Tumblr wrapped into a person, and this book was published in 2015. Like many YA contemporaries, this book suffers from forced, awkward pop culture references that made it nigh unreadable. Save yourself some time and watch Starstruck.

6th Place: The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

I quite enjoyed this one; I loved the worldbuilding with all its fairy tale references and rules, and the characters were dynamic and interesting. However, I wouldn't really classify it as a Cinderella retelling. The main character, Elena, is supposed to fit the role of Cinderella before she's recruited as a fairy-godmother-in-training, but that's about where the similarities end. Instead, I would say this is a fantasy romance inspired by fairy tale conventions. (Fair warning: there is some casual homophobia in this book—they mention many times that princesses marrying princesses is out of the question—which is why my personal rating for this book dropped from a 9 to a 7.)

5th Place: The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter

Now, this one is definitely a Cinderella retelling, and it will never let you forget it. In my opinion, a good retelling should be able to stand alone without the fairy tale references. However, this book can't go ten pages without reminding the reader that everything's about Cinderella! Remember it's supposed to be like Cinderella! I found this a decent romance, but it was drug out for way too long. I much prefer its companion, The Evil Queen. Also, this is NOT YA. It is NA romance, and there is a full-on sex scene; I don't know why it's always shelved and sorted as YA.

4th Place: Ash by Malinda Lo

This retelling is unique in that our Cinderella character, Ash, is bisexual. This is done through a love triangle, but I feel like it was handled well with a satisfying ending. I liked the subtle fantasy of the world where fairies do indeed exist but are unknown by the general populace. It was a little slow, especially for someone like me who reads mostly fantasy adventure, but it's also very short at just over 250 pages. I wouldn't really say there's a plot to this book; it is purely romance and character-focused, so if that's something you like, check this one out.

3rd Place: The Blood Spell by C. J. Redwine

I really enjoyed this book. It took the classic elements of Cinderella—the glass slipper, the stepfamily, the ball—and incorporated them into an already great high fantasy plot. Blue was a great protagonist with sympathetic and realistic motivations, and I loved her relationship with Kellan. It fits the trope of childhood-rivals-to-lovers, which I love when I can find it. The antagonist Dinah, was also very well-written; I had my moments when I felt for her, even if I hated her guts. My only complaint is that it gets a little slow in the middle, but otherwise, a great retelling.

2nd Place: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles are arguably a YA classic, and I believe they've earned their place. The concept of a sci-fi retelling rather than fantasy or contemporary is rather unique and not done frequently. Still, it fits the premise of the story, and I loved how it was woven in. I still think the glass slipper being Cinder's actual foot is a stroke of genius. I know some people have issues with this series for its lacking or inaccurate representation, but for a book published in 2012, the height of straight, white YA, I don't think it's too bad. In terms of the book itself, I find the plot engaging and the characters easy to empathize with, and I think it fully deserves second place.

1st Place: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know there was truly no other choice. Ella Enchanted is the quintessential feminist Cinderella retelling with an amazing female lead, a charming love interest, and a funny, classic fantasy plot. This book was so essential to my childhood, and its message is important for young girls everywhere. Gail Carson Levine is a master of the fairy tale retelling, and it really shows here. I will never stop recommending this book, and I can't imagine putting anything above it.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more retelling rankings!