Book Review: Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

“… Perhaps we are monsters raising more monsters.”

Rachel Hochhauser, Lady Tremaine

Review:

Cinderella was my favorite Disney Princess when I was little, so naturally, whenever I come across retellings or new adaptations, my interest is piqued. I’ve never come across a retelling based on Lady Tremaine outside of the Disney universe. 

Etheldreda will do anything for her daughters, and for years, she mollifies her spoiled step-daughter. When Elin gets invited to the Prince’s ball and not Rosamund and Mathilda, she poises herself to perfect the act she’s been putting on since not one, but both of her husbands’ deaths, even if it means having to call upon old acquaintances. 

Elin is the Cinderella figure in the story and far from the quiet, ash-covered girl we’re used to seeing. She’s quick to faint, lives obnoxiously by a book of rules with a firm belief that it will guide her through every phase of her life, pushing her step-family’s affections away all the while. Ethel has given up on placating the girl and resolves to teach her the harsh realities of life, especially what happens when you shirk your responsibilities. 

Past and present ebbed and flowed wonderfully as the story and characters were being introduced. I found that it maintained a good pace throughout, even when the tone of the story shifted into more of a thriller in the last third of the book. Through predictable, I was still left on the edge of my seat as it all played out. I also enjoyed the gothic atmosphere, which I hadn’t expected but appreciated. 

I listened to the audiobook, which added to my enjoyment. Bessie Carter does a wonderful job capturing the characters’ voices without going over the top. 

I’d been a little nervous about picking this up because I am so fond of more traditional tellings of Cinderella, but I am so glad I gave it a try because I relished my time with the book. Since finishing it, I’ve missed not having it to return to. 

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC of the audiobook!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The entire dynamic shift. It breaks away from the original enough that it was easy to take it seriously and let go of the inclination to compare it to the original work.
• Again, the gothic tone.
• It didn’t tread too heavily into the romance.

What I didn’t like:

• I wish we’d had more time with Elin’s father in the story. He comes and goes quickly.

Afterthoughts:

When I saw this as a March pick for Book of the Month, I absolutely added it to my box. I can’t wait to read through it again and annotate!

Where to buy the book: