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Dark Ascension #1
Vilaines
S'il y a bien une chose dont Javotte et Anastasie sont certaines, c'est qu'elles ne finiront jamais comme leur mère. La dame de Trémaine qu'elles connaissent est une matriarche emplie de cruauté et rongée par l'amertume. Les deux sœurs, elles, se sont promis – en elles et entre elles – d’être différentes. Elles verront le monde, trouveront l'amour, et ne laisseront jamais leur cœur se changer en pierre.
Mues par une rivalité attisée par Madame de Trémaine, Javotte et Anastasie dansent malgré elles une valse complexe sur une partition tumultueuse. Durant les semaines qui précèdent les festivités royales – leur unique chance d'impressionner le Prince et de se montrer à la hauteur des attentes maternelles –, les deux sœurs goûtent à une vie sans l'emprise de Madame de Trémaine. Javotte se prend de passion pour la science, tandis qu'Anastasie se jette dans une histoire d'amour secret.
Mais une mère experte en manipulation n'a jamais dit son dernier mot, et les filles pourraient apprendre à leurs dépens qu'aussi cruel soit-il, un cœur verse toujours du sang...
Mues par une rivalité attisée par Madame de Trémaine, Javotte et Anastasie dansent malgré elles une valse complexe sur une partition tumultueuse. Durant les semaines qui précèdent les festivités royales – leur unique chance d'impressionner le Prince et de se montrer à la hauteur des attentes maternelles –, les deux sœurs goûtent à une vie sans l'emprise de Madame de Trémaine. Javotte se prend de passion pour la science, tandis qu'Anastasie se jette dans une histoire d'amour secret.
Mais une mère experte en manipulation n'a jamais dit son dernier mot, et les filles pourraient apprendre à leurs dépens qu'aussi cruel soit-il, un cœur verse toujours du sang...
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2023
124 people are currently reading
6429 people want to read
About the author
Robin Benway
23 books2,037 followersRobin Benway is a National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of six novels for young adults, including Far From the Tree, Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including the PEN America Literary Award, the Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults, and ALA’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In addition, her novels have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly, and have been published in more than 25 countries. Her most recent book, Far From the Tree, won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the PEN America Award, and was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NPR, PBS, Entertainment Weekly, and the Boston Globe. In addition, her non-fiction work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Bustle, Elle, and more.
Robin grew up in Orange County, California, attended NYU, where she was a recipient of the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and is a graduate of UCLA. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Hudson.
Robin grew up in Orange County, California, attended NYU, where she was a recipient of the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and is a graduate of UCLA. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Hudson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
January 3, 2025
Yea...I'm just as shocked as everyone else that I just rated this book 5 stars, but it was so damn good. Unexpectedly good. I literally cannot wait to dive into the rest of this series. I already have book 2 on hold from the library. CW: verbal, emotional, and physical abuse from a parent/parental figure, parental abandonment, bullying on a massive scale
What Worked: Ya'll. I was not expecting to read this book and give it five stars. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fairytale retelling, but this was EXCEPTIONAL. However, I must warn all readers that The Wicked Ones isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't a happy story with a happy ending. It is the origin story of the Wicked Step-Sisters. And it isn't a shallow re-telling of how they became so wicked. It's gut wrenching, depressing, and beautifully illustrates the vicious consequences of not breaking the cycle. Benway wrote the hell out of this book. The pain and fear felt by Drizella and Anastasia is real. I understand what it's like to have an abusive parent that makes you scared of them, but also crave love from them. How Benway was able to accurately capture those conflicting feelings is something that I'll never understand. Told in alternating perspectives readers will understand the many ways the mother and circumstances broke these girls. From feeling inadequate, ugly, not intelligent, unloved, uncared for, abandoned and more, it's a surprise that Drizella and Anastasia didn't break faster. There is a final moment where readers get the perspective of the step-mother and my goodness.... Everything ultimately makes sense, but it is SO TRAGIC. Broken hearts end up doing a lot of damage, but I will forever blame her for forever changing Drizella and Anastasia.
Overall, this book was MAGNIFICENT. It won't necessarily be for everyone especially if you don't like YA or you don't like retellings, but this was skillfully done.
What Worked: Ya'll. I was not expecting to read this book and give it five stars. Don't get me wrong, I love a good fairytale retelling, but this was EXCEPTIONAL. However, I must warn all readers that The Wicked Ones isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't a happy story with a happy ending. It is the origin story of the Wicked Step-Sisters. And it isn't a shallow re-telling of how they became so wicked. It's gut wrenching, depressing, and beautifully illustrates the vicious consequences of not breaking the cycle. Benway wrote the hell out of this book. The pain and fear felt by Drizella and Anastasia is real. I understand what it's like to have an abusive parent that makes you scared of them, but also crave love from them. How Benway was able to accurately capture those conflicting feelings is something that I'll never understand. Told in alternating perspectives readers will understand the many ways the mother and circumstances broke these girls. From feeling inadequate, ugly, not intelligent, unloved, uncared for, abandoned and more, it's a surprise that Drizella and Anastasia didn't break faster. There is a final moment where readers get the perspective of the step-mother and my goodness.... Everything ultimately makes sense, but it is SO TRAGIC. Broken hearts end up doing a lot of damage, but I will forever blame her for forever changing Drizella and Anastasia.
Overall, this book was MAGNIFICENT. It won't necessarily be for everyone especially if you don't like YA or you don't like retellings, but this was skillfully done.
March 21, 2023
I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.
This book serves as a prequel to the Disney movie, Cinderella, and explores how Drizella and Anastasia became evil stepsisters.
The plot was well executed. I liked that the book started off with a prologue in the viewpoint of their father, which helped set up the story and shed some light on Lady Tremaine and her motives. The rest of the book is told in alternating points of view between Drizella and Anastasia, with an epilogue in the viewpoint of Lady Tremaine. The story is fairly basic, but it works. It highlights how the sisters weren’t born being evil, they became evil.
The character development was also well done. The sisters are very likable in the beginning and you can’t help but root for them to pursue their dreams. By the time you reach the end, you understand how and why they became evil and why they dislike Cinderella so much.
I do want to note that there is bullying, abuse, and neglect in the story and there isn’t a happy ending. If you’re looking for a light hearted Disney read, this book isn’t for you.
Overall, I really enjoyed this dark dive into the world of Cinderella. If you like villain stories, consider picking this book up!
This book serves as a prequel to the Disney movie, Cinderella, and explores how Drizella and Anastasia became evil stepsisters.
The plot was well executed. I liked that the book started off with a prologue in the viewpoint of their father, which helped set up the story and shed some light on Lady Tremaine and her motives. The rest of the book is told in alternating points of view between Drizella and Anastasia, with an epilogue in the viewpoint of Lady Tremaine. The story is fairly basic, but it works. It highlights how the sisters weren’t born being evil, they became evil.
The character development was also well done. The sisters are very likable in the beginning and you can’t help but root for them to pursue their dreams. By the time you reach the end, you understand how and why they became evil and why they dislike Cinderella so much.
I do want to note that there is bullying, abuse, and neglect in the story and there isn’t a happy ending. If you’re looking for a light hearted Disney read, this book isn’t for you.
Overall, I really enjoyed this dark dive into the world of Cinderella. If you like villain stories, consider picking this book up!
January 11, 2023
3.5 stars
This was an interesting take on the Cinderella story, written from the stepsisters' point of view. I'm a fan of retellings, especially when they're done well, and I enjoyed this one. However, it was a bit more depressing than I expected, and the ending completely dashed my hopes for a different conclusion! Thankfully, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm hoping for a more uplifting ending for all three sisters.
The interesting thing is that Ella's story is barely a side story and Robin does a great job of making you feel sorry for the two stepsisters. I would rather not say anything else because I don't want to spoil anything for other readers.
Some of the things I liked included Benway's thoughtful exploration of the relationship between Drizella and Anastasia. In a household where abuse and manipulation from the parent figure are the norm, the two of them still had the usual sibling rivalry, but there was also the desire to protect the other warring with the need to protect oneself. And while Lady Tremaine was absolutely horrible, you learn that Ella's father, while he adored her, was not a great parent to his stepdaughters, explaining some of their uneasy relationship with Ella. There were many times when I wished the three of them would have opened up to each other more and leaned on each other, but that was not the situation Lady Tremaine would have fostered. But it wasn't just Lady Tremaine who was horrible. And I liked that the author included other ways people could and were horrible to Drizella and Anastasia. In truth, many contributed to the two of them being the "Wicked Ones", with Dominic and Madame Lambert being the only bright spots.
Personally, this was not a happy story, and if abuse and neglect are triggers for you, I'd probably steer clear of this. But I still think it was well done and I am looking forward to the next book and crossing my fingers for better horizons for these three girls!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was an interesting take on the Cinderella story, written from the stepsisters' point of view. I'm a fan of retellings, especially when they're done well, and I enjoyed this one. However, it was a bit more depressing than I expected, and the ending completely dashed my hopes for a different conclusion! Thankfully, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm hoping for a more uplifting ending for all three sisters.
The interesting thing is that Ella's story is barely a side story and Robin does a great job of making you feel sorry for the two stepsisters. I would rather not say anything else because I don't want to spoil anything for other readers.
Some of the things I liked included Benway's thoughtful exploration of the relationship between Drizella and Anastasia. In a household where abuse and manipulation from the parent figure are the norm, the two of them still had the usual sibling rivalry, but there was also the desire to protect the other warring with the need to protect oneself. And while Lady Tremaine was absolutely horrible, you learn that Ella's father, while he adored her, was not a great parent to his stepdaughters, explaining some of their uneasy relationship with Ella. There were many times when I wished the three of them would have opened up to each other more and leaned on each other, but that was not the situation Lady Tremaine would have fostered. But it wasn't just Lady Tremaine who was horrible. And I liked that the author included other ways people could and were horrible to Drizella and Anastasia. In truth, many contributed to the two of them being the "Wicked Ones", with Dominic and Madame Lambert being the only bright spots.
Personally, this was not a happy story, and if abuse and neglect are triggers for you, I'd probably steer clear of this. But I still think it was well done and I am looking forward to the next book and crossing my fingers for better horizons for these three girls!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 3, 2023
Finished this wonderful story! I wonder when/if there is going to be a sequel? RTC soon!(:
January 25, 2023
I read everything Disney I can find (and pay). I discovered this book by accident on Amazon and had to pre-order it right away and I was actually quite surprised that they managed to deliver it so soon after the release date. I have to admit that I wasn't entirely sure what kind of book this was gonna be. I guessed it was some sort of origin story, but I was curious what would make it different from for example Disney Villains. So, the book came in and I started reading almost right away.
This book is in a way heavier than I had expected it to be. The writing style is a little tricky when it comes to that. It's easy to read, there are no complicated words used, I flew through the book with ease. But the themes in this book are quite dark in a way. Especially because this is indeed an origin novel which means that the book ends where the first cartoon actually starts. So, as a reader you know there's no happy ending.
I think this book is really showing in an impressive and heartbreaking way how hard life for girls used to be. We're not there yet, but it was a lot worse than it is nowadays and this book tells us all about it. We see two girls with dreams. Different dreams. Dreams fitting their personalities and how they look at life. And we already know that both their dreams are not allowed to be in a world where a girl's duty is to mary well and get babies.
So, basically this book has a sad start, a happy middle and then a sad ending. And knowing that the ending is gonna be sad and that the girls are not gonna get what they want makes reading the middle part so hard. We see them being happy, we see them being genuinely trying to be good people. Of course, they do say a mean thing once in a while and they're afraid to speak up, but still. I was rooting for them. The author made me LOVE them. The ending therefore really broke my heart.
This book is in a way heavier than I had expected it to be. The writing style is a little tricky when it comes to that. It's easy to read, there are no complicated words used, I flew through the book with ease. But the themes in this book are quite dark in a way. Especially because this is indeed an origin novel which means that the book ends where the first cartoon actually starts. So, as a reader you know there's no happy ending.
I think this book is really showing in an impressive and heartbreaking way how hard life for girls used to be. We're not there yet, but it was a lot worse than it is nowadays and this book tells us all about it. We see two girls with dreams. Different dreams. Dreams fitting their personalities and how they look at life. And we already know that both their dreams are not allowed to be in a world where a girl's duty is to mary well and get babies.
So, basically this book has a sad start, a happy middle and then a sad ending. And knowing that the ending is gonna be sad and that the girls are not gonna get what they want makes reading the middle part so hard. We see them being happy, we see them being genuinely trying to be good people. Of course, they do say a mean thing once in a while and they're afraid to speak up, but still. I was rooting for them. The author made me LOVE them. The ending therefore really broke my heart.
October 19, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an arc!
I love retellings of fairy tales, and I especially love the Ugly Stepsisters. I rooted for these two throughout the entire book. I longed for Anastasia to find true love and for Drizella to become more than her mother had planned for her. I also loved that the story didn't center around Ella, as I feel like she would have probably overpowered their stories.
That ending though? I refuse to accept it as canon and will be pretending it didn't happen. I have the sads.
I love retellings of fairy tales, and I especially love the Ugly Stepsisters. I rooted for these two throughout the entire book. I longed for Anastasia to find true love and for Drizella to become more than her mother had planned for her. I also loved that the story didn't center around Ella, as I feel like she would have probably overpowered their stories.
That ending though? I refuse to accept it as canon and will be pretending it didn't happen. I have the sads.
August 28, 2024
The Wicked Ones is a YA fantasy novel that serves a prequel to Disney's "Cinderella" told from the POV of Drizella and Anastasia.
Things you'll find:
*An almost ridiculously evil Lady Tremaine*
*A sniveling version of Cinderella*
*An ending that pretty much spoils the whole book*
One massively important detail that Disney Publishing forgets to put in the summary of this book is that this is a prequel to Cinderella. That's something every reader needs to know before picking this up, because it's hard to decipher what it is otherwise. There are only a handful of small clues thoughout the novel that give the reader an idea that the events of this novel take place before the events of Cinderella, but not nearly enough, as I just wrote them off as this being a reimagining of the story. So before you go any further, again, this is a prequel and that's why the girls are aged down as well as why many of the events of Cinderella are missing in the story.
As for the book itself, this novel is guilty of the Disney Novel curse; the characters presented in this novel don't all match their movie counterparts. Now the protagonists, Drizella and Anastasia, I could get behind. I thought the author did an excellent job at expanding on them, transforming them from the goofy, buffonish girls they are in "Cinderella" to young ladies with their own unique personalities and interests. It wasn't a huge leap to imagine that these girls in the novel were the same girls in the movie. This novel is, until the end, rather entertaining to read. I enjoyed the new characters introduced throughout the story and reentering the world of "Cinderella"
However, the Lady Tremaine presented in this novel is almost deranged. She's excessively and cartoonishly cruel to not only Ella but her own children, and this is supposed to emphasize her wicked nature, but it doesn't aline with the Lady Tremaine we already know. Yes, she was the evil stepmother, but her character in Disney's "Cinderella" is a very calculating, muted evil. The kind of person presented to us in "Cinderella" likes to toy with her like mouse, presenting her with priviledges only to yank them away later, subtlely making snide remarks and adding chores to remind her of place in the home. The Lady Tremaine in this book walks around half-cocked, ready to explode at any given moment. She doesn't really feel genuine. Plus, in "Cinderella" while we see Lady Tremaine is often frustrated with her daughters, there's never any indication that she despises them or does not care for their feelings. By the end of this book, there's little love between any of the three Tremaines. It's hard to imagine that their relationship magically heals in the two years of time between this prequel and the events of "Cinderella"
Simarly, the Ella in this book is almost pathetic. She is ready to fall apart at the drop of a hat and cowers anytime anyone seems to look at her. She has none of the collected, level-headedness that's presented to us in "Cinderella" This Ella feels like the version of Ella that the people who hate Disney Princess movies want us to subscribe to. Again, people can change and grow in two years, but this Ella would have to become an entirely new human being to be the Ella we see in "Cinderella"
I also struggled toward the end of this book when the author bursts the bubble of the world by inserting real world places, like Paris. My thought process is if Paris exists in this book, its not a stretch to say France exists in this book, and if France exists in this book, then doesn't the French Monarchy also exist in this time period?? So how would they be apart of a small village ruled by a different King and Prince? I think we should've made fictional names and cities to keep us within the scope of the Disney universe.
My final gripe with this book is one that it seems even people who really enjoyed the story take issue with, the epilogue. Which I'll hide for spoilers but if you want to know:
Things you'll find:
*An almost ridiculously evil Lady Tremaine*
*A sniveling version of Cinderella*
*An ending that pretty much spoils the whole book*
One massively important detail that Disney Publishing forgets to put in the summary of this book is that this is a prequel to Cinderella. That's something every reader needs to know before picking this up, because it's hard to decipher what it is otherwise. There are only a handful of small clues thoughout the novel that give the reader an idea that the events of this novel take place before the events of Cinderella, but not nearly enough, as I just wrote them off as this being a reimagining of the story. So before you go any further, again, this is a prequel and that's why the girls are aged down as well as why many of the events of Cinderella are missing in the story.
As for the book itself, this novel is guilty of the Disney Novel curse; the characters presented in this novel don't all match their movie counterparts. Now the protagonists, Drizella and Anastasia, I could get behind. I thought the author did an excellent job at expanding on them, transforming them from the goofy, buffonish girls they are in "Cinderella" to young ladies with their own unique personalities and interests. It wasn't a huge leap to imagine that these girls in the novel were the same girls in the movie. This novel is, until the end, rather entertaining to read. I enjoyed the new characters introduced throughout the story and reentering the world of "Cinderella"
However, the Lady Tremaine presented in this novel is almost deranged. She's excessively and cartoonishly cruel to not only Ella but her own children, and this is supposed to emphasize her wicked nature, but it doesn't aline with the Lady Tremaine we already know. Yes, she was the evil stepmother, but her character in Disney's "Cinderella" is a very calculating, muted evil. The kind of person presented to us in "Cinderella" likes to toy with her like mouse, presenting her with priviledges only to yank them away later, subtlely making snide remarks and adding chores to remind her of place in the home. The Lady Tremaine in this book walks around half-cocked, ready to explode at any given moment. She doesn't really feel genuine. Plus, in "Cinderella" while we see Lady Tremaine is often frustrated with her daughters, there's never any indication that she despises them or does not care for their feelings. By the end of this book, there's little love between any of the three Tremaines. It's hard to imagine that their relationship magically heals in the two years of time between this prequel and the events of "Cinderella"
Simarly, the Ella in this book is almost pathetic. She is ready to fall apart at the drop of a hat and cowers anytime anyone seems to look at her. She has none of the collected, level-headedness that's presented to us in "Cinderella" This Ella feels like the version of Ella that the people who hate Disney Princess movies want us to subscribe to. Again, people can change and grow in two years, but this Ella would have to become an entirely new human being to be the Ella we see in "Cinderella"
I also struggled toward the end of this book when the author bursts the bubble of the world by inserting real world places, like Paris. My thought process is if Paris exists in this book, its not a stretch to say France exists in this book, and if France exists in this book, then doesn't the French Monarchy also exist in this time period?? So how would they be apart of a small village ruled by a different King and Prince? I think we should've made fictional names and cities to keep us within the scope of the Disney universe.
My final gripe with this book is one that it seems even people who really enjoyed the story take issue with, the epilogue. Which I'll hide for spoilers but if you want to know:
October 14, 2023
4- 4- Avis lecture : Vilaines de Robin Benway. Premier tome de la saga Dark Ascension publié chez @hachetteheroes
Résumé: Avant d'être d'affreuses demies-soeurs, Javotte et Anastasie sont des filles malaimées et maltraitées par leur mère. Avant de devenir amères, elles ont eu leurs rêves et leurs espoirs. Mais tout vilain ne nait pas mauvais, ou presque! Pendant que Javotte découvre les mystères de la science, sa soeur Anastasie rencontre ceux de l'amour.
Avis : Vous le savez maintenant je pense pour la plupart, Cendrillon est ma princesse préférée! Par contre les réécritures Disney avec moi ça passe ou ça casse! J'ai beaucoup du mal avec le fait que parfois les auteurs prennent trop de libertés avec les personnalités des personnages.
Celui-ci fut franchement pas mal ! Evidemment au départ les soeurs sont moins méchantes qu'on les connait mais c'est tout à fait normal et le fait qu'Anastasie ait une romance ça m'a rappelé le deuxième film ( que pas grand monde n'a vu ) et ça m'a replongé dans mon enfance.
J'ai passé un bon moment de lecture et tout était assez cohérente, j'aurais juste à relever que le passage de neutre à méchante a été très radical et très rapide à mon goût, j'aurais aimé que ça se décante plus sur le temps. Je suis également un peu confuse entre cette saga et celle des Villains car il s'agit finalement de deux sagas aux buts similaires à savoir raconter le passé des Villains qui les a forgé comme ils sont.
En bref: Un chouette moment de lecture mais si j'aurais aimé que ce soit moins rapide et radical à la fin.
Résumé: Avant d'être d'affreuses demies-soeurs, Javotte et Anastasie sont des filles malaimées et maltraitées par leur mère. Avant de devenir amères, elles ont eu leurs rêves et leurs espoirs. Mais tout vilain ne nait pas mauvais, ou presque! Pendant que Javotte découvre les mystères de la science, sa soeur Anastasie rencontre ceux de l'amour.
Avis : Vous le savez maintenant je pense pour la plupart, Cendrillon est ma princesse préférée! Par contre les réécritures Disney avec moi ça passe ou ça casse! J'ai beaucoup du mal avec le fait que parfois les auteurs prennent trop de libertés avec les personnalités des personnages.
Celui-ci fut franchement pas mal ! Evidemment au départ les soeurs sont moins méchantes qu'on les connait mais c'est tout à fait normal et le fait qu'Anastasie ait une romance ça m'a rappelé le deuxième film ( que pas grand monde n'a vu ) et ça m'a replongé dans mon enfance.
J'ai passé un bon moment de lecture et tout était assez cohérente, j'aurais juste à relever que le passage de neutre à méchante a été très radical et très rapide à mon goût, j'aurais aimé que ça se décante plus sur le temps. Je suis également un peu confuse entre cette saga et celle des Villains car il s'agit finalement de deux sagas aux buts similaires à savoir raconter le passé des Villains qui les a forgé comme ils sont.
En bref: Un chouette moment de lecture mais si j'aurais aimé que ce soit moins rapide et radical à la fin.
September 19, 2024
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
The Wicked Ones is a Disney Dark Ascension novel about the two ugly stepsisters of Cinderella; Drizella and Anastasia. This book pulled at my heart strings in the opening chapter and explained in a way why their mother became as she is. The book follows the girls as they grow up, their hopes, dreams, and hopes for the future. This book fits really well alongside the film of Cinderella and gives an insight as to why and how the pair became like they are and the hard life they've had along the way. It does make you feel sorry for them in a way, too, which was thought-provoking and heartwarming. I look forward to seeing what comes next in the series.
The Wicked Ones is a Disney Dark Ascension novel about the two ugly stepsisters of Cinderella; Drizella and Anastasia. This book pulled at my heart strings in the opening chapter and explained in a way why their mother became as she is. The book follows the girls as they grow up, their hopes, dreams, and hopes for the future. This book fits really well alongside the film of Cinderella and gives an insight as to why and how the pair became like they are and the hard life they've had along the way. It does make you feel sorry for them in a way, too, which was thought-provoking and heartwarming. I look forward to seeing what comes next in the series.
March 30, 2023
If you're telling a side of the story that we already know (like the villain angle), it needs to be compelling enough to exist. This feels like it positions the stepsisters as being also abused, but they were also ugly and untalented so at least Cinderella was pretty and she could sing. Obviously they're unreliable narrators, but their story just isn't compelling and it's easy to see why no one likes them.
March 14, 2023
Cinderella from a different perspective. I love retellings of classic stories. The execution of this one was excellent.
January 10, 2023
I love retellings, and specifically Disney retellings. When I saw this upcoming release I thought it was right up my alley with Cinderella's stepsisters' story.
Right away we see the tone set for the book. Their father is a despicable person and leaves them with nothing. He chose his own vices over his daughters and loving wife. Literally taking the ring off her finger in the night.
Their mother understandably shut down and hardened up mentally and emotionally. This really impacted the girls and shaped them into the young women we know them to be.
This is a story of how evil is made, not born. It's a good example of how dark and gritty trauma can be. However that being said, it will be hard for some readers to get through and may require a mild trigger warning.
Overall I was not a huge fan of just how abusive this got, especially for a Disney book, but it was still a decent time and new look on a fairytale we know and love. I MUCH prefer Serena Valentino's take on the backstories, but we will see where this series goes.
Right away we see the tone set for the book. Their father is a despicable person and leaves them with nothing. He chose his own vices over his daughters and loving wife. Literally taking the ring off her finger in the night.
Their mother understandably shut down and hardened up mentally and emotionally. This really impacted the girls and shaped them into the young women we know them to be.
This is a story of how evil is made, not born. It's a good example of how dark and gritty trauma can be. However that being said, it will be hard for some readers to get through and may require a mild trigger warning.
Overall I was not a huge fan of just how abusive this got, especially for a Disney book, but it was still a decent time and new look on a fairytale we know and love. I MUCH prefer Serena Valentino's take on the backstories, but we will see where this series goes.
August 15, 2022
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
I enjoyed this book a lot. I found the tale of Cinderellas stepsisters really interesting to read and it did help explain a lot of their behaviour and resentment of Cinderella. In many ways they are just as much victims of their mothers abuse as Cinderella is, and they sadly become products of the environment they were raised in. One thing I will say is that the physical abuse of Cinderella and her stepsisters by Lady Tremaine is described not in overly explicit terms but certainly in enough detail that some might find it upsetting, so be aware of that. Overall, this was a good read and I do feel it adds good backstory to the characters.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I found the tale of Cinderellas stepsisters really interesting to read and it did help explain a lot of their behaviour and resentment of Cinderella. In many ways they are just as much victims of their mothers abuse as Cinderella is, and they sadly become products of the environment they were raised in. One thing I will say is that the physical abuse of Cinderella and her stepsisters by Lady Tremaine is described not in overly explicit terms but certainly in enough detail that some might find it upsetting, so be aware of that. Overall, this was a good read and I do feel it adds good backstory to the characters.
January 27, 2025
I liked that it didn’t have a happy ending. I feel like that made the characters really fit to theme and obviously if u know me, you know these sisters r my favorite villains. So happy they finally got their own book and time to shine :):)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2023
É engraçado como as lições mais simples dos contos de fadas, podem ser as mais inocentes e — ainda assim — fáceis de identificar.
Voltamos a estes contos, porque — e em certa parte — trazem uma nostalgia. Ajudam-nos a reviver velhas memórias, ensinam-nos a sermos bondosos, a partilhar e ter compaixão para com o próximo... mesmo quando a vida é complicada com o passar do tempo.
E embora este conto seja focado nas meias-irmãs da Cinderela e de como elas se tornaram tão más e rancorosas, há uma coisa que nunca muda...
... Há sempre esperança. Há sempre absolvição... mesmo para The Wicked Ones
Voltamos a estes contos, porque — e em certa parte — trazem uma nostalgia. Ajudam-nos a reviver velhas memórias, ensinam-nos a sermos bondosos, a partilhar e ter compaixão para com o próximo... mesmo quando a vida é complicada com o passar do tempo.
E embora este conto seja focado nas meias-irmãs da Cinderela e de como elas se tornaram tão más e rancorosas, há uma coisa que nunca muda...
... Há sempre esperança. Há sempre absolvição... mesmo para The Wicked Ones
December 30, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ rounded
I got rejected from this arc but I won’t let that influence my review. Sucks for them cause I would’ve given them a stellar review. I enjoyed this.
I’m always skeptical of reading retellings/prequels told from the villain’s perspective cause then I might be inclined to feel bad for them. I’m looking at you, TBOSAS, Fairest, Heartless. I did empathize for Anastasia and Drizella since they were also raised in a terrible environment. It was great to see them as their own people with goals and dreams. Admittedly, the story did drag in the middle but oh well.
This book was darker and sadder than I thought it’d be.
I got rejected from this arc but I won’t let that influence my review. Sucks for them cause I would’ve given them a stellar review. I enjoyed this.
I’m always skeptical of reading retellings/prequels told from the villain’s perspective cause then I might be inclined to feel bad for them. I’m looking at you, TBOSAS, Fairest, Heartless. I did empathize for Anastasia and Drizella since they were also raised in a terrible environment. It was great to see them as their own people with goals and dreams. Admittedly, the story did drag in the middle but oh well.
This book was darker and sadder than I thought it’d be.
August 4, 2025
A wickedly brilliant twist on a classic tale.
The ending? Absolutely not something I saw coming — it genuinely caught me off guard in the best way. The Wicked Ones does such a compelling job of showing how parental abuse and control can shape a person’s identity and choices. It made me rethink everything I thought I knew about the “evil” stepsisters. We’ve always seen them as villains in someone else’s story, but this book pulls back the curtain and lets us understand why they became who they did. It humanizes them in a way I wasn’t expecting, giving them voices, scars, and real complexity. A dark, emotional, and impactful read that left me thinking long after I finished the last page.
The ending? Absolutely not something I saw coming — it genuinely caught me off guard in the best way. The Wicked Ones does such a compelling job of showing how parental abuse and control can shape a person’s identity and choices. It made me rethink everything I thought I knew about the “evil” stepsisters. We’ve always seen them as villains in someone else’s story, but this book pulls back the curtain and lets us understand why they became who they did. It humanizes them in a way I wasn’t expecting, giving them voices, scars, and real complexity. A dark, emotional, and impactful read that left me thinking long after I finished the last page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
this book was really great but they didn’t get their happy ending 🥺🥺
June 4, 2023
très sympa à lire et histoire prenante
January 28, 2023
As some of you may know. I’m completely obsessed with retellings and even more so if they have to do with any Disney fairytale or story. This is the first book in what will become a series and it is a very astonishing telling of The Evil Step Sisters, Drizella & Anastasia; their mother, Lady Tremaine and of course Cinderella. It is completely addicting and entertaining and I cannot wait for future books.
This is the untold story of the stepsisters and how their life came to be before they became mean and vengeful like their mother. It is a rather sad past that had me feeling emotional for the girls and the bullying and abuse they endured throughout the story. They actually had a sweet nature about them and they had dreams for their future. With a fractured past, an unloving mother and a life filled with ridicule; it distinctly changed who they become over time.
I love that the Author created such a sensible plot that coincides perfectly with the story of Cinderella. Focusing on the protagonists, Drizella and Anastasia, you see how likable and normal they can be and glimpse at their inner being which both show their genuine souls. They can no longer live with their mother, with the abuse and neglect and sympathize with their stepsister, Ella. They come up with a plan of escape to fulfill a life free of evil and start anew. Dreams of friendships, freedom and love are their goals; until a sinister attempt to foil their plans and future. Can they overcome this obstacle or are they destined to live forever under their mother’s rule?
This is the untold story of the stepsisters and how their life came to be before they became mean and vengeful like their mother. It is a rather sad past that had me feeling emotional for the girls and the bullying and abuse they endured throughout the story. They actually had a sweet nature about them and they had dreams for their future. With a fractured past, an unloving mother and a life filled with ridicule; it distinctly changed who they become over time.
I love that the Author created such a sensible plot that coincides perfectly with the story of Cinderella. Focusing on the protagonists, Drizella and Anastasia, you see how likable and normal they can be and glimpse at their inner being which both show their genuine souls. They can no longer live with their mother, with the abuse and neglect and sympathize with their stepsister, Ella. They come up with a plan of escape to fulfill a life free of evil and start anew. Dreams of friendships, freedom and love are their goals; until a sinister attempt to foil their plans and future. Can they overcome this obstacle or are they destined to live forever under their mother’s rule?
January 27, 2023
4.5 stars!
I always love retellings, and I was excited for this villain tale. I haven’t read the other Disney Villain series that Disney has out, so I guess I was unsure just how this one would end up. I will say that I wished a little for a bit different ending, however it fit into what this story has always been and I guess how this series is going to go. I assume that the future books in the series will be other characters.
I’ve read some other retelling of Cinderella where we get a chance to feel for the stepsisters and see them in a different light and root for them. And we do get the chance to root for them in this one, to empathize. However, they do definitely do the things we think of from the movie/story, and do fit into the wicked/ugly stepsister category by the things they do. Even if they have reasons for why that you can kind of sympathize, they still go as far as expected from villains.
This was a fun story, with so many things I wasn’t expecting, different takes and details that I think really fleshed out these characters and the world they lived in perfectly. I look forward to reading more in the future, and am curious to see which villains will get the next story!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
I always love retellings, and I was excited for this villain tale. I haven’t read the other Disney Villain series that Disney has out, so I guess I was unsure just how this one would end up. I will say that I wished a little for a bit different ending, however it fit into what this story has always been and I guess how this series is going to go. I assume that the future books in the series will be other characters.
I’ve read some other retelling of Cinderella where we get a chance to feel for the stepsisters and see them in a different light and root for them. And we do get the chance to root for them in this one, to empathize. However, they do definitely do the things we think of from the movie/story, and do fit into the wicked/ugly stepsister category by the things they do. Even if they have reasons for why that you can kind of sympathize, they still go as far as expected from villains.
This was a fun story, with so many things I wasn’t expecting, different takes and details that I think really fleshed out these characters and the world they lived in perfectly. I look forward to reading more in the future, and am curious to see which villains will get the next story!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
November 23, 2023
I had so much hope for this book as I loved the story lines of both Anastasia and Drizzy. Obviously we know Lady Tremaine is horrible but this story shows just how horrible she is to her daughters and Ella. Ella is a very minute character in this book and it was a tad confusing because she goes to the ball with the sisters, sings in front of everyone, and then is punished by Lady Tremaine. No prince to her rescue. No fairy godmother and no happy ending there. However this whole story shows how the sisters grew so cold and so “wicked.” Drizzy finds a mentor that enjoys astrology and science just as much as she does and she wants to go to Paris with her to be her apprentice. Anastasia falls in love with a stable hand and agrees to run away to Paris and marry him. Both sisters are to meet their saviors at 7 to go to Paris one night. Well they end up running late as they are trying to help Ella escape the town Lady Tremaine put her in. Once they arrive to their meet up spots, their people cannot be found. It appears they left without them. My heart breaks for them. That’s when they realize they have to return home with their mother. They blame Ella for telling and that’s when they turn cold hearted and evil.
The epilogue then tells us it was all orchestrated by Lady Tremaine. She threatened both Anastasia’s man and Drizzy’s mentor. She made them leave for Paris without the girls so she could continue to bully them.
The end.
The epilogue then tells us it was all orchestrated by Lady Tremaine. She threatened both Anastasia’s man and Drizzy’s mentor. She made them leave for Paris without the girls so she could continue to bully them.
The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2023
My Thoughts:
I am a fan of retellings so whenever @disneybooks comes out with a book I want to read it to see the other side of what might be and this book is just like that.
We meet Drizella and Anastasia the wicked ones.
We watch them growing up making dreams and promises of what they want their life’s to be like but if you’ve seen or read Cinderella you know their dreams probably didn’t turn out the way they wanted.
In This story I felt sad for the sisters at the end and Yes the bratty stepsisters they had a hard life and I couldn’t help but have a little pity for them.
This is a little dark but a good and well written retelling that I really enjoyed reading.
And I am so looking forward to reading Dark ascension book 2.
I am a fan of retellings so whenever @disneybooks comes out with a book I want to read it to see the other side of what might be and this book is just like that.
We meet Drizella and Anastasia the wicked ones.
We watch them growing up making dreams and promises of what they want their life’s to be like but if you’ve seen or read Cinderella you know their dreams probably didn’t turn out the way they wanted.
In This story I felt sad for the sisters at the end and Yes the bratty stepsisters they had a hard life and I couldn’t help but have a little pity for them.
This is a little dark but a good and well written retelling that I really enjoyed reading.
And I am so looking forward to reading Dark ascension book 2.
August 28, 2023
This book is the classic story of how we are not born wicked but wickedness is made. It is not a happy story and while I did enjoy it and felt it was well written, it was very depressing and sad at times.
Drizella and Anastasia are famous for being Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, but after reading this book I can no longer think of them as ugly. They are two broken girls who have the world's worst mother and neither of their fathers were any good to them.
The way the POVs were written in this book was well done. I liked that it opened up with a prologue from the girls' biological father on the night that he decides to leave his family. From there, the book alternates chapters to be from Drizella's and Anastasia's POV. The epilogue is from Lady Tremaine's POV which really solidified to me how she is the true villain in the entire Cinderella franchise.
Drizella is the smart one. She did well in school before they had to be pulled out and while she may not have musical talent, she is talented in science and math. I think she grew the most in the book to realize what she wants out of life. She isn't quite sure she wants to get married or any of the life that entails but she has a fascination with the way the world works according to science.
Anastasia is who her mother calls the pretty one except for her red hair (as someone who has red hair and loves it, her mother is wrong. Red hair rocks.) Anastasia is in some ways, the counterpart to Cinderella in my opinion. She loves animals and tries to befriend them but for some reason they don't want anything to do with her. She dreams of romance and wants a boy to fall in love with her. It doesn't have to be the prince, just someone.
Both girls have deep parent wounds. From their mother of course, she is cruel and rules them with an iron fist. She is not nurturing in the least and never praises them, only criticizes them. But they also struggle with father wounds. First because their biological father left them and then second with their stepfather who doted on Cinderella and never really interacted with them or tried to get the three girls to really blend like a family. One time they overhear their stepfather say they are interesting and to just leave it at that when talking to another man who asks him about them. I have long had an issue with stepparents not interacting with their step kids. If you marry someone with children, those children become yours and if you treat them different than a child that is biologically yours, I think that is wrong. In this case it was devastating for Drizella and Anastasia as it left them to be even more under the thumb of their evil mother.
I rooted for these girls and wanted their plan to runaway work. I was heartbroken for them when everything crashed down. This did show how they went from being indifferent towards Cinderella to why they hated her at the end (even though it wasn't truly Ella's fault).
The entire books leaves you with this melancholy feeling at the end and a better understanding of the stepsisters and why they are the way they are. There is mention of child abuse in this book. It is mild but it might be triggering to some. Overall, if you're a Cinderella fan or a Disney fan I would recommend this book.
Drizella and Anastasia are famous for being Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, but after reading this book I can no longer think of them as ugly. They are two broken girls who have the world's worst mother and neither of their fathers were any good to them.
The way the POVs were written in this book was well done. I liked that it opened up with a prologue from the girls' biological father on the night that he decides to leave his family. From there, the book alternates chapters to be from Drizella's and Anastasia's POV. The epilogue is from Lady Tremaine's POV which really solidified to me how she is the true villain in the entire Cinderella franchise.
Drizella is the smart one. She did well in school before they had to be pulled out and while she may not have musical talent, she is talented in science and math. I think she grew the most in the book to realize what she wants out of life. She isn't quite sure she wants to get married or any of the life that entails but she has a fascination with the way the world works according to science.
Anastasia is who her mother calls the pretty one except for her red hair (as someone who has red hair and loves it, her mother is wrong. Red hair rocks.) Anastasia is in some ways, the counterpart to Cinderella in my opinion. She loves animals and tries to befriend them but for some reason they don't want anything to do with her. She dreams of romance and wants a boy to fall in love with her. It doesn't have to be the prince, just someone.
Both girls have deep parent wounds. From their mother of course, she is cruel and rules them with an iron fist. She is not nurturing in the least and never praises them, only criticizes them. But they also struggle with father wounds. First because their biological father left them and then second with their stepfather who doted on Cinderella and never really interacted with them or tried to get the three girls to really blend like a family. One time they overhear their stepfather say they are interesting and to just leave it at that when talking to another man who asks him about them. I have long had an issue with stepparents not interacting with their step kids. If you marry someone with children, those children become yours and if you treat them different than a child that is biologically yours, I think that is wrong. In this case it was devastating for Drizella and Anastasia as it left them to be even more under the thumb of their evil mother.
I rooted for these girls and wanted their plan to runaway work. I was heartbroken for them when everything crashed down. This did show how they went from being indifferent towards Cinderella to why they hated her at the end (even though it wasn't truly Ella's fault).
The entire books leaves you with this melancholy feeling at the end and a better understanding of the stepsisters and why they are the way they are. There is mention of child abuse in this book. It is mild but it might be triggering to some. Overall, if you're a Cinderella fan or a Disney fan I would recommend this book.
January 6, 2024
"Well, blood is blood, after all. And one way or another, we all bleed."
An unexpectedly bleak, dark young adult novel that left me feeling rather hollow. I'm not particularly familiar with the recent Disney novel lines (I've read exactly one novel in the Twisted Tales series) but I was anticipating something along the lines of the Twisted Tales "What if?" scenario, where we are presented with a variation on the story or a narrative that goes down a different path than the film.
It is neither of those. Instead, it is a prequel, written straight, which is heavily focused on the impacts of abuse that Drizella, Anastasia and Ella live under. It is a well-written, often somber exploration of physical and physiological abuse; the cycle of abuse as it passes onto others; familial abandonment; trauma bonding; and both individual and societal misogyny.
Benway takes the basic concept of the Cinderella story as presented in the Disney adaptation of Cinderella and takes us a few years beforehand. At this point, Anastasia and Drizella view their stepsister Ella more as someone who gets them in trouble with her tendency to not anticipate their mother's abusive moods, rather than treating her with outright disdain and hate as they do in the film. But the novel does get us to the point that we understand how they go from cringing as they hear their mother slap and abuse Ella to reveling in Ella's tears and contributing to her pain.
There is hope, beforehand. Hope for a brighter future, for breaking away from familial abuse and taught nastiness--and that hope does not play out well.
I'm actually let down that this isn't set up to be a trilogy of its own, because I would be interested in seeing how Benway takes the characters into the actual "Cinderella" story and afterward.
I recommend this one but with the note that it quite dark for a young adult Disney novel, and does not shy away from its depictions of abuse.
An unexpectedly bleak, dark young adult novel that left me feeling rather hollow. I'm not particularly familiar with the recent Disney novel lines (I've read exactly one novel in the Twisted Tales series) but I was anticipating something along the lines of the Twisted Tales "What if?" scenario, where we are presented with a variation on the story or a narrative that goes down a different path than the film.
It is neither of those. Instead, it is a prequel, written straight, which is heavily focused on the impacts of abuse that Drizella, Anastasia and Ella live under. It is a well-written, often somber exploration of physical and physiological abuse; the cycle of abuse as it passes onto others; familial abandonment; trauma bonding; and both individual and societal misogyny.
Benway takes the basic concept of the Cinderella story as presented in the Disney adaptation of Cinderella and takes us a few years beforehand. At this point, Anastasia and Drizella view their stepsister Ella more as someone who gets them in trouble with her tendency to not anticipate their mother's abusive moods, rather than treating her with outright disdain and hate as they do in the film. But the novel does get us to the point that we understand how they go from cringing as they hear their mother slap and abuse Ella to reveling in Ella's tears and contributing to her pain.
There is hope, beforehand. Hope for a brighter future, for breaking away from familial abuse and taught nastiness--and that hope does not play out well.
I'm actually let down that this isn't set up to be a trilogy of its own, because I would be interested in seeing how Benway takes the characters into the actual "Cinderella" story and afterward.
I recommend this one but with the note that it quite dark for a young adult Disney novel, and does not shy away from its depictions of abuse.
November 11, 2022
"'Ugly stepsisters,' Anastasia replies. 'They called us ugly.'
Drizella nods, then smiles. There's something in the look on her face that would have scared Anastasia before tonight, but now there's a familiarity to it, the darkness in Anastasia rising up to meet her sister's.
'There's all kinds of ugly,' Drizella continues. 'If people though we were ugly then, just wait.' She turns back and looks at the moon, waiting a few beats before speaking again. 'We will be absolutely wicked.'"
TL;DR: A prequel-of-sorts to Disney's 1950 Cinderella which attempts to both (1) humanize Cinderella's 'ugly' stepsisters and (2) show how they came to be so 'ugly' (on the inside). Unfortunately, IMO, trying to do both prevents Benway from successfully doing both. Since Drizella and Anastasia are sympathetic characters for most of the book, their 'turn' at the end requires a large suspension of belief, which ultimately didn't work for me -- and also raised a lot of questions about the plot of the story.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley & Disney Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Vibes: Disney's 1950 Cinderella + Ever After + Great Expectations' Miss Havisham with a dash of anachronistic feminism
Genre: YA/NA Fairy Tale Retelling
*Both Drizella and Anastasia read older than their 16/17 y/o characters (IMO) and I think Disney fans of any age might give this one a shot.
Romance Meter: 🖤 🖤 ♡ ♡ ♡
Character MVP: ...
I guess *maybe* Drizella...? The ending kinda undercuts any lingering affection for the characters.
Verdict: 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
I wanted to love this, I really did.
And I will say this: it was *much* better than Valentino's take on the Cinderella story / Lady Tremaine because...woof. That one HURT.
Going in, I didn't know anything about this story -- except that it was the first in a new series -- The Dark Ascension series, which I can't find much about online -- and that it was about Cinderella's stepsisters.
And, if I'm being honest, for about 2/3 of the book I thought it was a version of the Twisted Tales stories, or like what I thought Valentino's Villains series was going to be, where we got a slightly different version of the story that showed and/or redeemed characters we thought were villainous.
For most of the story, Drizella and Anastasia are largely sympathetic characters: Lady Tremaine is painted as a deliciously & humanly cruel villain (i.e., her cruelty comes from human emotion and not any fantastical magic, making it all the more terrifying because it's more *real*) who manipulates and terrorizes her biological and step-children in a sociopathic way.
Drizella and Anastasia, then, are very much the victims in this story: abandoned by their father, cruelly mocked* by their new stepfather, and then pitted against Ella and emotionally abused by Lady Tremaine. Yet through it all, like Ella, they remain if not kind, at least close to, and supportive of, each other.
*It really kinda bothered me that Ella's father mocked the girls at the party or event that they were at. He's a paper-thin character, and to be so casually cruel doesn't seem in keeping with his character -- at least not without more development. It just seemed like an unnecessary addition to the sister's victimhood.
Much of the story, then, revolves around them trying to escape from Lady Tremaine's Miss-Havisham-like tyranny.
Drizella abandons her singing lessons to learn science from...the Fairy Godmother? At any rate, a widowed independent elderly woman headed to the Sorbonne.
Anastasia gives up her flute lessons to pursue a romance with the stablemaster of the Palace.
And for a minute, you almost believe that maybe all 3 girls could live happily-ever-after and that the real story is how they banded together to escape Lady Tremaine's tyranny.
Which, TBH, I kinda would preferred.
Because the ending, however much it was telegraphed throughout the story, just seemed to give in to typical notions of beauty and goodness. Drizella and Anastasia are 'ugly,' and don't get happy endings. Ella is 'pretty,' and we know how her story ends. When Drizella and Anastasia lose out on this chance at happiness, they do a 180 and completely "give in to their dark sides," letting their mother's deceptive words twist their emotions even though they KNOW that's what's happening.
So, yeah. Disappointing on that front.
But on the other hand, the way this story is constructed raises A LOT of questions.
One of the details that Benway adds is that the Prince is having a "debut ball" where he's....presented to society, I guess? And while it does provide a chance at redeeming the shallow love-at-first-sight trope of the movie (Cinderella and the Prince DO meet before the Marriage Ball, and he knows a TINY BIT about her), for me, it didn't really work.
For one thing, Lady Tremaine knows the Prince is interested in Ella AND she knows that she's pretty and talented. It's also made clear that she knows her bio-daughters are NOT (and she reminds them of that at every turn.) So it doesn't make a ton of sense -- to me -- as to why she would seriously pin all of her hopes on rising out of poverty on the untalented and unattractive ones. Better to marry Ella to the Prince and ride her success. I get that she's the villain and she delights in torturing these girls because...mothers and daughters fight? IDK; that was weak IMO...but it's a bit of a plot-hole for me.
Second, I felt that "OMG Anastasia and Drizella are so WeIrD" was a bit heavy-handed. It seems to be that every single girl in this entire town/kingdom is pretty and talented EXCEPT for Drizella and Anastasia? Clearly not everyone is on Ella's level, but there are no other average-looking girls? No other lower-middle-class girls? No other unfashionable awkward girls? And ALL of these pretty, talented girls are mean? No one is kind to them?
Again, it just requires a bit of a suspension of disbelief here.
Finally, for someone who's holed up in her falling-apart-manor-house, and is seemingly ostracized by most of society, Lady Tremaine still manages to somehow wield a ton of social capital and power. Not sure how that works.
So...yeah. Wanted to love this, but too many questions/plot holes and capitulating to the easy, formulaic ending just didn't work for me.
Drizella nods, then smiles. There's something in the look on her face that would have scared Anastasia before tonight, but now there's a familiarity to it, the darkness in Anastasia rising up to meet her sister's.
'There's all kinds of ugly,' Drizella continues. 'If people though we were ugly then, just wait.' She turns back and looks at the moon, waiting a few beats before speaking again. 'We will be absolutely wicked.'"
TL;DR: A prequel-of-sorts to Disney's 1950 Cinderella which attempts to both (1) humanize Cinderella's 'ugly' stepsisters and (2) show how they came to be so 'ugly' (on the inside). Unfortunately, IMO, trying to do both prevents Benway from successfully doing both. Since Drizella and Anastasia are sympathetic characters for most of the book, their 'turn' at the end requires a large suspension of belief, which ultimately didn't work for me -- and also raised a lot of questions about the plot of the story.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley & Disney Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Vibes: Disney's 1950 Cinderella + Ever After + Great Expectations' Miss Havisham with a dash of anachronistic feminism
Genre: YA/NA Fairy Tale Retelling
*Both Drizella and Anastasia read older than their 16/17 y/o characters (IMO) and I think Disney fans of any age might give this one a shot.
Romance Meter: 🖤 🖤 ♡ ♡ ♡
Character MVP: ...
I guess *maybe* Drizella...? The ending kinda undercuts any lingering affection for the characters.
Verdict: 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
I wanted to love this, I really did.
And I will say this: it was *much* better than Valentino's take on the Cinderella story / Lady Tremaine because...woof. That one HURT.
Going in, I didn't know anything about this story -- except that it was the first in a new series -- The Dark Ascension series, which I can't find much about online -- and that it was about Cinderella's stepsisters.
And, if I'm being honest, for about 2/3 of the book I thought it was a version of the Twisted Tales stories, or like what I thought Valentino's Villains series was going to be, where we got a slightly different version of the story that showed and/or redeemed characters we thought were villainous.
For most of the story, Drizella and Anastasia are largely sympathetic characters: Lady Tremaine is painted as a deliciously & humanly cruel villain (i.e., her cruelty comes from human emotion and not any fantastical magic, making it all the more terrifying because it's more *real*) who manipulates and terrorizes her biological and step-children in a sociopathic way.
Drizella and Anastasia, then, are very much the victims in this story: abandoned by their father, cruelly mocked* by their new stepfather, and then pitted against Ella and emotionally abused by Lady Tremaine. Yet through it all, like Ella, they remain if not kind, at least close to, and supportive of, each other.
*It really kinda bothered me that Ella's father mocked the girls at the party or event that they were at. He's a paper-thin character, and to be so casually cruel doesn't seem in keeping with his character -- at least not without more development. It just seemed like an unnecessary addition to the sister's victimhood.
Much of the story, then, revolves around them trying to escape from Lady Tremaine's Miss-Havisham-like tyranny.
Drizella abandons her singing lessons to learn science from...the Fairy Godmother? At any rate, a widowed independent elderly woman headed to the Sorbonne.
Anastasia gives up her flute lessons to pursue a romance with the stablemaster of the Palace.
And for a minute, you almost believe that maybe all 3 girls could live happily-ever-after and that the real story is how they banded together to escape Lady Tremaine's tyranny.
Which, TBH, I kinda would preferred.
Because the ending, however much it was telegraphed throughout the story, just seemed to give in to typical notions of beauty and goodness. Drizella and Anastasia are 'ugly,' and don't get happy endings. Ella is 'pretty,' and we know how her story ends. When Drizella and Anastasia lose out on this chance at happiness, they do a 180 and completely "give in to their dark sides," letting their mother's deceptive words twist their emotions even though they KNOW that's what's happening.
So, yeah. Disappointing on that front.
But on the other hand, the way this story is constructed raises A LOT of questions.
One of the details that Benway adds is that the Prince is having a "debut ball" where he's....presented to society, I guess? And while it does provide a chance at redeeming the shallow love-at-first-sight trope of the movie (Cinderella and the Prince DO meet before the Marriage Ball, and he knows a TINY BIT about her), for me, it didn't really work.
For one thing, Lady Tremaine knows the Prince is interested in Ella AND she knows that she's pretty and talented. It's also made clear that she knows her bio-daughters are NOT (and she reminds them of that at every turn.) So it doesn't make a ton of sense -- to me -- as to why she would seriously pin all of her hopes on rising out of poverty on the untalented and unattractive ones. Better to marry Ella to the Prince and ride her success. I get that she's the villain and she delights in torturing these girls because...mothers and daughters fight? IDK; that was weak IMO...but it's a bit of a plot-hole for me.
Second, I felt that "OMG Anastasia and Drizella are so WeIrD" was a bit heavy-handed. It seems to be that every single girl in this entire town/kingdom is pretty and talented EXCEPT for Drizella and Anastasia? Clearly not everyone is on Ella's level, but there are no other average-looking girls? No other lower-middle-class girls? No other unfashionable awkward girls? And ALL of these pretty, talented girls are mean? No one is kind to them?
Again, it just requires a bit of a suspension of disbelief here.
Finally, for someone who's holed up in her falling-apart-manor-house, and is seemingly ostracized by most of society, Lady Tremaine still manages to somehow wield a ton of social capital and power. Not sure how that works.
So...yeah. Wanted to love this, but too many questions/plot holes and capitulating to the easy, formulaic ending just didn't work for me.
January 23, 2023
I love it when someone writes the backstory of a side character or a minor character of a story I loved. I like when they continue a story too after the main character's chapter has ended. In this novel, we get the backstory of Drizella and Anastasia Tremaine from Cinderella. We also get a little insight on how Lady Tremaine came to be the way she was as well.
Fair warning, like most fairy tales, this one has some tragic parts. There is significant child abuse within this story, not only to the main characters, but to Ella as well. There are also deaths of parents within the pages.
Drizella and Anastasia didn't start out as wicked stepsisters, they were molded and fashioned into them. It begs one to consider the nature vs nurture argument while reading. Had they had a more nurturing upbringing, would their nature have been less wicked? How would the sisters have faired if their mother hadn't been so wicked herself?
Drizella is miserable in her life. She wants adventure and travel. She wants to chase the stars. When she meets a scientist in town, she thinks all the answers to her prays lay in front of her. Anastasia dreams of love and romance. She wants someone to dream with and to hold her when she's lonely. Since the kitten Lucifer that she rescued doesn't seem interested in cuddles with her, she tries to escape with a budding love interest. But lives for the sisters is complicated by an overbearing and overly watchful mother. Even meek and mild Ella cannot escape her wrath.
Read on to find out more. Love this for middle grade retellings.
Fair warning, like most fairy tales, this one has some tragic parts. There is significant child abuse within this story, not only to the main characters, but to Ella as well. There are also deaths of parents within the pages.
Drizella and Anastasia didn't start out as wicked stepsisters, they were molded and fashioned into them. It begs one to consider the nature vs nurture argument while reading. Had they had a more nurturing upbringing, would their nature have been less wicked? How would the sisters have faired if their mother hadn't been so wicked herself?
Drizella is miserable in her life. She wants adventure and travel. She wants to chase the stars. When she meets a scientist in town, she thinks all the answers to her prays lay in front of her. Anastasia dreams of love and romance. She wants someone to dream with and to hold her when she's lonely. Since the kitten Lucifer that she rescued doesn't seem interested in cuddles with her, she tries to escape with a budding love interest. But lives for the sisters is complicated by an overbearing and overly watchful mother. Even meek and mild Ella cannot escape her wrath.
Read on to find out more. Love this for middle grade retellings.
September 5, 2023
I love a good Disney retelling, especially if it involves Cinderella! This story started strong! I started reading, and I just couldn’t put it down … then it shattered my hopes for a happily ever after.
Now I know the stepsisters are villains, but my goodness, they went from hopeful to idiotic real quick! Neither of them thought their mother was behind the absence of not one.. but both of their friends?!?! I can’t get over that!
However, I was loving every second of it right up until the end. It was a very entertaining read, and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.
Now I know the stepsisters are villains, but my goodness, they went from hopeful to idiotic real quick! Neither of them thought their mother was behind the absence of not one.. but both of their friends?!?! I can’t get over that!
However, I was loving every second of it right up until the end. It was a very entertaining read, and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2023
There have been countless Cinderella retellings but no many evil stepsister retellings.
This story tell how Anastasia and Drizella have risen to their evil ways.
This was an interesting take on Anastasia and Drizella, although the story does slightly differ from the animated movie.
I really enjoyed seeing more of Anastasia and Drizella's relationship and their relationship with Ella. I found that Lady Tremaine was much more devilish in this story than in the movie but I was expecting that.
This story tell how Anastasia and Drizella have risen to their evil ways.
This was an interesting take on Anastasia and Drizella, although the story does slightly differ from the animated movie.
I really enjoyed seeing more of Anastasia and Drizella's relationship and their relationship with Ella. I found that Lady Tremaine was much more devilish in this story than in the movie but I was expecting that.
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