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Cinderella Boy
Being perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sixteen-year-old Declan is the perfect son . . . except for one tiny issue. When his sister Delia comes home to find him trying on her clothes, he fears her judgment, but she only fears his fashion choices. One quick makeover later, Declan is transformed into Delia’s mysterious cousin Layla and dragged to the party of the year, hosted by Carter, the most popular boy in school. When Carter meets Layla, he fumbles to charm her. He adores her sense of humor and her poise. But when she vanishes in the middle of the night, he’s left confused and determined to solve the mystery of who she is. As their school year begins, their high school embraces a policy of intolerance, and both Declan and Carter know they must stand up. Carter is tired of being a coward and wants to prove he can be a knight in shining armor. Declan is sick of being bullied and wants desperately to be himself. If they team up, it could be a fairy-tale ending, or a very unhappy ever after. Word 89,400; page 346
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2017
74 people are currently reading
930 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
October 2, 2018
I'm definitely in the minority with my opinion thus far, but sadly this book didn't work for me at all.
I used to read YA but since my foray into M/M romance a few years back, I've moved on to older, more mature MCs. I knew this book was YA going in, so I wasn't expecting any steam.
To be clear, there is no sex at all, just some kissing, but there's lots of talk about sex, discussions about how boys think with their dicks, and so on. Let's not pretend that teenagers don't have sex, because they do. I don't understand why authors feel the need to completely sanitize young adult stories to such a degree.
Even so, that's really not the issue I had with this story, not the main one anyway.
Let me just say that what drew me to Cinderella Boy was the genderqueer character. My son is very much a feminine boy who doesn't fit a gender stereotype. In this book, 16-year-old Declan (Dex) wants to dress in "girly" clothing and wear makeup. He's not trans, and he's fine using the "he/him" pronouns, but he doesn't want to be a boy in the way rigid societal rules define masculinity.
When Declan's sister catches him wearing her dress, she transforms him into Layla and, as Layla, Declan is introduced to Carter, a senior he's had a crush on for ages. Carter is also his sister's ex-boyfriend, which squicked me out something fierce.
Sorry, but my brother and I have never been in the habit of sharing boys. I couldn't even imagine being with my brother's ex-boyfriend (none of his exes are bi, but if they were, they'd still be off limits).
I actually really liked both Carter and Dex, and I loved that Carter fell for the person rather than a gender.
My problem was that this story felt looooong. There was just so much dialogue! Everyone talked all the time, and they all talked like philosophy majors sitting around smoking cigarettes and pondering the meaning of life.
The conversations were too sardonic, too ON. It was like reading a play, not a novel. I was so bored, I started skimming early on. Hard as I tried, I couldn't focus on the story. I almost DNF multiple times, and I am usually a very dedicated reader.
I WANTED to love this book. I really did. But I think the author tried too hard to write these really cool teenagers, who, to me, didn't feel real. There was an aura of irony surrounding the book; it was in the tone, in the conversations.
I really like the IDEA of the book. We need more genderfluid characters in stories. Unfortunately, the writing style was a huge turn off.
I used to read YA but since my foray into M/M romance a few years back, I've moved on to older, more mature MCs. I knew this book was YA going in, so I wasn't expecting any steam.
To be clear, there is no sex at all, just some kissing, but there's lots of talk about sex, discussions about how boys think with their dicks, and so on. Let's not pretend that teenagers don't have sex, because they do. I don't understand why authors feel the need to completely sanitize young adult stories to such a degree.
Even so, that's really not the issue I had with this story, not the main one anyway.
Let me just say that what drew me to Cinderella Boy was the genderqueer character. My son is very much a feminine boy who doesn't fit a gender stereotype. In this book, 16-year-old Declan (Dex) wants to dress in "girly" clothing and wear makeup. He's not trans, and he's fine using the "he/him" pronouns, but he doesn't want to be a boy in the way rigid societal rules define masculinity.
When Declan's sister catches him wearing her dress, she transforms him into Layla and, as Layla, Declan is introduced to Carter, a senior he's had a crush on for ages. Carter is also his sister's ex-boyfriend, which squicked me out something fierce.
Sorry, but my brother and I have never been in the habit of sharing boys. I couldn't even imagine being with my brother's ex-boyfriend (none of his exes are bi, but if they were, they'd still be off limits).
I actually really liked both Carter and Dex, and I loved that Carter fell for the person rather than a gender.
My problem was that this story felt looooong. There was just so much dialogue! Everyone talked all the time, and they all talked like philosophy majors sitting around smoking cigarettes and pondering the meaning of life.
The conversations were too sardonic, too ON. It was like reading a play, not a novel. I was so bored, I started skimming early on. Hard as I tried, I couldn't focus on the story. I almost DNF multiple times, and I am usually a very dedicated reader.
I WANTED to love this book. I really did. But I think the author tried too hard to write these really cool teenagers, who, to me, didn't feel real. There was an aura of irony surrounding the book; it was in the tone, in the conversations.
I really like the IDEA of the book. We need more genderfluid characters in stories. Unfortunately, the writing style was a huge turn off.
July 11, 2018
"You're never too young to see the potential for a lifetime."
I don't read a lot of YA but I was impressed by Cinderella Boy. I was drawn to it by the crossdressing element but this is so much more than a crossdressing book. Both Carter and Declan are wise beyond their years, insightful, perceptive and full of angst. They have angst about themselves, each other and general high school angst.
There were times when I thought their intellects exceeded their years but then I remembered the Parkland kids and how amazingly wise, brave, intelligent and well spoken they are, so in that regard Cinderella Boy is more of a zeitgeist, but in other ways their insecurities are much the same as any teen in any time which is what made them sympathetic and relatable.
Both Carter and Declan undergo significant changes which we get a front row seat to courtesy of dual perspectives. Over the course of their brief romantic relationship as "boyfriend and girlfriend" but moreso through their burgeoning friendship during the first semester of Carter's senior year they take on a bigoted principal and stand up for not only themselves but the entire student body all while growing closer and trying to figure out their feelings and what to do with them. When they stand up together amazing things happen not just for them but the entire community proving the point that when people with a modicum of power are determined, and these two are determined, change can happen.
"Silence never makes things better. It only ever leads to regret, regret leads to suffering, suffering leads to anger... and that is path to the dark side."
Sure, there is fear, trepidation and Star Wars quotes to bedevil them along the way but their love for each other outshines all else and at the end of the day these two make each other better. There's nothing I like more in my romance reads than couples who strengthen and bring out the best in each other. It also helped that I really liked some of the secondary characters many of whom played a vital role in the narrative.
Carter is so easy to like whereas Declan is prickly and insecure, but what I found touching about him was his struggle to try to identify his sexuality. He's definitely the most well developed and layered gender fluid character I've ever read and it made my heart ache that he kept trying to make himself fit into a category to satisfy the needs of others when in reality he's just Dex. What warmed my heart was how much Carter got that. He loves Dex for Dex whether he's a boy in geek chic or a girl in a dress. Dex is his person and that's what made this a memorable and satisfying read.
Recommend to YA and angst fans.
An ARC was provided by NetGalley.
April 1, 2020
Stayed up WAY too late reading this one. It reminded me not so much of Cinderella as it did Pump Up the Volume. The charming story of a young teen who goes to a party dressed as a girl and the boy who falls in love with him. It's touching and sweet, high angst, kick butt, and utterly charming. Deals gently with themes of honesty and identity in terms of both gender fluidity and bisexuality as well as standing up to bullies and fighting for queer rights.
September 25, 2019
rep: genderfluid mc, bi li
genderfluid kid finding love and acceptance and happiness?? with a perfect boy?? THIS is what the gays want
tw some homophobia, mentions of past bullying
genderfluid kid finding love and acceptance and happiness?? with a perfect boy?? THIS is what the gays want
tw some homophobia, mentions of past bullying
June 19, 2018
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!*
“It’s easy to be an asshole when you believe you already are one.”
This looked super cute and had great reviews, so naturally, I requested the ARC.
Was it super cute and fabulous as the cover promises? Absolutely.
But holy crap, was I not prepared for how amazing, diverse (gender fluid, demi/queer, and of course, lots of boys who liked boys and girls who liked girls), and just important this book was.
Sweet Jesus. This was so freaking fabulous. My jaw is literally dragging on the linoleum.
On top of being an LGBT retelling of Cinderella (fairytales are a childhood weakness of mine) this is a unique one. Usually, when authors rewrite fairytales, the stories are memorable but the characters are easily forgotten in their roles as stand-ins for the original characters. This one does not suffer from that affliction. Declan and Carter are my children and I will love them until death do us part.
What to say about my kiddos? Declan puts sass and thought into everything that comes out of his mouth and Carter was a precious fluffball of self-awareness just trying to find his way in the world. Both of these characters have some serious moments of self-discovery and personal awareness that any teenager can relate with. It was so honest it hurt at times.
This is just such a perfect, addictive story. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for something refreshing and enjoyable to love on this summer. I adored this book start to finish and hope everyone else does too.
“Love really was a handshake, an agreement to always meet in the middle and do.”
“It’s easy to be an asshole when you believe you already are one.”
This looked super cute and had great reviews, so naturally, I requested the ARC.
Was it super cute and fabulous as the cover promises? Absolutely.
But holy crap, was I not prepared for how amazing, diverse (gender fluid, demi/queer, and of course, lots of boys who liked boys and girls who liked girls), and just important this book was.
Sweet Jesus. This was so freaking fabulous. My jaw is literally dragging on the linoleum.
On top of being an LGBT retelling of Cinderella (fairytales are a childhood weakness of mine) this is a unique one. Usually, when authors rewrite fairytales, the stories are memorable but the characters are easily forgotten in their roles as stand-ins for the original characters. This one does not suffer from that affliction. Declan and Carter are my children and I will love them until death do us part.
What to say about my kiddos? Declan puts sass and thought into everything that comes out of his mouth and Carter was a precious fluffball of self-awareness just trying to find his way in the world. Both of these characters have some serious moments of self-discovery and personal awareness that any teenager can relate with. It was so honest it hurt at times.
This is just such a perfect, addictive story. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for something refreshing and enjoyable to love on this summer. I adored this book start to finish and hope everyone else does too.
“Love really was a handshake, an agreement to always meet in the middle and do.”
March 19, 2019
1.5 stars
I'm surprised that I actually finished this.
But before going further into that, let me talk about what the book is about.
There's two main plot lines:
One centers around gender-fluid teen Declan, who with his sister's help after she finds him trying on her clothes attends a high-school party as cousin Layla - where he finally gets close to Carter, his crush of two years. Carter and Layla connect deeply, but Declan doesn't know how to reveal the truth, especially when the school year starts.
With the beginning of high-school the second plot line begins and boils down to: principal bans LGBTQ+ club, the students are Not Happy and a long series of protests start, at the head of which stand Carter and Declan.
These two plotlines do barely tangle as they are sequential, which broke the book up into two parts for me.
Most of my issues lay with the first part, or more concretely with the beginning.
First there was the writing. It's not bad exactly but it was just SO awkward and unnatural. The way characters interacted, what they said and what they thought was just so alien that at times I had no idea what was going on or was seriously creeped out by it. I think part of this was because the characters were supposed to sound like "real teenagers" who use slang, pop-culture references and are moody. It just didn't work.
Second there was the whole thing with Delia, the sister, finding Declan in her room trying on her clothes. Not only was it awkwardly written, but what was said just made me cringe.
One of her first comments to finding out he likes to dress in dresses and wear makeup is how he shouldn't have hid it from her because she understands. Why? Because she watched "every episode of RuPaul's Drag Race!!!" because of course that tells more about how accepting she is of queer people than her laughing about the gay jokes her friends make.
Then when Declain tells her he's nonbinary/gender-fluid and that he likes boys she summarizes it as "you're basically a straight tomboy trapped in a boy's body" which..... what????? Not only was that completely unecessary but Declan's reaction is that he "gave up trying to improve on [how to explain]" which broke my heart.
She does ask him about pronouns, but when he struggles with how to reply (he seems to prefer he/him pronouns and uses them consistently throughout the book but it's never elaborated beyond his vague stuttering) it seems like she doesn't even let him finish talking and immediately bombards him with other questions about his sexuality.
It just felt wrong to me, especially since Delia is supposed to be supportive, and seemed to take away from this very emotional and raw scene for Declan (who expected to be hated), turning it into something to get over with quickly so that the "real plot" could start.
That also made it not feel right that immediately after this Delia dresses him up as Layla and drags him to a party where he knows nobody (aside from being acquaintanced with Delia's friends).
That's where we meet Carter. Carter is the typical picture-perfect popular high-school guy (though he's not a jock I think) complete with white-knight/I-need-to-save-everyone complex. He has virtually no flaws. He's funny, sensitive, intelligent, skilled in various ways, acknowledges his mistakes, and so on.
I was surprised to find that he is actually a POV character, and especially in the second half of the book he seems to take over as main protagonist.
Looking back, despite all this, I feel like I have almost no grasp of what his personality is.
When Carter and Layla meet for the first time, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Their conversation was all over the place and often I couldn't figure out what they were talking about exactly.
This got better with time - I am not sure if I got used to the style or if the writing really improved, or if it was due to the beginning being so rushed. That improvement (?) and the fact that I wanted to know what happens was the one thing that kept me reading. Up to 20% I came very close to DNF'ing this book several times.
But it wasn't just the conversations that were confusing. While the talking improved, I still often had no idea what was going on exactly in the background, why the characters were doing or where they were going, because it was simply not elaborated. I think part of my confusion was because I am not American - I only have a vague idea of the American high-school experience and what it exactly entails, so I assume a lot of explanations were simply left out because it was assumed that the reader would automatically know what was going on. (Because of course: Europe? Any other continents and countries? Don't know her)
All that said, I think that the second plot line about the fight for the LGBTQ+ club was rather well done. The "evil principal" was a bit caricature-like at times, but I still liked the overall plot.
The ending surprised me.
What I wish there was more of was talk about sexuality and gender. Not every YA book with queer characters has to be deeply introspective, but in this case I felt like it would have benefited of some more, especially in conversation between the protagonists. ESPECIALLY given that they are fighting for an LGBTQ+ club. They bascially never talk about sexuality or gender or their own feelings regarding these with each other which I found weird, given their developing relationship. The few conversations they do have about this are vague and "theoretical".
There is pining for each other at several times, but in direct contact with each other they almost never consider their attraction for one another.
Additionally, I would have just liked to know more about how Declan in particular was feeling. While he's still in the process of figuring out himself and how he wants to present himself, the way he feels about his gender/being gender-fluid is written extremely vaguely for the most part and only mentioned rarely, so I wouldn't say it's as big a part of the book as I hoped it would be.
There still are several important conversations, especially about sexism. At the same time a lot of the way they talk follows harmful stereotypes about gender roles or other concepts, like the"friendzone", and the language used is very binary/cis-normative.
While I liked how some topics were handled, the way they were integrated into conversations between two teenagers didn't feel natural, instead being very philosophical and a bit clinical. Of course teens can be philosophical, but it got too deep too fast, and given my other issues with the writing I just didn't find it believable at all.
Another thing I didn't find believable was how nobody recognized Declan as Layla. Even Declan's best friend doesn't. There are several situations where I was 100% sure someone would realize but then they just... didn't.
On the one hand I just didn't think it made any sense (like, I'm pretty sure I would recognize my best friends even with makeup and wearing clothes I've never seen them in before, especially when they start talking to me about our favourite shared interests, in a language that both of us speak but nobody currently around us understands???), but on the other hand I appreciated that there was no drama around such an unplanned reveal, and Layla/Declan is never in danger because of how he presents or dresses himself.
Overall the book has an interesting premise and is entertaining for the most part, but it has a very weak start and some big flaws.
Content warnings for
I'm surprised that I actually finished this.
But before going further into that, let me talk about what the book is about.
There's two main plot lines:
One centers around gender-fluid teen Declan, who with his sister's help after she finds him trying on her clothes attends a high-school party as cousin Layla - where he finally gets close to Carter, his crush of two years. Carter and Layla connect deeply, but Declan doesn't know how to reveal the truth, especially when the school year starts.
With the beginning of high-school the second plot line begins and boils down to: principal bans LGBTQ+ club, the students are Not Happy and a long series of protests start, at the head of which stand Carter and Declan.
These two plotlines do barely tangle as they are sequential, which broke the book up into two parts for me.
Most of my issues lay with the first part, or more concretely with the beginning.
First there was the writing. It's not bad exactly but it was just SO awkward and unnatural. The way characters interacted, what they said and what they thought was just so alien that at times I had no idea what was going on or was seriously creeped out by it. I think part of this was because the characters were supposed to sound like "real teenagers" who use slang, pop-culture references and are moody. It just didn't work.
Second there was the whole thing with Delia, the sister, finding Declan in her room trying on her clothes. Not only was it awkwardly written, but what was said just made me cringe.
One of her first comments to finding out he likes to dress in dresses and wear makeup is how he shouldn't have hid it from her because she understands. Why? Because she watched "every episode of RuPaul's Drag Race!!!" because of course that tells more about how accepting she is of queer people than her laughing about the gay jokes her friends make.
Then when Declain tells her he's nonbinary/gender-fluid and that he likes boys she summarizes it as "you're basically a straight tomboy trapped in a boy's body" which..... what????? Not only was that completely unecessary but Declan's reaction is that he "gave up trying to improve on [how to explain]" which broke my heart.
She does ask him about pronouns, but when he struggles with how to reply (he seems to prefer he/him pronouns and uses them consistently throughout the book but it's never elaborated beyond his vague stuttering) it seems like she doesn't even let him finish talking and immediately bombards him with other questions about his sexuality.
It just felt wrong to me, especially since Delia is supposed to be supportive, and seemed to take away from this very emotional and raw scene for Declan (who expected to be hated), turning it into something to get over with quickly so that the "real plot" could start.
That also made it not feel right that immediately after this Delia dresses him up as Layla and drags him to a party where he knows nobody (aside from being acquaintanced with Delia's friends).
That's where we meet Carter. Carter is the typical picture-perfect popular high-school guy (though he's not a jock I think) complete with white-knight/I-need-to-save-everyone complex. He has virtually no flaws. He's funny, sensitive, intelligent, skilled in various ways, acknowledges his mistakes, and so on.
I was surprised to find that he is actually a POV character, and especially in the second half of the book he seems to take over as main protagonist.
Looking back, despite all this, I feel like I have almost no grasp of what his personality is.
When Carter and Layla meet for the first time, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Their conversation was all over the place and often I couldn't figure out what they were talking about exactly.
This got better with time - I am not sure if I got used to the style or if the writing really improved, or if it was due to the beginning being so rushed. That improvement (?) and the fact that I wanted to know what happens was the one thing that kept me reading. Up to 20% I came very close to DNF'ing this book several times.
But it wasn't just the conversations that were confusing. While the talking improved, I still often had no idea what was going on exactly in the background, why the characters were doing or where they were going, because it was simply not elaborated. I think part of my confusion was because I am not American - I only have a vague idea of the American high-school experience and what it exactly entails, so I assume a lot of explanations were simply left out because it was assumed that the reader would automatically know what was going on. (Because of course: Europe? Any other continents and countries? Don't know her)
All that said, I think that the second plot line about the fight for the LGBTQ+ club was rather well done. The "evil principal" was a bit caricature-like at times, but I still liked the overall plot.
The ending surprised me.
What I wish there was more of was talk about sexuality and gender. Not every YA book with queer characters has to be deeply introspective, but in this case I felt like it would have benefited of some more, especially in conversation between the protagonists. ESPECIALLY given that they are fighting for an LGBTQ+ club. They bascially never talk about sexuality or gender or their own feelings regarding these with each other which I found weird, given their developing relationship. The few conversations they do have about this are vague and "theoretical".
There is pining for each other at several times, but in direct contact with each other they almost never consider their attraction for one another.
Additionally, I would have just liked to know more about how Declan in particular was feeling. While he's still in the process of figuring out himself and how he wants to present himself, the way he feels about his gender/being gender-fluid is written extremely vaguely for the most part and only mentioned rarely, so I wouldn't say it's as big a part of the book as I hoped it would be.
There still are several important conversations, especially about sexism. At the same time a lot of the way they talk follows harmful stereotypes about gender roles or other concepts, like the"friendzone", and the language used is very binary/cis-normative.
While I liked how some topics were handled, the way they were integrated into conversations between two teenagers didn't feel natural, instead being very philosophical and a bit clinical. Of course teens can be philosophical, but it got too deep too fast, and given my other issues with the writing I just didn't find it believable at all.
Another thing I didn't find believable was how nobody recognized Declan as Layla. Even Declan's best friend doesn't. There are several situations where I was 100% sure someone would realize but then they just... didn't.
On the one hand I just didn't think it made any sense (like, I'm pretty sure I would recognize my best friends even with makeup and wearing clothes I've never seen them in before, especially when they start talking to me about our favourite shared interests, in a language that both of us speak but nobody currently around us understands???), but on the other hand I appreciated that there was no drama around such an unplanned reveal, and Layla/Declan is never in danger because of how he presents or dresses himself.
Overall the book has an interesting premise and is entertaining for the most part, but it has a very weak start and some big flaws.
Content warnings for
April 1, 2019
This books is modern. LGBT+ as a literary theme is relevant and, we can even say, quite fresh.
And those are the main reasons why I wanted to pick up this book.
On the good side: the books contains a modern portrayal of current young adults, including teen sex, feminism, freedom and a bunch of geeky things.
On the bad side: this book took forever. It was probably the fact that these teenage boys sometimes sounded like 70 year old philosophers. The writing was casual, but it does sound a little awkward and off at times.
None of the issues I have with this book are related to the main theme, it’s just… I forgot how silly some YA tropes are. LOTS of plot mechanism were so darn convenient.
Parents disappear from the face of the earth, reappearing only to introduce a “drama” that would have been much more realistic if there was some character relationship actually developed during the book.
A sister who is a super make up artist and super acceptive from the very beginning.
I think I can not even picture the main protagonist properly. If there was an enough detailed physical description, it completely flew over my head. Either way, I honestly can not imagine how a boy could look so realistically as a girl, even from the up close inspection that an intimate relationship produces.
For a book (that felt) so long, I didn’t perceive much character development. There is actually a lot of telling and not showing. I could not get emotional about Declan’s or Carter’s growth because I barely witness it.
Same for character relationships. The only relationship that we can see evolving is the main character’s one. There was one attempt to delve deeper into Carter’s parents, but it felt a little shallow and just like added material.
Sadly, there were some really interesting character that could have added some lightness and fun to the book but all their stories were summarize in pretty much one paragraph.
Now Carter... I mostly like him, the lovable, smug guy overcompensating insecurities, but for the few times he sounded a little bit too possessive.
As a whole, this book was OK. Focused a lot on theme, on having meaningful dialogs and being geeky, but maybe neglecting a little character development and relationships.
And those are the main reasons why I wanted to pick up this book.
On the good side: the books contains a modern portrayal of current young adults, including teen sex, feminism, freedom and a bunch of geeky things.
On the bad side: this book took forever. It was probably the fact that these teenage boys sometimes sounded like 70 year old philosophers. The writing was casual, but it does sound a little awkward and off at times.
None of the issues I have with this book are related to the main theme, it’s just… I forgot how silly some YA tropes are. LOTS of plot mechanism were so darn convenient.
Parents disappear from the face of the earth, reappearing only to introduce a “drama” that would have been much more realistic if there was some character relationship actually developed during the book.
A sister who is a super make up artist and super acceptive from the very beginning.
I think I can not even picture the main protagonist properly. If there was an enough detailed physical description, it completely flew over my head. Either way, I honestly can not imagine how a boy could look so realistically as a girl, even from the up close inspection that an intimate relationship produces.
For a book (that felt) so long, I didn’t perceive much character development. There is actually a lot of telling and not showing. I could not get emotional about Declan’s or Carter’s growth because I barely witness it.
Same for character relationships. The only relationship that we can see evolving is the main character’s one. There was one attempt to delve deeper into Carter’s parents, but it felt a little shallow and just like added material.
Sadly, there were some really interesting character that could have added some lightness and fun to the book but all their stories were summarize in pretty much one paragraph.
Now Carter... I mostly like him, the lovable, smug guy overcompensating insecurities, but for the few times he sounded a little bit too possessive.
As a whole, this book was OK. Focused a lot on theme, on having meaningful dialogs and being geeky, but maybe neglecting a little character development and relationships.
July 3, 2018
Let’s start with the thing I loved first and most throughout this entire novel. Our main character, Declan / Layla, identifies as non-binary, gender-fluid. That, simply that alone, already made me love this book before I had finished two chapters. And that’s not even mentioning the way it was executed.
As for the writing, chapters switch between Declan’s/Layla’s point of view and Carter’s. I loved how we got insight in both characters. It added so much to the story to see Declan’s struggle, coming to terms with himself and figuring out his life all while Carter’s point of view showed us how he was falling in love, how he was struggling to earn Declan’s trust but kept trying anyway. Oh, and Carter cooks. Like. Hello.
Both these beautiful characters stole a piece of my heart. I was rooting for them like no tomorrow. It’s honestly been a while since I found myself rooting so hard for two characters in a book. Declan and Carter are my babes. I love them.
That’s not even mentioning Chloe, Delia and.. well.. others! Simply going to say I absolutely adore the support system Kristina Meister created for Declan. I wish everyone had one like it.
The school’s policy of intolerance. Now that is worth mentioning. It added so much to the story, bringing together characters who maybe wouldn’t have met otherwise. Not to mention it was simply brilliant seeing peers standing up for themselves.
Like, we need things like that in real life – and I’m sure they’re happening, but.. there’s still way too much oppression; not only when it comes to sexuality.
Sure, it has to be said. Event-wise there’s stuff happening. But the main focus was still entirely on Declan, Carter and the way they were growing into the people they were supposed to be. I absolutely loved this. I didn’t need more. I simply needed those two and for them to be okay.
It read so fluently too! The combination of my utterly and completely being invested in their story and Kristina Meister’s writing… I couldn’t stop reading, people!
I don’t have anything bad to say; simply that the only thing I’d change would.. be.. the epilogue. And I’m not even saying why. I’m just leaving it at that. Ha. Oh, and I’m adding that I actually pre-ordered myself a physical copy of this book – which releases today. Just saying.
5 / 5!
The costume was finally gone, and the true soul set free.
As for the writing, chapters switch between Declan’s/Layla’s point of view and Carter’s. I loved how we got insight in both characters. It added so much to the story to see Declan’s struggle, coming to terms with himself and figuring out his life all while Carter’s point of view showed us how he was falling in love, how he was struggling to earn Declan’s trust but kept trying anyway. Oh, and Carter cooks. Like. Hello.
Both these beautiful characters stole a piece of my heart. I was rooting for them like no tomorrow. It’s honestly been a while since I found myself rooting so hard for two characters in a book. Declan and Carter are my babes. I love them.
You don’t need to make everyone’s life level and plumb. Sometimes you have to look them in the eye and say, ‘I don’t know what to do.’
That’s not even mentioning Chloe, Delia and.. well.. others! Simply going to say I absolutely adore the support system Kristina Meister created for Declan. I wish everyone had one like it.
The school’s policy of intolerance. Now that is worth mentioning. It added so much to the story, bringing together characters who maybe wouldn’t have met otherwise. Not to mention it was simply brilliant seeing peers standing up for themselves.
Like, we need things like that in real life – and I’m sure they’re happening, but.. there’s still way too much oppression; not only when it comes to sexuality.
The point is, integrity means strength, fortitude, like a wall with no weaknesses, a building with a solid foundation. If you’re going to have it, you have to have it in rain or shine, easy or hard, under pressure or in relaxation.
Sure, it has to be said. Event-wise there’s stuff happening. But the main focus was still entirely on Declan, Carter and the way they were growing into the people they were supposed to be. I absolutely loved this. I didn’t need more. I simply needed those two and for them to be okay.
It read so fluently too! The combination of my utterly and completely being invested in their story and Kristina Meister’s writing… I couldn’t stop reading, people!
I don’t have anything bad to say; simply that the only thing I’d change would.. be.. the epilogue. And I’m not even saying why. I’m just leaving it at that. Ha. Oh, and I’m adding that I actually pre-ordered myself a physical copy of this book – which releases today. Just saying.
5 / 5!
April 30, 2018
I know? After reading that blurb how could I not read this?!?
Quick note: I'm still learning when it comes to all of the different types of sexuality, gender-fluidity being something I don't know a great deal about at the moment, and so I can't honestly say whether or not the author appropriately handles this, all I can offer is my own opinion. So, apologies in advance if I make any mistakes and please feel free to correct me.
I can honestly say that I haven't been able to get this book off my mind since I finished reading it.
This is one of the most poignant LGBT books I've had the pleasure of reading. If you're looking for a book that's ready to take the world by storm and show everyone just how diverse we are, and how that's perfectly okay, this is the book for you!
I absolutely love Dex and Carter, Dex more so for his wit, his passion and his heart. He really is the purest of souls.
Beyond the passionate protest for human rights that forms a solid backbone intertwined with a burning romance, this book is a cover to cover nerd fest, full of the most delightful witty conversation between the two main characters. My nerdy brain was so happy with the glorious geekiness of this book.
My favourite aspect of this book was watching Dex transform, not into Layla as such, but into himself, watching his evolution from the nervous, shy, closeted Declan we meet at the beginning to the beautiful, confident, radiant Dex who evolves through the events of this book.
His sass, confidence and unforgiving mouth as he blooms are brilliant and the chemistry between these two is perfect.
Carter also goes through a pretty big personality transformation and it was wonderfully delivered.
This book does a fantastic job of making you think, making you reassess the world around you, in very much the same way that Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli has made huge progress recently.
I found myself thinking back to high school and how not a single person was openly gay or otherwise. We were all closeted, all afraid to make a wrong move. Constantly forced to be fake or fall victim to another. Cinderella Boy made me wonder how different life could have been if we'd had the courage to stand up for ourselves and for something that truly mattered.
I loved every aspect of this book. The ending resolved things beautifully, it was perfectly sweet and poignant.
I also have to mention the other fantastic characters we meet from Delia, Dex's sister, to Chloe, and Carter's mum. Even the antagonist's, whilst unpleasant are perfectly portrayed.
If you're a fan of Becky Albertalli, Mackenzie Lee and Adam Silvera, Cinderella Boy should definitely be on your TBR!
If you love lingering glances, passionate embraces and a friendship that will change everything, read this book!
4.5 tiara's from me!
P.S. I also desperately want my own treehouse castle...
Quick note: I'm still learning when it comes to all of the different types of sexuality, gender-fluidity being something I don't know a great deal about at the moment, and so I can't honestly say whether or not the author appropriately handles this, all I can offer is my own opinion. So, apologies in advance if I make any mistakes and please feel free to correct me.
I can honestly say that I haven't been able to get this book off my mind since I finished reading it.
This is one of the most poignant LGBT books I've had the pleasure of reading. If you're looking for a book that's ready to take the world by storm and show everyone just how diverse we are, and how that's perfectly okay, this is the book for you!
I absolutely love Dex and Carter, Dex more so for his wit, his passion and his heart. He really is the purest of souls.
Beyond the passionate protest for human rights that forms a solid backbone intertwined with a burning romance, this book is a cover to cover nerd fest, full of the most delightful witty conversation between the two main characters. My nerdy brain was so happy with the glorious geekiness of this book.
My favourite aspect of this book was watching Dex transform, not into Layla as such, but into himself, watching his evolution from the nervous, shy, closeted Declan we meet at the beginning to the beautiful, confident, radiant Dex who evolves through the events of this book.
His sass, confidence and unforgiving mouth as he blooms are brilliant and the chemistry between these two is perfect.
Carter also goes through a pretty big personality transformation and it was wonderfully delivered.
This book does a fantastic job of making you think, making you reassess the world around you, in very much the same way that Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli has made huge progress recently.
I found myself thinking back to high school and how not a single person was openly gay or otherwise. We were all closeted, all afraid to make a wrong move. Constantly forced to be fake or fall victim to another. Cinderella Boy made me wonder how different life could have been if we'd had the courage to stand up for ourselves and for something that truly mattered.
I loved every aspect of this book. The ending resolved things beautifully, it was perfectly sweet and poignant.
I also have to mention the other fantastic characters we meet from Delia, Dex's sister, to Chloe, and Carter's mum. Even the antagonist's, whilst unpleasant are perfectly portrayed.
If you're a fan of Becky Albertalli, Mackenzie Lee and Adam Silvera, Cinderella Boy should definitely be on your TBR!
If you love lingering glances, passionate embraces and a friendship that will change everything, read this book!
4.5 tiara's from me!
P.S. I also desperately want my own treehouse castle...
March 13, 2017
As far as LGBTQA+ books go, this is incredible. There are so many different genders and sexualities represented it's wonderful
September 7, 2022
This book is brilliant in so many ways, it was moving and relatable, and I laughed and cried. I also cringed a bit. Despite the absolutely fantastic job that Meister did with this publication, there were a few moments that rubbed me the wrong way that I want to discuss.
This book leaves a lot to unpack; from talks about sexuality, gender and self presentation, to love and lust, civil rights and LGBTQ+ support it would be easy to think this would be a heavy book.
But it's not.
With a lot of the fluffiness of a typical YA contemporary, this book explores some really important issues with sugar-coating or feeling too serious. A tough feat if you ask me.
The characters are absolutely incredible. Dee, Dex's older sister, is a force to be reckoned with and someone everyone should aspire to be more like. Despite her sometimes dubious advise, her heart is always in the right place and can we talk about her conversation with Dex regarding his identity?! I want to say it's one of the best, and still most authentic, coming out scenes I have ever read. It made me bawl, not gonna lie.
Carter is a gem. He is not what he appears and his growth throughout the book is phenomenal. While not my favourite character, by the end he was truly deserving of everything he ended up with and it couldn't make me happier.
Dex is of course our MC. The authenticity of his feelings, his attempts to fit in, but also blend into the background, while sorting out who he is, but also how he wants to be seen, is something that I think any LGBTQ+ person can relate to. His mistakes and victories only added depth and dimension to his character.
(Even the side characters had fantastic growth! Shout out to Goat my gorgeous bean!)
The LGBTQ+ diversity is obviously amazingly present in this book. There were times however where I was surprised a situation wasn't handled better.
For example,
Despite these concerns, this book has SO MUCH going for it that I couldn't give it a rating lower then 4-stars. It is still going on my list of favourite books of 2018!
Note: Review copy received from NetGalley. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
"As long as he avoided discussing half of his identity, he could slip under the radar."
This book leaves a lot to unpack; from talks about sexuality, gender and self presentation, to love and lust, civil rights and LGBTQ+ support it would be easy to think this would be a heavy book.
But it's not.
With a lot of the fluffiness of a typical YA contemporary, this book explores some really important issues with sugar-coating or feeling too serious. A tough feat if you ask me.
The characters are absolutely incredible. Dee, Dex's older sister, is a force to be reckoned with and someone everyone should aspire to be more like. Despite her sometimes dubious advise, her heart is always in the right place and can we talk about her conversation with Dex regarding his identity?! I want to say it's one of the best, and still most authentic, coming out scenes I have ever read. It made me bawl, not gonna lie.
Carter is a gem. He is not what he appears and his growth throughout the book is phenomenal. While not my favourite character, by the end he was truly deserving of everything he ended up with and it couldn't make me happier.
Dex is of course our MC. The authenticity of his feelings, his attempts to fit in, but also blend into the background, while sorting out who he is, but also how he wants to be seen, is something that I think any LGBTQ+ person can relate to. His mistakes and victories only added depth and dimension to his character.
(Even the side characters had fantastic growth! Shout out to Goat my gorgeous bean!)
"Sometimes he was okay with jeans, and others he desperately wanted to wear a dress; he wanted to be both and do both simultaneously, and the only way to accomplish that was to have an alter ego."
The LGBTQ+ diversity is obviously amazingly present in this book. There were times however where I was surprised a situation wasn't handled better.
For example,
"Reality does not rely upon your opinions, Principal Taggert. Complex sexualities exist, whether or not you understand them, whether or not you possess one."
Despite these concerns, this book has SO MUCH going for it that I couldn't give it a rating lower then 4-stars. It is still going on my list of favourite books of 2018!
→ trigger warnings: queermisia, queermisic/homomisic language
Note: Review copy received from NetGalley. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
May 20, 2018
*Copy kindly provided by Netgalley and author in exchange of an honest review*
I don't know how is that this book isn't more popular within my friends: Cinderella retelling with a gender fluid protagonist.
Declan is caught by her sister, Delia, trying on her clothes and she decides that is a good idea to give him a make over and take him to a party in the house of the most popular boy in school, Carter. Delia presents Declan as her cousin Layla, and Carter inmediatly likes her. Layla and Carter start to date but when things get serious, Layla disapears before school starts. Declan and Carter meet at school later and join forces when the principal ban a Lgbt+ club.
I must say that at first the story wasn't working for me. It was that insta love that I'd read a thousand times before and I didn't felt any chemistry between Carter and Layla/Declan. But when school starts the story picks up. It's when the Rainbow Corps, a lgbt+ club is banned that Declan and Carter decide to stop being cowards in their own ways, Declan coming out of the closet and Carter actually fighting for something he believes in.
The characters were amazing! Really, there aren't any flat character here (Delia is an extraordinary fairy godmother!). Now, I don't know much about gender fluid sexuality and it's the first time I read about it and so I can't really say how accurate is portrayed here and I can't compare, yet I really liked Declan. He's cute, sassy, brave and trying to figure out who he is. Carter is sweet and has an incredible character development. I really like this two together, they're so adorable!
This story isn't only a romance, is about being yourself and standing by what you believe. It talks about prejudice and why it's important to face it.
I don't know how is that this book isn't more popular within my friends: Cinderella retelling with a gender fluid protagonist.
"It was the finest irony that bullies thought they were winning at life, when all they were doing was training their targets to be stronger and more ferocious"
Declan is caught by her sister, Delia, trying on her clothes and she decides that is a good idea to give him a make over and take him to a party in the house of the most popular boy in school, Carter. Delia presents Declan as her cousin Layla, and Carter inmediatly likes her. Layla and Carter start to date but when things get serious, Layla disapears before school starts. Declan and Carter meet at school later and join forces when the principal ban a Lgbt+ club.
I must say that at first the story wasn't working for me. It was that insta love that I'd read a thousand times before and I didn't felt any chemistry between Carter and Layla/Declan. But when school starts the story picks up. It's when the Rainbow Corps, a lgbt+ club is banned that Declan and Carter decide to stop being cowards in their own ways, Declan coming out of the closet and Carter actually fighting for something he believes in.
The characters were amazing! Really, there aren't any flat character here (Delia is an extraordinary fairy godmother!). Now, I don't know much about gender fluid sexuality and it's the first time I read about it and so I can't really say how accurate is portrayed here and I can't compare, yet I really liked Declan. He's cute, sassy, brave and trying to figure out who he is. Carter is sweet and has an incredible character development. I really like this two together, they're so adorable!
This story isn't only a romance, is about being yourself and standing by what you believe. It talks about prejudice and why it's important to face it.
November 17, 2018
This one was alright. I guess.
I was really excited with the prospect of Declan being transgender and then even more excited when he mentioned possibly being gender fluid in the first few chapters. And then the rest of the story and plot killed me when it was barely mentioned again for the rest of the book. Declan’s gender identity remained in some mix of vague comments and questions and even indifference from Declan himself. There is almost no discussion of how Declan feels or thinks about his identity (he seems to prefer male pronouns so I will use those).
The dialogue of almost all the characters sounded so forced. Characters were pushed to sound witty or charming or ignorant or any other stereotypical high school teenager. But honestly, no teenager sound like this. Really. Sometimes they sound like 30 year olds discussing philosophy... I don’t know if it was just me, but I also had a lot of trouble telling who said what in the dialogue. Maybe it means the characters all sound the same, maybe the writing style wasn’t great. Either way, it put me off a bit.
The characters also all fit these cliché molds that they rarely break out of: the martyr protagonist , the hero love interest, the supportive sister, the quirky best friend, the football douchebag from another school, the bully, etc., etc..
BUT, I did enjoy reading this, it was a light read with some sweet if unrealistic romance. Not exactly a book tackling the bigger issues at hand like I was hoping however.
I was really excited with the prospect of Declan being transgender and then even more excited when he mentioned possibly being gender fluid in the first few chapters. And then the rest of the story and plot killed me when it was barely mentioned again for the rest of the book. Declan’s gender identity remained in some mix of vague comments and questions and even indifference from Declan himself. There is almost no discussion of how Declan feels or thinks about his identity (he seems to prefer male pronouns so I will use those).
The dialogue of almost all the characters sounded so forced. Characters were pushed to sound witty or charming or ignorant or any other stereotypical high school teenager. But honestly, no teenager sound like this. Really. Sometimes they sound like 30 year olds discussing philosophy... I don’t know if it was just me, but I also had a lot of trouble telling who said what in the dialogue. Maybe it means the characters all sound the same, maybe the writing style wasn’t great. Either way, it put me off a bit.
The characters also all fit these cliché molds that they rarely break out of: the martyr protagonist , the hero love interest, the supportive sister, the quirky best friend, the football douchebag from another school, the bully, etc., etc..
BUT, I did enjoy reading this, it was a light read with some sweet if unrealistic romance. Not exactly a book tackling the bigger issues at hand like I was hoping however.
May 14, 2019
This books is modern. LGBT+ as a literary theme is relevant and, we can even say, quite fresh.
And those are the main reasons why I wanted to pick up this book.
On the good side: the books contains a modern portrayal of current young adults, including teen sex, feminism, freedom and a bunch of geeky things.
On the bad side: this book took forever. It was probably the fact that these teenage boys sometimes sounded like 70 year old philosophers. The writing was casual, but it does sound a little awkward and off at times.
None of the issues I have with this book are related to the main theme, it’s just… I forgot how silly some YA tropes are. LOTS of plot mechanism were so darn convenient.
Parents disappear from the face of the earth, reappearing only to introduce a “drama” that would have been much more realistic if there was some character relationship actually developed during the book.
A sister who is a super make up artist and super acceptive from the very beginning.
I think I can not even picture the main protagonist properly. If there was an enough detailed physical description, it completely flew over my head. Either way, I honestly can not imagine how a boy could look so realistically as a girl, even from the up close inspection that an intimate relationship produces.
For a book (that felt) so long, I didn’t perceive much character development. There is actually a lot of telling and not showing. I could not get emotional about Declan’s or Carter’s growth because I barely witness it.
Same for character relationships. The only relationship that we can see evolving is the main character’s one. There was one attempt to delve deeper into Carter’s parents, but it felt a little shallow and just like added material.
Sadly, there were some really interesting character that could have added some lightness and fun to the book but all their stories were summarize in pretty much one paragraph.
Now Carter... I mostly like him, the lovable, smug guy overcompensating insecurities, but for the few times he sounded a little bit too possessive.
As a whole, this book was OK. Focused a lot on theme, on having meaningful dialogs and being geeky, but maybe neglecting a little character development and relationships.
And those are the main reasons why I wanted to pick up this book.
On the good side: the books contains a modern portrayal of current young adults, including teen sex, feminism, freedom and a bunch of geeky things.
On the bad side: this book took forever. It was probably the fact that these teenage boys sometimes sounded like 70 year old philosophers. The writing was casual, but it does sound a little awkward and off at times.
None of the issues I have with this book are related to the main theme, it’s just… I forgot how silly some YA tropes are. LOTS of plot mechanism were so darn convenient.
Parents disappear from the face of the earth, reappearing only to introduce a “drama” that would have been much more realistic if there was some character relationship actually developed during the book.
A sister who is a super make up artist and super acceptive from the very beginning.
I think I can not even picture the main protagonist properly. If there was an enough detailed physical description, it completely flew over my head. Either way, I honestly can not imagine how a boy could look so realistically as a girl, even from the up close inspection that an intimate relationship produces.
For a book (that felt) so long, I didn’t perceive much character development. There is actually a lot of telling and not showing. I could not get emotional about Declan’s or Carter’s growth because I barely witness it.
Same for character relationships. The only relationship that we can see evolving is the main character’s one. There was one attempt to delve deeper into Carter’s parents, but it felt a little shallow and just like added material.
Sadly, there were some really interesting character that could have added some lightness and fun to the book but all their stories were summarize in pretty much one paragraph.
Now Carter... I mostly like him, the lovable, smug guy overcompensating insecurities, but for the few times he sounded a little bit too possessive.
As a whole, this book was OK. Focused a lot on theme, on having meaningful dialogs and being geeky, but maybe neglecting a little character development and relationships.
April 28, 2018
Cinderella Boy is one of those books that you start reading and you just.. There's this bit of chaos and you get a little panicky because you don't know what will come of the main character.. But then -- after 20 more pages you see how the main character presents himself when in some kind of a tricky situation and you just know it; everything is going to be a-okay.
I loved Dex since page one; he has this amazing personality and it just.. it makes my heart explode from love.. He's so caring and so wise for his age.. And the way he deals with the task at hand.. And Carter? Those two, after the first two chapters it became crystal clear to me that those two were meant to be together.. At first I was a little hesitant to see what was going to happen; but things turned out so great (and the way it did! omg!)
My review is messy, I realise that.. There's just so much love for the main characters of this book; and basically most of the other characters as well, that I can't focus on my task right now.. I loved this book, I think you'll enjoy it. It's some sort of Simon vs the homosapien agenda, but different, and that's good. Thats wonderful.
I loved Dex since page one; he has this amazing personality and it just.. it makes my heart explode from love.. He's so caring and so wise for his age.. And the way he deals with the task at hand.. And Carter? Those two, after the first two chapters it became crystal clear to me that those two were meant to be together.. At first I was a little hesitant to see what was going to happen; but things turned out so great (and the way it did! omg!)
My review is messy, I realise that.. There's just so much love for the main characters of this book; and basically most of the other characters as well, that I can't focus on my task right now.. I loved this book, I think you'll enjoy it. It's some sort of Simon vs the homosapien agenda, but different, and that's good. Thats wonderful.
November 3, 2018
This book. This book.
I felt so happy, so giddy, i cried a little, then i felt happy again.
I loved how we get insight in both characters, the main characters mostly but as well as the side characters. Especially how his sister handles it all, that she doesn't freak out, that she takes care of her little brother and let him be him. Whatever that might be. I just loved this book so much. I grinned most of the time when i read this, i wanted to hug it. So yes, i kind of hugged my kindle and just gave this fangirl sigh. Yeah, you know i let my fangirl show. HAH.
This was adorable, but also so important. You can love someone and not care about the gender; just care about said person. Love the said person: the bad and the good, the whole package.
I actually did not find a character i disliked, okay. well i disliked Carters father a little because he sounded like an asshole, but he actually changed and supported Carter until the very end.
This book was so important to me because love is love. That is how it is supposed to be. I'm happy.
I felt so happy, so giddy, i cried a little, then i felt happy again.
I loved how we get insight in both characters, the main characters mostly but as well as the side characters. Especially how his sister handles it all, that she doesn't freak out, that she takes care of her little brother and let him be him. Whatever that might be. I just loved this book so much. I grinned most of the time when i read this, i wanted to hug it. So yes, i kind of hugged my kindle and just gave this fangirl sigh. Yeah, you know i let my fangirl show. HAH.
This was adorable, but also so important. You can love someone and not care about the gender; just care about said person. Love the said person: the bad and the good, the whole package.
I actually did not find a character i disliked, okay. well i disliked Carters father a little because he sounded like an asshole, but he actually changed and supported Carter until the very end.
This book was so important to me because love is love. That is how it is supposed to be. I'm happy.
June 23, 2021
this book is completely ridiculous and at least 70 pages too long and there's so much miscommunication and gender is a pile of worms with some stereotypical ideas coming from well meaning family members, so obviously written by a white person it hurt and also everyone messes up but i still loved it?? i cared about them so much in the second half<3
there's school council candidate called deez nuts and teeth jiggling(homoerotic)
if you're wondering why 4 stars after all these complaints, it's because i was so invested, its like highschool gossip you just have to know what happens? i love this mess so much even the stupid parts
im ignoring the epilogue because shut up that did not just happen, how tf do they get engaged at 18
there's school council candidate called deez nuts and teeth jiggling(homoerotic)
if you're wondering why 4 stars after all these complaints, it's because i was so invested, its like highschool gossip you just have to know what happens? i love this mess so much even the stupid parts
im ignoring the epilogue because shut up that did not just happen, how tf do they get engaged at 18
August 11, 2018
4 stars
January 16, 2019
4.5 Stars
When Young Adult stories are done right, they are simply marvelous. They appeal to any age audience and allow for the reader to see little glimpses of either their own memories or their current truths in every idea discussed. There is an almost universal appeal to a character who is written with such veracity and depth that the reader can feel each emotion that fictional person experiences. Author Kristina Meister offers up a beautiful coming-of-age, coming out story in her latest release, Cinderella Boy. But more than those conveniently boxed tropes, the author explores non-binary gender fluidity and the idea that a person can be both female and male and not always entirely comfortable in either skin all the time.
Declan, who is also Layla, lives in a tortured type of half-life, knowing they sometimes feel more male than female, but also feeling the need to be purely feminine. This constant war between genders and being forced to live a lie by choosing to present as only male has left them anxious and unhappy—unsure of how to feel and terrified that anyone would learn their secret. When their parents leave for a weekend and their sister goes off to a party hosted by the very boy they have had a crush on for quite some time, Declan is given a chance to let Layla breathe. Using their sister’s makeup and clothes, Declan transforms into the beautiful Layla, only to be discovered by the very sibling that was supposed to be long-gone from the house.
Instead of flipping out, Delia helps her brother, and Layla is born. Somehow she convinces them to then attend the party—the one hosted by Delia’s former boyfriend and Declan’s current crush, Carter. Once he sets eyes on the mysterious “cousin” Delia has brought to the party, Carter is smitten. As Layla and Carter grow closer, Declan is torn apart with guilt over not confessing their secret to Carter. In the end, Layla must disappear, but Carter still hangs around, and not just because he thinks he can get to Layla through her cousin Declan but because Carter is having strange feelings of his own.
This story is gorgeous. While I do feel the author gave an emotional maturity to her characters that was a bit above their pay grade, so to speak, this book still resonated for me. The idea of being trapped in a gender that doesn’t really convey who you truly are is just heartbreaking, and you can feel Declan/Layla’s emotional turmoil over their situation. Don’t get confused here—Meister has not simply written a tale about a cross-dressing high school boy but a detailed and deeply emotional story about a person who feels both feminine and masculine at any given time. The inner conflict this produces for Declan is overwhelming and pushes them into the loneliest of places, feeling that no one could ever understand what they themselves continually grapple with as well.
Yes, it could be argued that the way in which Carter and Declan intellectualize their attraction is a bit mature, and yet there are constant glimpses of the boys they are—young men on the cusp of adulthood and facing decisions that will influence the rest of their lives. This story was just gorgeous in its attempt to give a tiny window into the life that a non-binary/genderfluid person lives. We see the pain caused by the gender confusion, the need for acceptance, the desire to be loved not for just the feminine or the masculine side but for both. Cinderella Boy runs the emotional gamut and exudes hope and acceptance for the inner person we are all meant to be.
Reviewed by Sammy
When Young Adult stories are done right, they are simply marvelous. They appeal to any age audience and allow for the reader to see little glimpses of either their own memories or their current truths in every idea discussed. There is an almost universal appeal to a character who is written with such veracity and depth that the reader can feel each emotion that fictional person experiences. Author Kristina Meister offers up a beautiful coming-of-age, coming out story in her latest release, Cinderella Boy. But more than those conveniently boxed tropes, the author explores non-binary gender fluidity and the idea that a person can be both female and male and not always entirely comfortable in either skin all the time.
Declan, who is also Layla, lives in a tortured type of half-life, knowing they sometimes feel more male than female, but also feeling the need to be purely feminine. This constant war between genders and being forced to live a lie by choosing to present as only male has left them anxious and unhappy—unsure of how to feel and terrified that anyone would learn their secret. When their parents leave for a weekend and their sister goes off to a party hosted by the very boy they have had a crush on for quite some time, Declan is given a chance to let Layla breathe. Using their sister’s makeup and clothes, Declan transforms into the beautiful Layla, only to be discovered by the very sibling that was supposed to be long-gone from the house.
Instead of flipping out, Delia helps her brother, and Layla is born. Somehow she convinces them to then attend the party—the one hosted by Delia’s former boyfriend and Declan’s current crush, Carter. Once he sets eyes on the mysterious “cousin” Delia has brought to the party, Carter is smitten. As Layla and Carter grow closer, Declan is torn apart with guilt over not confessing their secret to Carter. In the end, Layla must disappear, but Carter still hangs around, and not just because he thinks he can get to Layla through her cousin Declan but because Carter is having strange feelings of his own.
This story is gorgeous. While I do feel the author gave an emotional maturity to her characters that was a bit above their pay grade, so to speak, this book still resonated for me. The idea of being trapped in a gender that doesn’t really convey who you truly are is just heartbreaking, and you can feel Declan/Layla’s emotional turmoil over their situation. Don’t get confused here—Meister has not simply written a tale about a cross-dressing high school boy but a detailed and deeply emotional story about a person who feels both feminine and masculine at any given time. The inner conflict this produces for Declan is overwhelming and pushes them into the loneliest of places, feeling that no one could ever understand what they themselves continually grapple with as well.
Yes, it could be argued that the way in which Carter and Declan intellectualize their attraction is a bit mature, and yet there are constant glimpses of the boys they are—young men on the cusp of adulthood and facing decisions that will influence the rest of their lives. This story was just gorgeous in its attempt to give a tiny window into the life that a non-binary/genderfluid person lives. We see the pain caused by the gender confusion, the need for acceptance, the desire to be loved not for just the feminine or the masculine side but for both. Cinderella Boy runs the emotional gamut and exudes hope and acceptance for the inner person we are all meant to be.
Reviewed by Sammy
July 1, 2018
Declan isn't sure what he is some days, just that he's been faking his life and wearing his sister's clothes whenever he has an opportunity. When she catches him, she convinces Declan to go with her to Carter's party while assuming the identity of a cousin visiting from Chicago, Layla. Carter, Declan's dream boy for years, falls for Layla. But after changing everything he used to think about himself, she disappears without a word.
2.5, rounded up because the second half saved the book after the first dragged so painfully.
I had a hard time getting through the first half of the book, I was even wondering what to grade it because it had been a definite 2-star if not less. I wasn't ready for the part of the story he was Layla to be so overwhelming. It wasn't because of the crossdressing, Layla was a character that got to my nerves. It really didn't seem like Declan was going out as her for the first time but that he had lived as a woman his whole life.
The lowest point for me was when he started giving feminism lessons to the guys on how women are treated. No. No. The speech took too long in the book and made no sense coming from someone who had been living like a man. To make things worse, the speech started being reproduced as "all the other girls said the same but only when Layla told me did I understand". I don't even think that's what the target reader here needs to read. And not what I wanted.
Finally, the story happened. Although when Declan couldn't be Layla anymore, he really didn't seem to mind that much going back to his false identity, I was so relieved the story I wanted to read was finally starting!
So, about the second half, I think Declan had a complete personality change all of a sudden, which was good because he was unbearable before but also unjustified. Still, I enjoyed the book a lot more. I liked knowing about the other characters, and I especially liked the conclusion. To be honest, I was a little iffy about why some things were happening the way they were and all felt explained.
Not sure if it's a book I would recommend, I don't know if it did a good job talking about being gender fluid but it's not a read I recommend against. It does get better and it even gets very cute.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
2.5, rounded up because the second half saved the book after the first dragged so painfully.
I had a hard time getting through the first half of the book, I was even wondering what to grade it because it had been a definite 2-star if not less. I wasn't ready for the part of the story he was Layla to be so overwhelming. It wasn't because of the crossdressing, Layla was a character that got to my nerves. It really didn't seem like Declan was going out as her for the first time but that he had lived as a woman his whole life.
The lowest point for me was when he started giving feminism lessons to the guys on how women are treated. No. No. The speech took too long in the book and made no sense coming from someone who had been living like a man. To make things worse, the speech started being reproduced as "all the other girls said the same but only when Layla told me did I understand". I don't even think that's what the target reader here needs to read. And not what I wanted.
Finally, the story happened. Although when Declan couldn't be Layla anymore, he really didn't seem to mind that much going back to his false identity, I was so relieved the story I wanted to read was finally starting!
So, about the second half, I think Declan had a complete personality change all of a sudden, which was good because he was unbearable before but also unjustified. Still, I enjoyed the book a lot more. I liked knowing about the other characters, and I especially liked the conclusion. To be honest, I was a little iffy about why some things were happening the way they were and all felt explained.
Not sure if it's a book I would recommend, I don't know if it did a good job talking about being gender fluid but it's not a read I recommend against. It does get better and it even gets very cute.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
June 6, 2019
Someone, anyone, please make this into a movie or TV show or SOMETHING. I need to see this with my own eyes. Everyone needs to see read this. I wouldn’t say this is the best book I’ve read, and it does have it’s faulty parts. But, this book has some important messages in it, that I think everyone could take from. For example,
“There's love, and there's chemistry. And then there's both. You can love someone without wanting to sleep with them, and you can lust after someone but think they're a complete asshole. If you have both love and chemistry, you're set. If not, you might as well quit, because it can only end badly.”
For some odd reason, I resonated with this quote. I’ve never been in love before, but that what Layla said was a very interesting take on love. The whole take on love, gender, and sexuality in this book can (I hope) be an eye opener to those who aren’t as educated in said topics. Moral of the story, you should read this.
“There's love, and there's chemistry. And then there's both. You can love someone without wanting to sleep with them, and you can lust after someone but think they're a complete asshole. If you have both love and chemistry, you're set. If not, you might as well quit, because it can only end badly.”
For some odd reason, I resonated with this quote. I’ve never been in love before, but that what Layla said was a very interesting take on love. The whole take on love, gender, and sexuality in this book can (I hope) be an eye opener to those who aren’t as educated in said topics. Moral of the story, you should read this.
July 10, 2019
Hell yes I loved this book! The story and the message were beautiful.
I don’t know if it is a good representation for transgender, but it showed acceptance and that’s what mattered to me when I was reading the book.
Declan/Layla has had a crush on Carter, the popular guy at school, for more than two years. He finally has a chance with Carter when he goes to his party dressed as Layla. Their encounter is a life changing moment for both of them and it will help them to evolve and become their best self.
Declan/Layla is someone I would love to have in my life. He is smart, sarcastic, caring, charming, helpful and so much more. With the help of his sister he starts to accept himself and not hide anymore.
Carter is not the stereotypical popular guy,
but he likes to pretend he is in order to protect himself. High school is hard and popularity has become a cover to go through it without to much damage.
Declan/Layla and Carter are adorable together and I will never have enough of them💘
I don’t know if it is a good representation for transgender, but it showed acceptance and that’s what mattered to me when I was reading the book.
Declan/Layla has had a crush on Carter, the popular guy at school, for more than two years. He finally has a chance with Carter when he goes to his party dressed as Layla. Their encounter is a life changing moment for both of them and it will help them to evolve and become their best self.
Declan/Layla is someone I would love to have in my life. He is smart, sarcastic, caring, charming, helpful and so much more. With the help of his sister he starts to accept himself and not hide anymore.
Carter is not the stereotypical popular guy,
but he likes to pretend he is in order to protect himself. High school is hard and popularity has become a cover to go through it without to much damage.
Declan/Layla and Carter are adorable together and I will never have enough of them💘
June 18, 2020
Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
I am so glad I requested to review this book! I am a big fan of YA love stories. There is just something so pure about them, and I love the coming of age aspect. Even though many people change a lot after high school, these are their formative years. I’m a good 23 years past my teenage days but I can still remember how it feels to be uncertain of your place. You have to decide whether to keep your head down or whether to stand up and lead. Because learning more about the world and people around you is constant, I find it very easy to relate to these characters.
I also really appreciate this book for the spectrum of sexuality and gender identity that it covers. This feels like a typical high school movie in some ways. A new teenager in school gets a kind of makeover and faces down bullies but ends up very popular. But in this case, the new teenager is a gay boy who is struggling with his gender identity. He loves putting on his sister’s clothes, who when she catches him, comes up with an idea for him to explore who he is more fully. I feel like by the end of this story that it is something that Declan still has to explore, but who he is as Declan and as Layla are only parts of his identity. There are also other non-binary, gay, lesbian, and in Carter’s case maybe, demisexual characters that find themselves unwanted and discriminated against by the principal and school board.
Yes, there are politics involved. School politics, to be specific, but they mirror a lot of what is happening in real life. The principal of this school is a tyrant. He wants students to know their place… under his thumb. I think of the Parkland students, who after suffering losses after yet another school shooting, have stood up to the NRA and the president and said they aren’t going to sit quietly anymore, that their voices deserve to be heard. What happens for Declan, Carter, and the other oppressed students is on a much lesser scale, but as I read about them standing up to the principal and the school board, I felt so awed and excited and I just wanted to cheer them on. I am excited that the real and fictional teens of this world are speaking up, because they are our future. And they seem, for the most part, to be a lot more open minded and concerned about the welfare of others than our government does.
I do have to talk about the characters, for sure. Declan is very interesting. I loved reading about his self discovery, and how he handles the hurdles of being feminine and masculine in a still male dominated society. In the beginning, he definitely would have preferred to keep his head down and hide who he is from the world. It is only a mistake that opens the door to being himself. And he is something – strong, wise beyond his years, and observant. His sister Delia is kind and strong; a great female role model. Her relationship with Declan becomes so much better after discovering him wearing her clothes. So much hiding and hurt had held them apart. I love how she supports her brother as well as her ex, Carter. It could be awkward, but it isn’t, because of how caring she is. Carter almost seems to be too perfect to be true. He is the popular guy in school. He has a good relationship with his mom, he accepts all people for who they are, he is class president, in the running for homecoming king, and he has vision. His passion lays in drafting and working with wood, designing and building beautiful things. It is Declan who can see that he isn’t totally perfect but still a great guy who needs to be truer to himself.
All around, it’s a great story. As a YA novel, it is age appropriate in how much sexual interaction is on page. I felt light in my heart after reading this book. So good, that’s all I can say. Go read it! 🙂
10/10 Pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars
I am so glad I requested to review this book! I am a big fan of YA love stories. There is just something so pure about them, and I love the coming of age aspect. Even though many people change a lot after high school, these are their formative years. I’m a good 23 years past my teenage days but I can still remember how it feels to be uncertain of your place. You have to decide whether to keep your head down or whether to stand up and lead. Because learning more about the world and people around you is constant, I find it very easy to relate to these characters.
I also really appreciate this book for the spectrum of sexuality and gender identity that it covers. This feels like a typical high school movie in some ways. A new teenager in school gets a kind of makeover and faces down bullies but ends up very popular. But in this case, the new teenager is a gay boy who is struggling with his gender identity. He loves putting on his sister’s clothes, who when she catches him, comes up with an idea for him to explore who he is more fully. I feel like by the end of this story that it is something that Declan still has to explore, but who he is as Declan and as Layla are only parts of his identity. There are also other non-binary, gay, lesbian, and in Carter’s case maybe, demisexual characters that find themselves unwanted and discriminated against by the principal and school board.
Yes, there are politics involved. School politics, to be specific, but they mirror a lot of what is happening in real life. The principal of this school is a tyrant. He wants students to know their place… under his thumb. I think of the Parkland students, who after suffering losses after yet another school shooting, have stood up to the NRA and the president and said they aren’t going to sit quietly anymore, that their voices deserve to be heard. What happens for Declan, Carter, and the other oppressed students is on a much lesser scale, but as I read about them standing up to the principal and the school board, I felt so awed and excited and I just wanted to cheer them on. I am excited that the real and fictional teens of this world are speaking up, because they are our future. And they seem, for the most part, to be a lot more open minded and concerned about the welfare of others than our government does.
I do have to talk about the characters, for sure. Declan is very interesting. I loved reading about his self discovery, and how he handles the hurdles of being feminine and masculine in a still male dominated society. In the beginning, he definitely would have preferred to keep his head down and hide who he is from the world. It is only a mistake that opens the door to being himself. And he is something – strong, wise beyond his years, and observant. His sister Delia is kind and strong; a great female role model. Her relationship with Declan becomes so much better after discovering him wearing her clothes. So much hiding and hurt had held them apart. I love how she supports her brother as well as her ex, Carter. It could be awkward, but it isn’t, because of how caring she is. Carter almost seems to be too perfect to be true. He is the popular guy in school. He has a good relationship with his mom, he accepts all people for who they are, he is class president, in the running for homecoming king, and he has vision. His passion lays in drafting and working with wood, designing and building beautiful things. It is Declan who can see that he isn’t totally perfect but still a great guy who needs to be truer to himself.
All around, it’s a great story. As a YA novel, it is age appropriate in how much sexual interaction is on page. I felt light in my heart after reading this book. So good, that’s all I can say. Go read it! 🙂
10/10 Pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars
May 25, 2019
I came to this book with high hopes for a romance story that would explore and portray the experience of being a trans person in love and it just isn't that. I can't recommend it for trans, non-binary, or genderfluid people; mostly I found it deeply frustrating and difficult to finish. At the end I only kept going hoping to be proven wrong.
I enjoyed the first chapter, where Dex's sister Delia finds him trying on her clothes, and responds with affection and support; this is a scene I will just happily read over and over again in books and tv and movies and whatever, sky-writing, for the rest of my life. It also is a specific exploration of Dex's needs and feelings as a non-binary person that is almost completely absent from the rest of the book. From the moment that Carter appears in chapter 2, the book loses all interest in Dex's gender identity. He never puts on women's clothes again except to meet with Carter. When he stops assuming the Layla identity, he never seems to miss being her except insofar as it impacts his relationship with Carter; in fact, despite feeling an irresistible compulsion to wear Delia's clothes in chapter one, after putting Layla away he never mentions clothes, make-up, or any other feminine touches again until he becomes Layla again for utilitarian reasons. After he gets a geek-chic makeover from Delia for back-to-school, he never experiments with his look again, never expresses interest in androgynous styles or adding feminine touches (other than the much-discussed cat ears on his first day of school). It's not exactly clear, but apparently Dex is perfectly happy dressing as a boy as long as he can date men and dress as a girl sometimes for special occasions.
Dex seems to have a disdain for the subject of pronouns ("He didn't want to ruminate on what it meant to be gender-fluid. He didn't want to talk about pronouns or what they meant about him"). Carter starts calling him Cat-kid instead of Cat-boy at the part, but only mostly, and whenever he says Cat-boy instead neither of them seems to notice or think it's important. And even though Dex thinks about different names and in fact expresses in internal monologue that "Dex" is his real self, he never says that to anyone else, nor does he ever seemed bothered to be called "Declan."
Listen. I'm a binary trans person, not genderfluid or non-binary. And there are so many different different trans experiences. I have no doubt there are wonderful non-binary folks like Dex out in the world who don't have strong feelings about their clothes and their bodies and their names. But in the context of a novel marketed as being about a genderfluid protagonist - which looking at other reviews is obviously a selling point for many readers - there is almost no work being done in this book to engage seriously in the genderfluid or trans experience. To me, it felt like this book was about the kooky dilemma of Dex loving Carter, and Carter loving Dex, but Carter not knowing it was Dex he was in love with. Mistaken identities, what a hoot! Classic plot device! But to paraphrase Dex, for me this subject isn't a plot device, it's not pretend. It's who I am. And I wish it had been treated with a little more care and attention.
EDITED TO ADD: Ok maybe this is petty? But the idea that Delia could do Dex's makeup and put him in a dress and tons of people he knows would see him and go "who is that GORGEOUS stranger" is just...it just really strains credibility. Listen, I'm three years into my transition and nobody I was even slightly acquainted with wouldn't recognize me. It's a pretty central thing about the trans experience, honestly. Fantasy has its place and this wouldn't bother me if the book were otherwise thoughtful but as is it feels like adding insult to injury.
I enjoyed the first chapter, where Dex's sister Delia finds him trying on her clothes, and responds with affection and support; this is a scene I will just happily read over and over again in books and tv and movies and whatever, sky-writing, for the rest of my life. It also is a specific exploration of Dex's needs and feelings as a non-binary person that is almost completely absent from the rest of the book. From the moment that Carter appears in chapter 2, the book loses all interest in Dex's gender identity. He never puts on women's clothes again except to meet with Carter. When he stops assuming the Layla identity, he never seems to miss being her except insofar as it impacts his relationship with Carter; in fact, despite feeling an irresistible compulsion to wear Delia's clothes in chapter one, after putting Layla away he never mentions clothes, make-up, or any other feminine touches again until he becomes Layla again for utilitarian reasons. After he gets a geek-chic makeover from Delia for back-to-school, he never experiments with his look again, never expresses interest in androgynous styles or adding feminine touches (other than the much-discussed cat ears on his first day of school). It's not exactly clear, but apparently Dex is perfectly happy dressing as a boy as long as he can date men and dress as a girl sometimes for special occasions.
Dex seems to have a disdain for the subject of pronouns ("He didn't want to ruminate on what it meant to be gender-fluid. He didn't want to talk about pronouns or what they meant about him"). Carter starts calling him Cat-kid instead of Cat-boy at the part, but only mostly, and whenever he says Cat-boy instead neither of them seems to notice or think it's important. And even though Dex thinks about different names and in fact expresses in internal monologue that "Dex" is his real self, he never says that to anyone else, nor does he ever seemed bothered to be called "Declan."
Listen. I'm a binary trans person, not genderfluid or non-binary. And there are so many different different trans experiences. I have no doubt there are wonderful non-binary folks like Dex out in the world who don't have strong feelings about their clothes and their bodies and their names. But in the context of a novel marketed as being about a genderfluid protagonist - which looking at other reviews is obviously a selling point for many readers - there is almost no work being done in this book to engage seriously in the genderfluid or trans experience. To me, it felt like this book was about the kooky dilemma of Dex loving Carter, and Carter loving Dex, but Carter not knowing it was Dex he was in love with. Mistaken identities, what a hoot! Classic plot device! But to paraphrase Dex, for me this subject isn't a plot device, it's not pretend. It's who I am. And I wish it had been treated with a little more care and attention.
EDITED TO ADD: Ok maybe this is petty? But the idea that Delia could do Dex's makeup and put him in a dress and tons of people he knows would see him and go "who is that GORGEOUS stranger" is just...it just really strains credibility. Listen, I'm three years into my transition and nobody I was even slightly acquainted with wouldn't recognize me. It's a pretty central thing about the trans experience, honestly. Fantasy has its place and this wouldn't bother me if the book were otherwise thoughtful but as is it feels like adding insult to injury.
May 11, 2018
I received an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don't quite know what I expected from this book but it really shattered whatever expectations I had. It was so damn good. Somehow making a story that could have been labelled ridiculous insta-love into something that was still slow burn, dramatic, fabulous, and powerful. I adored the characters in this book and I was cheering them on through their entire journey of self-discovery and roller coaster emotions.
Anyone in need of some quality contemporary, a fresh queer story, and/or powerful consideration of love should seriously consider picking this book up.
I don't quite know what I expected from this book but it really shattered whatever expectations I had. It was so damn good. Somehow making a story that could have been labelled ridiculous insta-love into something that was still slow burn, dramatic, fabulous, and powerful. I adored the characters in this book and I was cheering them on through their entire journey of self-discovery and roller coaster emotions.
Anyone in need of some quality contemporary, a fresh queer story, and/or powerful consideration of love should seriously consider picking this book up.
October 25, 2018
Full review on: Flipping Through the Pages
This book is a cute YA contemporary which had a new concept for me- gender-fluid. I wasn’t aware before this book what gender-fluid actually was. This book was a surprise for me, for sure. I had requested this book because of the title and the cover but I am glad that the story was so unique. As the title says, this is a retelling of Cinderella but with LGBT theme.
Declan/Layla and Carter are the protagonists and the chapters are alternated with their PoV. Carter is a heartthrob of the school and is the popular one while Declan is the boy who always remains behind the scenes and had a secret crush on Carter. It was so good to see the struggles of Declan and how he came out in front of his sister, Delia. Both Declan and Carter goes through a lot of character improvement over the book and it was so good to see different layers of their characters.
That being said, I absolutely adored the characters in this book. Both Declan and Carter proved to be strong ones. Delia, Declan’s sister, was probably my favourite. I loved how she supported her brother when he came out to her. She helped him in getting dressed as a girl and was always there to support him. I wish every person could get a support system like her.
Surely enough, the book has its own share of fluffiness and cliches of a typical YA contemporary too, but I can easily overlook them because this book explores some serious issues without sugar-coating them. There are talks of sexuality, gender equality, civil rights, love and lust, LGBTQ+ presentation and what not.
There is one highlight of the story and that is the school’s policy of intolerance. We don’t often see such kind of issues raised in YA but I am glad that this book shows it. It is not okay to discriminate LGBTQ students and I loved the way the characters in this story came forward to oppose it. This issue brought them, even more, closer to each other and helped them to understand each other.
There is so much going on in this book in terms of plot, but in the background, the focus is on Declan and Carter and their transforming relationship. I loved the ending and how beautifully everything was enclosed.
This story has everything to think about. It is not only about romance but also is about standing for what you believe in and fighting for it. This is really an addictive story and I would definitely recommend to read it if you are looking for something refreshing and enjoyable.
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This book is a cute YA contemporary which had a new concept for me- gender-fluid. I wasn’t aware before this book what gender-fluid actually was. This book was a surprise for me, for sure. I had requested this book because of the title and the cover but I am glad that the story was so unique. As the title says, this is a retelling of Cinderella but with LGBT theme.
Declan/Layla and Carter are the protagonists and the chapters are alternated with their PoV. Carter is a heartthrob of the school and is the popular one while Declan is the boy who always remains behind the scenes and had a secret crush on Carter. It was so good to see the struggles of Declan and how he came out in front of his sister, Delia. Both Declan and Carter goes through a lot of character improvement over the book and it was so good to see different layers of their characters.
That being said, I absolutely adored the characters in this book. Both Declan and Carter proved to be strong ones. Delia, Declan’s sister, was probably my favourite. I loved how she supported her brother when he came out to her. She helped him in getting dressed as a girl and was always there to support him. I wish every person could get a support system like her.
Surely enough, the book has its own share of fluffiness and cliches of a typical YA contemporary too, but I can easily overlook them because this book explores some serious issues without sugar-coating them. There are talks of sexuality, gender equality, civil rights, love and lust, LGBTQ+ presentation and what not.
There is one highlight of the story and that is the school’s policy of intolerance. We don’t often see such kind of issues raised in YA but I am glad that this book shows it. It is not okay to discriminate LGBTQ students and I loved the way the characters in this story came forward to oppose it. This issue brought them, even more, closer to each other and helped them to understand each other.
There is so much going on in this book in terms of plot, but in the background, the focus is on Declan and Carter and their transforming relationship. I loved the ending and how beautifully everything was enclosed.
This story has everything to think about. It is not only about romance but also is about standing for what you believe in and fighting for it. This is really an addictive story and I would definitely recommend to read it if you are looking for something refreshing and enjoyable.
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October 29, 2021
This review has spoilers.
I'm not going to give a summary of the plot - the back of the book does a good job. It's a nice modern queer twist on the Cinderella story.
I loved the characters. I thought it was an excellent retelling. It was on track for 5 star review. In the last 5 pages, Meister blew it.
I don't know what it is about gay romantic novels, but they all end the exact same way. (I can think of only one exception, actually, and that novel stands out.) Two MCs, realize they are in love and get together. There was a lovely build-up in the romance and you are feeling so happy and fluffy for the MCs and then bam! Last 5-10 pages, the mulit-layered female character who was an excellent support to one or both of the MCs is suddenly a lesbian. Usually the one other female she has interacted with is the love interest. There's been no plot development toward this other than they have been close and/or developed a friendship. The support (female) character has been there from the start, usually cast as an ally. Usually she is intelligent, witty and perceptive, so of course, she must be a lesbian?
In this novel, the sister of the MC is well-developed. She has a great personality. She acts and sounds like a real person. I loved her. I loved her sibling relationship. Then, there it was. In the last few pages, the girl (who dressed as a guy for the homecoming prom) is her love interest, and she's probably gay too. This love interest appears in the last 20 pages. We know very little about her except she was bullied for being gay and had a jock as a friend (Andre or the Goat, can't recall which.) I mean why??? The entire prom scene and the power of Dee's gesture is destroyed. That scene was so perfect! It was so powerful! Everyone coming together to accept everyone else - who cares about your sexual orientation. It said, it didn't matter who you are or what you are, just be you. I have never read a more perfect scene in a book about gay rights. Then, poof, the power of that scene was decimated in the epilogue. Only the LGBTQ+ should be standing on that stage at the end, I guess, and any allies should be below clapping?
Is it part of the LGTBQ+fantasy that anyone who associates with gay characters in a novel should also be gay? I am genuinely asking because this is the third novel in the last month that has ended like this, and I really want to understand why these authors sacrifice a gem of a novel for this little nugget of adds-absolutely-nothing-to-the-plot. I'm taking 2 stars off for the sudden veering off in plot and character.
To finish my little rant here (which undoubtedly will lie lost in the GR's review annals.) We discuss in the Book-ish world how we want diversity and more representation in our characters. I want that too, but I don't want to sacrifice well -rounded and amazingly nuanced characters to sudden stock character syndrome. Just because it's BIPOC or LGBTQ+ novels, doesn't mean they should fall into the same pitfalls as past novels. Maybe a character should represent the cis-hetero female ally; maybe that representation is also important.
I'm not going to give a summary of the plot - the back of the book does a good job. It's a nice modern queer twist on the Cinderella story.
I loved the characters. I thought it was an excellent retelling. It was on track for 5 star review. In the last 5 pages, Meister blew it.
I don't know what it is about gay romantic novels, but they all end the exact same way. (I can think of only one exception, actually, and that novel stands out.) Two MCs, realize they are in love and get together. There was a lovely build-up in the romance and you are feeling so happy and fluffy for the MCs and then bam! Last 5-10 pages, the mulit-layered female character who was an excellent support to one or both of the MCs is suddenly a lesbian. Usually the one other female she has interacted with is the love interest. There's been no plot development toward this other than they have been close and/or developed a friendship. The support (female) character has been there from the start, usually cast as an ally. Usually she is intelligent, witty and perceptive, so of course, she must be a lesbian?
In this novel, the sister of the MC is well-developed. She has a great personality. She acts and sounds like a real person. I loved her. I loved her sibling relationship. Then, there it was. In the last few pages, the girl (who dressed as a guy for the homecoming prom) is her love interest, and she's probably gay too. This love interest appears in the last 20 pages. We know very little about her except she was bullied for being gay and had a jock as a friend (Andre or the Goat, can't recall which.) I mean why??? The entire prom scene and the power of Dee's gesture is destroyed. That scene was so perfect! It was so powerful! Everyone coming together to accept everyone else - who cares about your sexual orientation. It said, it didn't matter who you are or what you are, just be you. I have never read a more perfect scene in a book about gay rights. Then, poof, the power of that scene was decimated in the epilogue. Only the LGBTQ+ should be standing on that stage at the end, I guess, and any allies should be below clapping?
Is it part of the LGTBQ+fantasy that anyone who associates with gay characters in a novel should also be gay? I am genuinely asking because this is the third novel in the last month that has ended like this, and I really want to understand why these authors sacrifice a gem of a novel for this little nugget of adds-absolutely-nothing-to-the-plot. I'm taking 2 stars off for the sudden veering off in plot and character.
To finish my little rant here (which undoubtedly will lie lost in the GR's review annals.) We discuss in the Book-ish world how we want diversity and more representation in our characters. I want that too, but I don't want to sacrifice well -rounded and amazingly nuanced characters to sudden stock character syndrome. Just because it's BIPOC or LGBTQ+ novels, doesn't mean they should fall into the same pitfalls as past novels. Maybe a character should represent the cis-hetero female ally; maybe that representation is also important.
January 13, 2019
Take my star rating with a grain of salt, because this is a difficult book for me to rate. It really comes down to this: This was not a very good book, but I had a lot of fun reading it.
I read this for the first time back in 2017 and flew through it. I'd happened across the book and, despite being in a period of my life when I wasn't reading much, couldn't put this book down. I adored it. I also, however, was not a critical reader the way I am now and consumed the story rather mindlessly. This is a book I've wanted to revisit for a while, curious as to what I'd think of the book now, and I'm sorry to say I noticed many more flaws this time around.
I'll start with the bad things, so that I can end of a positive note. This book just really lacked in the quality of the prose and dialogue. Not long into the book, I lowered my standards quite a bit and just kind of accepted that this book is lower quality in terms of writing. There were so many lines that made me cringe or roll my eyes. Stuff like Carter calling Declan "Cat-boy" and everyone wearing cat ears in support was just? I don't know. It was a bunch of little things like that that just felt strange and made the book kind of awkward to read. I got the vibes of poorly written fanfic or Wattpad books. The characters also tried to get deep and philosophical a lot of the time and it just didn't work for me. Another thing that bugged me: Also, the epilogue felt so unnecessary. And I know I adored it when I read this book the first time, but now it feels like a weird addition to a YA novel.
But! Despite all of that, I still enjoyed my time reading this. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first time but it was still pretty fun. The whole premise of Carter developing feelings for both Declan and Layla and not knowing they're the same person was super fun to read. I also loved that this was finally a book that played with the whole cross-dressing trope but actually featured an ownvoices non-binary protagonist. There were some other small things I enjoyed as well. I liked that Carter was into architecture and engineering and that Declan was into paintball - they were both hobbies that I don't normally see in books. I loved Delia's character.
I'm hesitant to recommend this, but if you want a fun, mindless love story with ownvoices non-binary representation, then this isn't a bad choice.
I read this for the first time back in 2017 and flew through it. I'd happened across the book and, despite being in a period of my life when I wasn't reading much, couldn't put this book down. I adored it. I also, however, was not a critical reader the way I am now and consumed the story rather mindlessly. This is a book I've wanted to revisit for a while, curious as to what I'd think of the book now, and I'm sorry to say I noticed many more flaws this time around.
I'll start with the bad things, so that I can end of a positive note. This book just really lacked in the quality of the prose and dialogue. Not long into the book, I lowered my standards quite a bit and just kind of accepted that this book is lower quality in terms of writing. There were so many lines that made me cringe or roll my eyes. Stuff like Carter calling Declan "Cat-boy" and everyone wearing cat ears in support was just? I don't know. It was a bunch of little things like that that just felt strange and made the book kind of awkward to read. I got the vibes of poorly written fanfic or Wattpad books. The characters also tried to get deep and philosophical a lot of the time and it just didn't work for me. Another thing that bugged me: Also, the epilogue felt so unnecessary. And I know I adored it when I read this book the first time, but now it feels like a weird addition to a YA novel.
But! Despite all of that, I still enjoyed my time reading this. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first time but it was still pretty fun. The whole premise of Carter developing feelings for both Declan and Layla and not knowing they're the same person was super fun to read. I also loved that this was finally a book that played with the whole cross-dressing trope but actually featured an ownvoices non-binary protagonist. There were some other small things I enjoyed as well. I liked that Carter was into architecture and engineering and that Declan was into paintball - they were both hobbies that I don't normally see in books. I loved Delia's character.
I'm hesitant to recommend this, but if you want a fun, mindless love story with ownvoices non-binary representation, then this isn't a bad choice.
December 30, 2021
i have suuuch mixed feelings about this book. i was strongly considering dnf'ing it in the first half, but the second half pulled through enough that i would say i enjoyed it?
despite being published in 2018, this book felt really dated. the way it talks about gender, the way layla is 'not like other girls,' layla's feminist rant to a group of boys about how to treat girls, over-the-top stand-up-to-the-bully scenes, the plotline about a school shutting down a LGBTQ club, high school drama between cliche characters about popularity, a big finale with speeches at the school dance, parents who are out of town until the concluding scenes, 'deez nuts' running in a school election... it really felt like a contrived early 2000s movie that's entertaining enough until you rewatch it and think "huh, that could've been a bit more nuanced."
the dialogue was rather stilted, where characters were either deeply profound or overly witty, none of which felt like believable things people would actually say. a lot of the characters also fell flat for me, either feeling more like cliches (jock, nerd, popular girl, divorced mom, supportive sister, etc.) or not having consistent characterization. their relationships were a little confusing, too: declan has a nerdy girl best friend he hangs out with maybe one time? people act like they are super close friends after interacting once? the pacing of the book was also jumpy at times, skipping between or over scenes.
my biggest bone to pick with this book is that despite all the characters' ~philosophical~ conversations, it brushes over deeply engaging with declan's gender in a nuanced way. it would be one thing if this were done in a way to give us casual representation, but considering declan's gender fluidity is central to the workings of the plot, it rubbed me the wrong way that the book avoided discussing it at length. by the end, declan being gender fluid feels more like a plot device included solely so the book can use this mistaken identity trope. the narrative treating him as an entirely different person as layla didn't help. i really appreciated how accepting the people around declan were, but there were a couple other instances where characters presenting outside of gender norms are introduced that didn't totally sit right with me (declan's internal monologue when he first sees chloe, and the way delia talks about her date to homecoming), and this made me question how the book was treating gender on the whole.
despite all this, i did love the narrative of acceptance at the end of the book, and the way the school plot resolved was pretty satisfying. i'd be interested to see what meister writes in the future!
despite being published in 2018, this book felt really dated. the way it talks about gender, the way layla is 'not like other girls,' layla's feminist rant to a group of boys about how to treat girls, over-the-top stand-up-to-the-bully scenes, the plotline about a school shutting down a LGBTQ club, high school drama between cliche characters about popularity, a big finale with speeches at the school dance, parents who are out of town until the concluding scenes, 'deez nuts' running in a school election... it really felt like a contrived early 2000s movie that's entertaining enough until you rewatch it and think "huh, that could've been a bit more nuanced."
the dialogue was rather stilted, where characters were either deeply profound or overly witty, none of which felt like believable things people would actually say. a lot of the characters also fell flat for me, either feeling more like cliches (jock, nerd, popular girl, divorced mom, supportive sister, etc.) or not having consistent characterization. their relationships were a little confusing, too: declan has a nerdy girl best friend he hangs out with maybe one time? people act like they are super close friends after interacting once? the pacing of the book was also jumpy at times, skipping between or over scenes.
my biggest bone to pick with this book is that despite all the characters' ~philosophical~ conversations, it brushes over deeply engaging with declan's gender in a nuanced way. it would be one thing if this were done in a way to give us casual representation, but considering declan's gender fluidity is central to the workings of the plot, it rubbed me the wrong way that the book avoided discussing it at length. by the end, declan being gender fluid feels more like a plot device included solely so the book can use this mistaken identity trope. the narrative treating him as an entirely different person as layla didn't help. i really appreciated how accepting the people around declan were, but there were a couple other instances where characters presenting outside of gender norms are introduced that didn't totally sit right with me (declan's internal monologue when he first sees chloe, and the way delia talks about her date to homecoming), and this made me question how the book was treating gender on the whole.
despite all this, i did love the narrative of acceptance at the end of the book, and the way the school plot resolved was pretty satisfying. i'd be interested to see what meister writes in the future!
January 19, 2020
The LGBT+ representation in this book is 5*. Truly amazing. Non-binary MC, bi/pan MC, lots of LGBT+ secondary characters and one of the central themes of Cinderella Boy is coming out, self-acceptance and fighting against institutionalised homophobia.
The problem more me is the execution. Cinderella Boy just isn't written that well. The dialogue is clunky and doesn't flow well, half the time I had to re-read passages to figure out who was speaking. Even then the conversations didn't feel realistic. It was either constant 'banter' with the characters trying to make jokes or it got WAY TOO DEEP. Teenagers, let alone ones on first dates or making new friends just don't interact in this way. Sometimes it felt like Meister was trying so hard to make a point that they forgot to make it realistic. It stopped me getting lost in the story because I kept being pulled out of it by the dialogue.
The second issue I had with the execution is the twist at the end . For me it didn't make sense in terms of plotting and actually weakened the book because it undermined a lot of the previous interactions between key characters.
The final issue I had with Cinderella Boy's execution is a lot of the character feel like stereotypes rather than real people. You have the popular jock, the nerdy gay kid, the supportive sister, the quirky best-friend but you never really saw them step outside of these stereotypes unless it was to advance the LGBT+ representation. It made it difficult to care about any of the characters on a deeper level (including the two MCs) and for me that is a big turn-off in a book.
So this was a cute young adult queer romance book but like a lot YA novels it was trying too hard. The writing was trying too hard to be funny, clever and meaningful. It meant the actual plot and the characters got overshadowed, almost to the point that I stopped caring. So the execution is 2* for me. Therefore I've given it 3* overall. Representation can only take you so far.
The problem more me is the execution. Cinderella Boy just isn't written that well. The dialogue is clunky and doesn't flow well, half the time I had to re-read passages to figure out who was speaking. Even then the conversations didn't feel realistic. It was either constant 'banter' with the characters trying to make jokes or it got WAY TOO DEEP. Teenagers, let alone ones on first dates or making new friends just don't interact in this way. Sometimes it felt like Meister was trying so hard to make a point that they forgot to make it realistic. It stopped me getting lost in the story because I kept being pulled out of it by the dialogue.
The second issue I had with the execution is the twist at the end . For me it didn't make sense in terms of plotting and actually weakened the book because it undermined a lot of the previous interactions between key characters.
The final issue I had with Cinderella Boy's execution is a lot of the character feel like stereotypes rather than real people. You have the popular jock, the nerdy gay kid, the supportive sister, the quirky best-friend but you never really saw them step outside of these stereotypes unless it was to advance the LGBT+ representation. It made it difficult to care about any of the characters on a deeper level (including the two MCs) and for me that is a big turn-off in a book.
So this was a cute young adult queer romance book but like a lot YA novels it was trying too hard. The writing was trying too hard to be funny, clever and meaningful. It meant the actual plot and the characters got overshadowed, almost to the point that I stopped caring. So the execution is 2* for me. Therefore I've given it 3* overall. Representation can only take you so far.
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