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Villains #8
Das Herz so kalt (Cinderella)
Gräfin Tremaine, verwitwet und allein erziehend mit zwei eigenwilligen Mädchen, verliebt sich in einen schneidigen Ritter aus einem fernen Land, der eine Stiefmutter für seine eigene junge Tochter sucht. Aber Stiefmütter in fremden Königreichen haben es nicht leicht ... und Lady Tremaine steht ein weniger glückliches Leben bevor, als sie es sich erhofft hat.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2021
463 people are currently reading
27915 people want to read
About the author
Serena Valentino
153 books5,969 followersSerena Valentino is best known for weaving tales that combine mythos and guile with her work on the comic book series GloomCookie and Nightmares & Fairy Tales, and her best selling Disney Villain Novels which have earned her critical acclaim for her unique style of storytelling, bringing her readers into exquisitely frightening worlds filled with terror, beauty and extraordinary female protagonists.
Her Disney Villain novel series would be best enjoyed if read in this order: Fairest of All: The Story of the Wicked Queen, The Beast Within: The Story of Belle’s Prince, Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch, Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy. Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch and The Odd Sisters: A Villains Book to be released in Summer 2019. Book 7 will be out Summer 2020, Book 8 summer of 2021, and Book 9 Summer of 2022.
Serena lives in New Orleans with her dog Gozer, and a very tiny kitty named Momma.
Contact: Serena@serenavalentino.com
Her Disney Villain novel series would be best enjoyed if read in this order: Fairest of All: The Story of the Wicked Queen, The Beast Within: The Story of Belle’s Prince, Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch, Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy. Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch and The Odd Sisters: A Villains Book to be released in Summer 2019. Book 7 will be out Summer 2020, Book 8 summer of 2021, and Book 9 Summer of 2022.
Serena lives in New Orleans with her dog Gozer, and a very tiny kitty named Momma.
Contact: Serena@serenavalentino.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,014 reviews
July 13, 2021
Retellings are some of my favorite books to read. I've had my eye on this series for some time now. After picking up book #8 Cold Hearted, I went ahead and began reading about Lady Tremaine and her daughters. While this turned out to be a captivating story at first, I think it would've been best to read the books in order due to the mention of previous characters and events in the story.
The book begins with Lady Tremaine after she has lost her loving husband and is now left to raise her daughters alone. Luckily, Lady Tremaine is wealthy, and the girls don't do without anything. Anastasia and Drizella don't have the best qualities; they both have behavioral issues. Lady Tremaine sets out on a much-needed journey to visit a friend, Lady Hackle, leaving the girls at home. Here she meets Sir Richard, and she contemplates a future life with him and allowing love in her life again.
Initially, what I admired most about this story was the turn of the tables as far as the characters are concerned. It didn't seem at all like it would be similar the original Cinderella, and I was fascinated to finally read a fresh retelling. Lady Tremaine's character is redeemed as her backstory comes to light. Cinderella isn't the perfect little innocent daughter either, and Lady Tremaine--at first--has some good intentions. The end of the story is left open to multiple possibilities as the reader questions what role The Book of Fairy Tales will play. My issue was the turn the story took in the end and the fate of the characters. The ending just felt generic to me, and I just wanted more.
Cold Hearted was an enjoyable read, and I plan to go back and read all the books in order. It was an easy read and written well. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are a few mentions of characters and events from previous installments which would've been nice to know beforehand.
4****
The book begins with Lady Tremaine after she has lost her loving husband and is now left to raise her daughters alone. Luckily, Lady Tremaine is wealthy, and the girls don't do without anything. Anastasia and Drizella don't have the best qualities; they both have behavioral issues. Lady Tremaine sets out on a much-needed journey to visit a friend, Lady Hackle, leaving the girls at home. Here she meets Sir Richard, and she contemplates a future life with him and allowing love in her life again.
Initially, what I admired most about this story was the turn of the tables as far as the characters are concerned. It didn't seem at all like it would be similar the original Cinderella, and I was fascinated to finally read a fresh retelling. Lady Tremaine's character is redeemed as her backstory comes to light. Cinderella isn't the perfect little innocent daughter either, and Lady Tremaine--at first--has some good intentions. The end of the story is left open to multiple possibilities as the reader questions what role The Book of Fairy Tales will play. My issue was the turn the story took in the end and the fate of the characters. The ending just felt generic to me, and I just wanted more.
Cold Hearted was an enjoyable read, and I plan to go back and read all the books in order. It was an easy read and written well. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are a few mentions of characters and events from previous installments which would've been nice to know beforehand.
4****
June 23, 2021
"She had fallen in love and traveled to a foreign land to start a new life, only to realize she had been tricked. She had endured years of abuse. And now a real fairy godmother was telling her she was, in fact, not the heroine of her own tale, but the villain in someone else's."
TL;DR: WUT did I just read.
An origin story for Lady Tremaine (of Disney's Cinderella) that attempts to...IDK. Give her a backstory? Make her sympathetic? It's unclear. It's a retelling/spinoff of the Cinderella story that doesn't really contribute much to the tale, bogged down by subpar, cringey writing. I am honestly 100% baffled by how many 5-star reviews this book has.
Vibes: Once Upon A Time meets Great Expectations and Rebecca -- but, like, C-list versions of those stories.
Character MVP: Honestly? No one. I felt very little for any of these characters; they were all very flat -- as fairy tale characters tend to be, but given that this is a novel, I expected more.
Verdict: I know this is part of a series, and, full disclosure, I haven't read any of the other books. I may go back and start at the beginning, because apparently the first ones are better...?
But this book *can* function as a stand-alone, although I imagine certain parts will make more sense in the context of the larger world that Valentino has constructed. And my frustrations don't stem from those "I don't get the full import" moments -- they stem from the characters/writing style and just the overall point of the story.
First -- I *love* retellings. I love fairy tales. I love Disney. I love all of these things and wanted to enjoy this book. But I also feel like my bar is perhaps a bit high when it comes to retellings. In grad school, I took a class on fairytale retellings and Cinderella was our case study: we looked at several of the fairy tale versions and how the tale evolved, picture book adaptations, middle-grade and YA novels. And the one thing we agreed on is that an effective retelling has to do "something" new with the story: tell it from the POV of a minor character (like Philip Pullman's I Was A Rat) or explain why Cinderella was so obedient (like Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted). Those sought to address some part of the story and explain it or transform it.
Here? I honestly don't know what the point was. At first, I thought Valentino was going to question the larger issues of fairy tales -- why stepmothers are always evil (because we can't vilify bio-moms, obviously) and engage with issues of predetermined endings based on arbitrary standards of morality (princess = good; stepmother = evil). But...she didn't. Because...
(2) Lady Tremaine is a textbook 'passive character.' *EVERYTHING* that happens, happens TO her; she has no agency, takes no action.
And at first, I also thought this was supposed to engender sympathy towards her -- she was a caring, kind, loving woman and she's not a villain!
But...she's kind of selfish, self-centered, and vain. She read like a teenager, instead of the middle-aged woman she was supposed to be. She made one decision -- to leave her daughters at home while she went on a vacation (because she was simply exhausted, even though she saw her kids for what? Like an hour a day? The rest of the time they were with their nanny) and then allowed herself to be manipulated into things. There are so many red flags along the way, but she never once slows things down and then is "surprised" and "shocked" at how unhappy she is. Really? The handsome guy who didn't actually propose to you and demanded you get on the next boat to go to him turned out NOT to be your happily ever after?
The matter of the cursed brooch just makes it worse: it effectively removes any agency from her decisions. She's cold and cruel because the thing is like a Horcrux -- amplifying her worst traits and drawing out the evil in her. It's not *really* who she is; she's affected by the brooch.
But then -- in the end, even though the Fairies and Witches basically admit that Cinderella's father is the real villain, they punish her anyway. So what's the point? There's no redemption arc or even a chance; she just goes all Miss Havisham and then "dies." She was initially (supposed to be) a good person, she got drawn into a predetermined role to be a villain despite that, and a cursed brooch made her even worse: which everyone acknowledged, but didn't seem to matter.
This was what I loved about Once Upon A Time -- and Regina's character especially (but also Hook): as ridiculous and campy as it got, the show really attempted to show how "evil isn't born, it's made," so that you understood *how* they became villains -- but it also showed how complex that was. Lana Parilla's Regina was the best character on the show because of the depth and nuance she brought to Regina -- even though she was a "villain," there was still good in her, which was fostered until it bloomed. (Ugh. That's a cheesy line. But the point is, the villains got chances to be good. Here? No chance for Lady Tremaine.)
*sigh*
But Anastasia and Drizella, who don't have much of a presence and have even less to redeem them -- they get their happily ever after? Why?
I wasn't a fan of how the three of them (including Cinderella) were depicted. I actually don't think the 1950 animated Cinderella is as much of a pushover as scholars/critics sometimes make her out to be; she's got a bit of a sassy side and she rebels in her own quiet way.
But here? She's...flat. She's either impossibly innocent & insufferably obedient or she knows of her role in the story and what has to happen for her to marry the king. Either way -- she's presented as spoiled; her father gives her everything she wants after her mother's death the same way Lady Tremaine spoils her daughters. But Cinderella turns out fine, and Anastasia and Drizella are horrible spoiled brats. But, if Lady Tremaine is kind and Sir Richard is cruel, how did that happen? What does that say?
At least it was a quick and easy read...even if we still don't know Lady Tremaine's first name.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
TL;DR: WUT did I just read.
An origin story for Lady Tremaine (of Disney's Cinderella) that attempts to...IDK. Give her a backstory? Make her sympathetic? It's unclear. It's a retelling/spinoff of the Cinderella story that doesn't really contribute much to the tale, bogged down by subpar, cringey writing. I am honestly 100% baffled by how many 5-star reviews this book has.
Vibes: Once Upon A Time meets Great Expectations and Rebecca -- but, like, C-list versions of those stories.
Character MVP: Honestly? No one. I felt very little for any of these characters; they were all very flat -- as fairy tale characters tend to be, but given that this is a novel, I expected more.
Verdict: I know this is part of a series, and, full disclosure, I haven't read any of the other books. I may go back and start at the beginning, because apparently the first ones are better...?
But this book *can* function as a stand-alone, although I imagine certain parts will make more sense in the context of the larger world that Valentino has constructed. And my frustrations don't stem from those "I don't get the full import" moments -- they stem from the characters/writing style and just the overall point of the story.
First -- I *love* retellings. I love fairy tales. I love Disney. I love all of these things and wanted to enjoy this book. But I also feel like my bar is perhaps a bit high when it comes to retellings. In grad school, I took a class on fairytale retellings and Cinderella was our case study: we looked at several of the fairy tale versions and how the tale evolved, picture book adaptations, middle-grade and YA novels. And the one thing we agreed on is that an effective retelling has to do "something" new with the story: tell it from the POV of a minor character (like Philip Pullman's I Was A Rat) or explain why Cinderella was so obedient (like Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted). Those sought to address some part of the story and explain it or transform it.
Here? I honestly don't know what the point was. At first, I thought Valentino was going to question the larger issues of fairy tales -- why stepmothers are always evil (because we can't vilify bio-moms, obviously) and engage with issues of predetermined endings based on arbitrary standards of morality (princess = good; stepmother = evil). But...she didn't. Because...
(2) Lady Tremaine is a textbook 'passive character.' *EVERYTHING* that happens, happens TO her; she has no agency, takes no action.
And at first, I also thought this was supposed to engender sympathy towards her -- she was a caring, kind, loving woman and she's not a villain!
But...she's kind of selfish, self-centered, and vain. She read like a teenager, instead of the middle-aged woman she was supposed to be. She made one decision -- to leave her daughters at home while she went on a vacation (because she was simply exhausted, even though she saw her kids for what? Like an hour a day? The rest of the time they were with their nanny) and then allowed herself to be manipulated into things. There are so many red flags along the way, but she never once slows things down and then is "surprised" and "shocked" at how unhappy she is. Really? The handsome guy who didn't actually propose to you and demanded you get on the next boat to go to him turned out NOT to be your happily ever after?
The matter of the cursed brooch just makes it worse: it effectively removes any agency from her decisions. She's cold and cruel because the thing is like a Horcrux -- amplifying her worst traits and drawing out the evil in her. It's not *really* who she is; she's affected by the brooch.
But then -- in the end, even though the Fairies and Witches basically admit that Cinderella's father is the real villain, they punish her anyway. So what's the point? There's no redemption arc or even a chance; she just goes all Miss Havisham and then "dies." She was initially (supposed to be) a good person, she got drawn into a predetermined role to be a villain despite that, and a cursed brooch made her even worse: which everyone acknowledged, but didn't seem to matter.
This was what I loved about Once Upon A Time -- and Regina's character especially (but also Hook): as ridiculous and campy as it got, the show really attempted to show how "evil isn't born, it's made," so that you understood *how* they became villains -- but it also showed how complex that was. Lana Parilla's Regina was the best character on the show because of the depth and nuance she brought to Regina -- even though she was a "villain," there was still good in her, which was fostered until it bloomed. (Ugh. That's a cheesy line. But the point is, the villains got chances to be good. Here? No chance for Lady Tremaine.)
*sigh*
But Anastasia and Drizella, who don't have much of a presence and have even less to redeem them -- they get their happily ever after? Why?
I wasn't a fan of how the three of them (including Cinderella) were depicted. I actually don't think the 1950 animated Cinderella is as much of a pushover as scholars/critics sometimes make her out to be; she's got a bit of a sassy side and she rebels in her own quiet way.
But here? She's...flat. She's either impossibly innocent & insufferably obedient or she knows of her role in the story and what has to happen for her to marry the king. Either way -- she's presented as spoiled; her father gives her everything she wants after her mother's death the same way Lady Tremaine spoils her daughters. But Cinderella turns out fine, and Anastasia and Drizella are horrible spoiled brats. But, if Lady Tremaine is kind and Sir Richard is cruel, how did that happen? What does that say?
At least it was a quick and easy read...even if we still don't know Lady Tremaine's first name.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2021
I have a thing for fairy tales. I love jumping back into old stories and then seeing what people can do with them. I even took a course in University all about the re-tellings of famous stories. We call them "Intertexts". This one is a continuation of good ol' Cinderella. You've heard her story, you've watched the Disney movies (cartoon, sequels and live action remake) and I'm sure you've watched the Brandy version too. There's so many retellings of this story! A Cinderella Story has been redone so many times too. There are even organizations named after the story!
But... what about Lady Tremaine? The evil woman with the cat (that I want, by the way. I like cats. I don't care if they are the bad guys... They are fluffy) and the ugly step sisters (who weren't that ugly, honestly). Anastasia and Drizella... There is so much there for a story! So much! I am not surprised at all that Serena Valentino decided to add her spin to this story. Wicked step-mothers aren't always wicked... Maybe just not well informed.
We open up with a bit of a synopsis if you somehow did not know the basics of this story, and then get thrust into the Fairylands! Fairy God Mother gets a request from Cinderella, and it turns out she has to help her ward. The whole point Fairy God Mother brings up that villains deserve their bad endings... But do they? Do they? Look how many live action remakes we are getting with villains... It can't be true. Maybe they deserve a second chance...
This book is a roller coaster ride of fun. It gives a lot of life to Lady Tremaine and makes her story way more interesting than a brooding old bat who's just a jerk. Seeing this woman be hardened over time and what happened to her... It makes you understand the story a bit more (but obviously still feel bad because Cinderella didn't deserve all the hate).
Overall, great book! I recommend it if you love Disney retellings.
Four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
But... what about Lady Tremaine? The evil woman with the cat (that I want, by the way. I like cats. I don't care if they are the bad guys... They are fluffy) and the ugly step sisters (who weren't that ugly, honestly). Anastasia and Drizella... There is so much there for a story! So much! I am not surprised at all that Serena Valentino decided to add her spin to this story. Wicked step-mothers aren't always wicked... Maybe just not well informed.
We open up with a bit of a synopsis if you somehow did not know the basics of this story, and then get thrust into the Fairylands! Fairy God Mother gets a request from Cinderella, and it turns out she has to help her ward. The whole point Fairy God Mother brings up that villains deserve their bad endings... But do they? Do they? Look how many live action remakes we are getting with villains... It can't be true. Maybe they deserve a second chance...
This book is a roller coaster ride of fun. It gives a lot of life to Lady Tremaine and makes her story way more interesting than a brooding old bat who's just a jerk. Seeing this woman be hardened over time and what happened to her... It makes you understand the story a bit more (but obviously still feel bad because Cinderella didn't deserve all the hate).
Overall, great book! I recommend it if you love Disney retellings.
Four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
September 11, 2021
3 Sterne |Pluspunkte: Schnelllebig, Disney-Feeling | Minuspunkte: Unausgereifter Schreibstil, nicht nachvollziehbare Charakterentwicklung
Als achter Teil der „Disney Villains“-Reihe erzählt „Das Herz so kalt“ die Geschichte von Gräfin Tremaine, der Antagonistin aus Cinderella. Was musste geschehen, damit aus einer lebensbejahenden, herzlichen Frau eine böse Stiefmutter werden konnte? Die Antwort liegt zwischen diesen Seiten.
„Das Herz so kalt“ ist eins der Bücher, die mir die Bewertung wirklich nicht einfach machen. Der Grund dafür ist meine gemischte Meinung: Einerseits hat es mir wirklich Spaß bereitet, die Geschichte von Gräfin Tremaine zu verfolgen. Der Plot hat mir gut gefallen, vor allem die Ursache dafür, dass die Gräfin zu der eiskalten Frau geworden ist, die wir aus dem beliebten Disney-Film kennen, fand ich wunderbar eingearbeitet und hat nochmal neue Blickwinkel wachgerufen. Trotzdem haben mich allerhand Kleinigkeiten immer wieder gestört. Fangen wir mit dem Schreibstil an: Mir persönlich erschien er reichlich unausgegoren. Viele Formulierungen wiederholten sich, gerade wenn es um Handlungen oder Beschreibungen ging, die zur Charakterisierung der Protagonistin beitragen sollten. Zunächst habe ich überlegt, ob es Absicht ist, um auch jüngeren Leser*innen das Verständnis zu erleichtern, aber wenn, würde es mit anderen Ausdrücken, die eher veraltet oder unüblich waren, nicht zusammenpassen. Außerdem war Gräfin Tremaine für mich stellenweise stark überzeichnet und kam dadurch ein wenig unglaubwürdig rüber – genauso wie ihre inneren Umschwünge stellenweise, die mir nicht abschließend logisch erschien. Teilweise habe ich ihre Gedanken und Gefühle in Kombination mit den daraus resultierenden Entscheidungen nicht nachvollziehen können.
Abschließend lässt sich sagen, dass „Das Herz so kalt“ für mich ein netter Read war, der zwar Spaß gemacht hat, meiner Meinung nach aber noch besser hätte ausgearbeitet werden können.
Als achter Teil der „Disney Villains“-Reihe erzählt „Das Herz so kalt“ die Geschichte von Gräfin Tremaine, der Antagonistin aus Cinderella. Was musste geschehen, damit aus einer lebensbejahenden, herzlichen Frau eine böse Stiefmutter werden konnte? Die Antwort liegt zwischen diesen Seiten.
„Das Herz so kalt“ ist eins der Bücher, die mir die Bewertung wirklich nicht einfach machen. Der Grund dafür ist meine gemischte Meinung: Einerseits hat es mir wirklich Spaß bereitet, die Geschichte von Gräfin Tremaine zu verfolgen. Der Plot hat mir gut gefallen, vor allem die Ursache dafür, dass die Gräfin zu der eiskalten Frau geworden ist, die wir aus dem beliebten Disney-Film kennen, fand ich wunderbar eingearbeitet und hat nochmal neue Blickwinkel wachgerufen. Trotzdem haben mich allerhand Kleinigkeiten immer wieder gestört. Fangen wir mit dem Schreibstil an: Mir persönlich erschien er reichlich unausgegoren. Viele Formulierungen wiederholten sich, gerade wenn es um Handlungen oder Beschreibungen ging, die zur Charakterisierung der Protagonistin beitragen sollten. Zunächst habe ich überlegt, ob es Absicht ist, um auch jüngeren Leser*innen das Verständnis zu erleichtern, aber wenn, würde es mit anderen Ausdrücken, die eher veraltet oder unüblich waren, nicht zusammenpassen. Außerdem war Gräfin Tremaine für mich stellenweise stark überzeichnet und kam dadurch ein wenig unglaubwürdig rüber – genauso wie ihre inneren Umschwünge stellenweise, die mir nicht abschließend logisch erschien. Teilweise habe ich ihre Gedanken und Gefühle in Kombination mit den daraus resultierenden Entscheidungen nicht nachvollziehen können.
Abschließend lässt sich sagen, dass „Das Herz so kalt“ für mich ein netter Read war, der zwar Spaß gemacht hat, meiner Meinung nach aber noch besser hätte ausgearbeitet werden können.
March 15, 2021
I don't know how to describe it, but I really wanted more from this. There was so much potential in this, and this book only tapped some of it.
I did love the way that Cinderella, the stepsisters, and Lady Tremaine were written. I was worried that Cinderella would either be villainized, or the stepsisters would be made out to be monsters. I was so happy that those routes were avoided. I liked the twist that the father was the reason for the enmity.
I really wish this had been longer. I wanted more exploration of how the stepsisters felt, and more on how Cinderella was treated. We got a bit of that, but it wasn't enough for me.
This was a quick and enjoyable read, but it could've been better. It was definitely a neat twist on the tale of Cinderella though!
Thanks to Netgalley and Serena Valentino for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I did love the way that Cinderella, the stepsisters, and Lady Tremaine were written. I was worried that Cinderella would either be villainized, or the stepsisters would be made out to be monsters. I was so happy that those routes were avoided. I liked the twist that the father was the reason for the enmity.
I really wish this had been longer. I wanted more exploration of how the stepsisters felt, and more on how Cinderella was treated. We got a bit of that, but it wasn't enough for me.
This was a quick and enjoyable read, but it could've been better. It was definitely a neat twist on the tale of Cinderella though!
Thanks to Netgalley and Serena Valentino for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 24, 2021
Did we all read the same book? It's highly suspicious all of these reviews sound the same, almost as if someone paid for them...
The writing in this book is awful. I love retellings, but this is sub-par at best.
If you'd like to watch fairies fight and exchange terrible dialog, by all means. I've now tried two books in this series, and this was worse than the B&tB retelling.
The writing in this book is awful. I love retellings, but this is sub-par at best.
If you'd like to watch fairies fight and exchange terrible dialog, by all means. I've now tried two books in this series, and this was worse than the B&tB retelling.
April 6, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh man! This series is so much fun and I honestly had no idea what I was going to get once I dove into Cold Hearted. I mean.. from the obvious. So, yes, I knew this was going to be about Lady Tremaine and how she became the Evil Stepmother to Cinderella. I just didn't know what twists I was going to get.
Not going to lie, this was so freaking good. Another book that was hard to put down but honestly this whole series has captured my attention so easily. I don't know what I'm going to do since this is book 8 and there's no book 9 (yet).
I will say that I'm not even one bit surprised that the Odd Sisters dipped their toes into Lady Tremaine's life. It was just way too easy to predict that they tried to "help" her in any way. I was surprised that the Fairy Godmother helped out her daughters though. I'm thinking Nanny had a helping in that because she is just really sweet to think of every character in a book.
In the end, I definitely enjoyed this one and I hope Serena writes another book! Not sure who the next villain could be.. maybe Hades?
Oh man! This series is so much fun and I honestly had no idea what I was going to get once I dove into Cold Hearted. I mean.. from the obvious. So, yes, I knew this was going to be about Lady Tremaine and how she became the Evil Stepmother to Cinderella. I just didn't know what twists I was going to get.
Not going to lie, this was so freaking good. Another book that was hard to put down but honestly this whole series has captured my attention so easily. I don't know what I'm going to do since this is book 8 and there's no book 9 (yet).
I will say that I'm not even one bit surprised that the Odd Sisters dipped their toes into Lady Tremaine's life. It was just way too easy to predict that they tried to "help" her in any way. I was surprised that the Fairy Godmother helped out her daughters though. I'm thinking Nanny had a helping in that because she is just really sweet to think of every character in a book.
In the end, I definitely enjoyed this one and I hope Serena writes another book! Not sure who the next villain could be.. maybe Hades?
July 18, 2021
Watch my reading vlog & review of this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L94qL0anNvY
I really enjoyed this one! I was a little hesitant diving into it since I wasn't the biggest fan of Evil Thing, but I was thoroughly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying my reading experience.
I feel like Lady Tremaine is an overlooked Disney villain. Perhaps because she doesn't have any magical powers, but that doesn't make her any less villainous. Most Cinderella retellings I've encountered so far focused on Cinderella herself, so reading a book from Lady Tremaine's perspective was refreshing.
I really loved what Serena Valentino did with her story. Lady Tremaine wasn't a bad person. She just ran into the wrong circles. Let's be honest here, Sir Richard was the true villain of that story. So I didn't feel sorry for what happened to him. (To be completely honest, he deserved everything that happened to him. And then more.)
But while I did understand Lady Tremaine's motivations and what drove her to become the villain we all know, I did feel like the shift in the book happened rather abruptly. The pacing felt off. We spent more than half the book getting to know Lady Tremaine and her story, but the minute she turns into a villain, everything happens quickly. We gloss over the entire Cinderella story, and next thing you know, we've reached the end of the story. The ending was also a little bit unsatisfying.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. (It might be one of my favorite books in the series so far.) However, I did have a few issues with it, mostly in the pacing of the story. I wanted more time with Lady Tremaine, to truly understand what happened to make her become the evil stepmother she's famous for.
I really enjoyed this one! I was a little hesitant diving into it since I wasn't the biggest fan of Evil Thing, but I was thoroughly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying my reading experience.
I feel like Lady Tremaine is an overlooked Disney villain. Perhaps because she doesn't have any magical powers, but that doesn't make her any less villainous. Most Cinderella retellings I've encountered so far focused on Cinderella herself, so reading a book from Lady Tremaine's perspective was refreshing.
I really loved what Serena Valentino did with her story. Lady Tremaine wasn't a bad person. She just ran into the wrong circles. Let's be honest here, Sir Richard was the true villain of that story. So I didn't feel sorry for what happened to him. (To be completely honest, he deserved everything that happened to him. And then more.)
But while I did understand Lady Tremaine's motivations and what drove her to become the villain we all know, I did feel like the shift in the book happened rather abruptly. The pacing felt off. We spent more than half the book getting to know Lady Tremaine and her story, but the minute she turns into a villain, everything happens quickly. We gloss over the entire Cinderella story, and next thing you know, we've reached the end of the story. The ending was also a little bit unsatisfying.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. (It might be one of my favorite books in the series so far.) However, I did have a few issues with it, mostly in the pacing of the story. I wanted more time with Lady Tremaine, to truly understand what happened to make her become the evil stepmother she's famous for.
January 17, 2022
2.5 stars rounded down to 2 stars.
I just finished reading this book and don’t know exactly what to say. This book is written in the same style as the others. I’d recommend reading at least a few of the books that proceed this one due to how often past events are referenced. It isn’t my favorite in the series but doesn’t put me off them entirely.
Spoilers
I have an issue with how it ended. Lady Tremaine was abused for years and a victim of circumstance. Yes she did terrible things, but her ending left me upset. The fairies freely admit, multiple times, how they failed her and this is on them; however, instead of helping her become better and possibly atone for the pain she caused, they turn her to stone. And are pleased about the fact that she will remain “cold, solid, and unmovable as she had always wished.” But she had wished to be those things because she was being abused. Due to the fairies and the Odd Sisters, she literally couldn’t leave the situation so that was how she coped. Again, her trauma doesn’t excuse the pain that she caused others, but for me, I’m just really disappointed in how this story of abuse was handled. For this story to work, Lady Tremaine didn’t have to be broken down in the way that she was; she could have just been bitter that her new husband squandered all of her fortune. Lied about his intentions and the state of his home. She could’ve just been a materialistic asshole that evolved into the villain from Cinderella. I understand the author wants to make the villains in these stories redeemable, or have a tragic backstory to make the reader at least sympathize with the characters they potentially grew up seeing as evil. But for me, it isn’t successful and leaves me off put with the story and all of the fairy characters, including Nanny.
If you’re a fan of the series, I’d still recommend reading this, if for no other reason than for how it goes into information about other character that may be be useful for future installments. But, to be honest you could probably also skip it and get the gist in future books since they are allegedly meant to be able to be read as stand-alones.
I just finished reading this book and don’t know exactly what to say. This book is written in the same style as the others. I’d recommend reading at least a few of the books that proceed this one due to how often past events are referenced. It isn’t my favorite in the series but doesn’t put me off them entirely.
Spoilers
I have an issue with how it ended. Lady Tremaine was abused for years and a victim of circumstance. Yes she did terrible things, but her ending left me upset. The fairies freely admit, multiple times, how they failed her and this is on them; however, instead of helping her become better and possibly atone for the pain she caused, they turn her to stone. And are pleased about the fact that she will remain “cold, solid, and unmovable as she had always wished.” But she had wished to be those things because she was being abused. Due to the fairies and the Odd Sisters, she literally couldn’t leave the situation so that was how she coped. Again, her trauma doesn’t excuse the pain that she caused others, but for me, I’m just really disappointed in how this story of abuse was handled. For this story to work, Lady Tremaine didn’t have to be broken down in the way that she was; she could have just been bitter that her new husband squandered all of her fortune. Lied about his intentions and the state of his home. She could’ve just been a materialistic asshole that evolved into the villain from Cinderella. I understand the author wants to make the villains in these stories redeemable, or have a tragic backstory to make the reader at least sympathize with the characters they potentially grew up seeing as evil. But for me, it isn’t successful and leaves me off put with the story and all of the fairy characters, including Nanny.
If you’re a fan of the series, I’d still recommend reading this, if for no other reason than for how it goes into information about other character that may be be useful for future installments. But, to be honest you could probably also skip it and get the gist in future books since they are allegedly meant to be able to be read as stand-alones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2021
Admittedly this wasn't as intense and evil as most of the other books in the Villains series, however I still found myself gripped by Lady Tremaine's story and was eager to reach the ending to find out what happened!
August 3, 2024
3.5
سیندرلا و ریچارد(پدر سیندرلا) ویلن بودن!
با جلدهای دیگه مجموعه فرق داشت. تا اواسط دوستش داشتم جملاتشم قشنگ بودن ولی در ادامه مایوسم کرد. کل کتاب حرص خوردم(حرصدرآورترین کتاب برام شوهر آهو خانم بود و حالا این کتاب با حجم کمترش شاید همونقدر حرصم داد😐)
سیندرلا هیچ وقت جزو محبوب هام نبود ولی الان جزو منفورهام هست:| داستان از عزت به ذلت افتادن و گول خوردن بود... و از یه جایی به بعد مسخره و احمقانه شد. هرجور نگاه کنی سیندرلا و باباش بدجنس و بی وجدان بودن و تریمن و دختراش مظلوم داستان. بعد انگار نویسنده به زور میخواست اینو شرور کنه:/درحالیکه صرفا گوشهای از سختیهایی که خودش و دختراش کشیدن رو به سیندرلا تحمیل کرد. سیندرلا هرچی کشید کمش بود. هیچ لیاقت اون پایان رو نداشت. خلاصه منطقی نبود این اصرار به ویلن کردنش و اصرار به معصوم و پایان خوش برای سیندرلا💀 وای که چقدر از فرشته نجات هم بدم اومد😑😑
نمیدونم چه نمرهای بدم. ۳ نمره به منطق کتاب ولی به قشنگ نوشتنش ۴.
سیندرلا و ریچارد(پدر سیندرلا) ویلن بودن!
با جلدهای دیگه مجموعه فرق داشت. تا اواسط دوستش داشتم جملاتشم قشنگ بودن ولی در ادامه مایوسم کرد. کل کتاب حرص خوردم(حرصدرآورترین کتاب برام شوهر آهو خانم بود و حالا این کتاب با حجم کمترش شاید همونقدر حرصم داد😐)
سیندرلا هیچ وقت جزو محبوب هام نبود ولی الان جزو منفورهام هست:| داستان از عزت به ذلت افتادن و گول خوردن بود... و از یه جایی به بعد مسخره و احمقانه شد. هرجور نگاه کنی سیندرلا و باباش بدجنس و بی وجدان بودن و تریمن و دختراش مظلوم داستان. بعد انگار نویسنده به زور میخواست اینو شرور کنه:/درحالیکه صرفا گوشهای از سختیهایی که خودش و دختراش کشیدن رو به سیندرلا تحمیل کرد. سیندرلا هرچی کشید کمش بود. هیچ لیاقت اون پایان رو نداشت. خلاصه منطقی نبود این اصرار به ویلن کردنش و اصرار به معصوم و پایان خوش برای سیندرلا💀 وای که چقدر از فرشته نجات هم بدم اومد😑😑
نمیدونم چه نمرهای بدم. ۳ نمره به منطق کتاب ولی به قشنگ نوشتنش ۴.
June 29, 2021
This YA book is a retelling of the Cinderella story from the perspective of Lady Tremaine. It's a very different angle on the well known tale - it takes the whole narrative and flips it on it's head. It raises some fun ideas and questions - what if Lady Tremaine wasn't always cold and heartless? What if she was a perfectly lovely lady who was a victim of circumstance? What if she fell head over heels for Cinderella's father, then found out that he was the real villian? What if years of his neglect and cruelty hardened her to the character we all love to hate? This book is part of the Disney Villians series, which are all fun retellings of beloved different stories from new and unexpected angles. I really loved the premise of this book. I enjoyed the possibilities that it explored and how it illustrated some different dimensions to characters that have always been portrayed negatively. I didn't love the pacing in this book - in several places a nicely flowing narrative was suddenly cutoff by a jump several years into the future. As a Disney fan, I liked it well enough that I will definitely check out some other books in the series. I give it high marks for creativity. Thank you to Netgalley and to Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing me with a review copy of this book.
February 2, 2021
Disney fans, this one's for you. Remember Cinderella and her horrible stepmother and stepsisters? The original story just didn't get it right. Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella are the focus of this story, about their lives before Lady Tremaine met Cinderella's father and married him. And then it's all downhill from there. Cinderella isn't as sweet as those fairy tales would lead you to believe! And evil stepmother and stepsisters? As if! Things are not always as they seem in the Many Kingdoms and with this tale, you'll leasrn all about how terribly Lady Tremaine and her girls were treated. Another fantastic story in the Villains series from Serena Valentino.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2021
I!!! Love!!! This!!! Series!!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I LOVE the fact that these books connect all the Disney princesses in one universe. This is Lady Tremaine’s story, but there are mentions of Snow White and other characters from previous tales, tying every Disney story together into one universe called the Many Kingdoms. The magic from the Many Kingdoms can even reach London in our world, which is where Lady Tremaine and her daughters’ story begin. Believe it or not, Lady Tremaine’s story starts in high society London in the real world before she jumps to Disney princess fairytale land!
That’s my absolute favorite part about this book. It connects the divide between our world and the Many Kingdoms world where the Disney characters reside. This almost gives me hope that I can find a portal to an alternate fairytale reality one day (fingers crossed). This series is a reminder that there’s 2 sides to every story and things aren’t always what they appear on the surface. First, the true villain of this story isn’t even Lady Tremaine, and the stepsisters were not even evil. Hearing what really happened from Lady Tremaine’s POV not only had me actually taking her side, it made made me sort of dislike Cinderella. Geez, Cinderella was a passive aggressive B and over the top spoiled in this book. Not that this excuses her mistreatment in later years, but Lady Tremaine does have a legitimate for disliking Cinderella in this book, and it’s not jealousy. That, plus pent up annoyance from several years of her and her daughters being treated like slaves and having cracked dry hands from the chores Cinderella’s dad forced the three of them to do while Cinderella sat on a pedestal and got whatever she wanted.
This book had me infuriated. I was angry what the Many Kingdoms had done to a previously kind woman who was warped beyond repair from mistreatment and a cruel life. This book really does show there are 2 sides to every story, and the villain might not be who you think. In fact, this book has me seeing Lady Tremaine as the victim, not the villain. I’ll never see the movie Cinderella the same way ever again 😬
The only reason why I’m giving this 4/5 stars is because this book kind of depressed me a bit to be honest, and just made me feel so much pity that I ended up just feeling sad at the end of it. Also, I did not end up enjoying this one as much as some of the prior ones to be honest, but this book still deserves a strong four stars. It’s definitely a worthy addition to the series and I most definitely will be supporting Serena Valentino and this series for as long as she writes them!
Thanks to Netgalley and Disney/Hyperion for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
That’s my absolute favorite part about this book. It connects the divide between our world and the Many Kingdoms world where the Disney characters reside. This almost gives me hope that I can find a portal to an alternate fairytale reality one day (fingers crossed). This series is a reminder that there’s 2 sides to every story and things aren’t always what they appear on the surface. First, the true villain of this story isn’t even Lady Tremaine, and the stepsisters were not even evil. Hearing what really happened from Lady Tremaine’s POV not only had me actually taking her side, it made made me sort of dislike Cinderella. Geez, Cinderella was a passive aggressive B and over the top spoiled in this book. Not that this excuses her mistreatment in later years, but Lady Tremaine does have a legitimate for disliking Cinderella in this book, and it’s not jealousy. That, plus pent up annoyance from several years of her and her daughters being treated like slaves and having cracked dry hands from the chores Cinderella’s dad forced the three of them to do while Cinderella sat on a pedestal and got whatever she wanted.
This book had me infuriated. I was angry what the Many Kingdoms had done to a previously kind woman who was warped beyond repair from mistreatment and a cruel life. This book really does show there are 2 sides to every story, and the villain might not be who you think. In fact, this book has me seeing Lady Tremaine as the victim, not the villain. I’ll never see the movie Cinderella the same way ever again 😬
The only reason why I’m giving this 4/5 stars is because this book kind of depressed me a bit to be honest, and just made me feel so much pity that I ended up just feeling sad at the end of it. Also, I did not end up enjoying this one as much as some of the prior ones to be honest, but this book still deserves a strong four stars. It’s definitely a worthy addition to the series and I most definitely will be supporting Serena Valentino and this series for as long as she writes them!
Thanks to Netgalley and Disney/Hyperion for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
February 4, 2021
Lady Tramaine was a victim of the circumstances. A widow dedicated to her daughters and kind to her staff. Fate, however, decides to turn her life upside down when she meets a certain man.
The story opens with Queen Cinderella sending a letter to her godmother begging her to help her two sisters Anastasia and Drizella, whose mother is keeping them prisoners in their cursed chateau.
Reluctant to help the sisters, Fairy godmother is convinced by Nani to read the storybook and learn what happened to the Tramaines.
Only reaching the end of their story will the fairy godmother be able to decide if it is worth saving the sisters or not.
The book will take the readers back to the Many Kingdoms and present them with some special appearances.
This book does not deserve a five-star rating, but an entire constellation.
The story opens with Queen Cinderella sending a letter to her godmother begging her to help her two sisters Anastasia and Drizella, whose mother is keeping them prisoners in their cursed chateau.
Reluctant to help the sisters, Fairy godmother is convinced by Nani to read the storybook and learn what happened to the Tramaines.
Only reaching the end of their story will the fairy godmother be able to decide if it is worth saving the sisters or not.
The book will take the readers back to the Many Kingdoms and present them with some special appearances.
This book does not deserve a five-star rating, but an entire constellation.
January 1, 2022
This series has really gone downhill. The first books were the best. This one was the worst.
The cruelty toward Lady Tremaine in this book is just awful and heartbreaking. She didn’t deserve what happened to her. It was cruel and unwarranted. The ending was uncalled for. She isn’t a villain. She’s the victim of a villain. And I hated the Fairy Godmother from the beginning to the end. She tormented someone who was already a victim and it was very distressing to read. And at the end, Lady Tremaine gets punished for losing her mind! Great message about mental health! :(
It was all really disgusting to read.
Also the cursed brooch excuse was already used for Cruella. I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of this series.
The cruelty toward Lady Tremaine in this book is just awful and heartbreaking. She didn’t deserve what happened to her. It was cruel and unwarranted. The ending was uncalled for. She isn’t a villain. She’s the victim of a villain. And I hated the Fairy Godmother from the beginning to the end. She tormented someone who was already a victim and it was very distressing to read. And at the end, Lady Tremaine gets punished for losing her mind! Great message about mental health! :(
It was all really disgusting to read.
Also the cursed brooch excuse was already used for Cruella. I don’t think I’ll be reading any more of this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2023
Cinderella retellings always affect me a bit because of the stepmother relationship. Toxic mother figures hit a bit differently and they can be too much at times. But! This shows the “true” story behind Lady Tremaine and how she became who we see in the classic story. And my heart broke for her and the girls! We were reunited with the odd sisters in this one and that storyline has advanced a bit which I loved.
July 17, 2021
Summary up on tiktok :)
March 11, 2023
Serena Valentino logra una gran ejecución de este libro, con el protagonismo de una gran, aunque olvida, villana de Disney: Lady Tremaine.
Me encanta la narrativa de Valentino, simplemente es genial, ya que en el mismo libro puede contarnos la historia de una manera infantil, amena y lindo, pero en ese mismo capítulo nos puede narrar las peores cosas que un villano está dispuesto a hacer. Lograr esa capacidad de cambie de narrativa abruptamente es algo que admiro muchísimo.
Los inferencias que podemos apreciar a lo largo del libro son, para mi, lo mejor de esta historia:
• Los distintos tipos de violencia: a la mujer, económica y familiar.
•Como tu príncipe azul puede ser un verdadero monstruo.
Un buen libro de Serena, espero leer pronto el décimo de esta saga, que es de mis favoritas.
Me encanta la narrativa de Valentino, simplemente es genial, ya que en el mismo libro puede contarnos la historia de una manera infantil, amena y lindo, pero en ese mismo capítulo nos puede narrar las peores cosas que un villano está dispuesto a hacer. Lograr esa capacidad de cambie de narrativa abruptamente es algo que admiro muchísimo.
Los inferencias que podemos apreciar a lo largo del libro son, para mi, lo mejor de esta historia:
• Los distintos tipos de violencia: a la mujer, económica y familiar.
•Como tu príncipe azul puede ser un verdadero monstruo.
Un buen libro de Serena, espero leer pronto el décimo de esta saga, que es de mis favoritas.
February 4, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide - Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I don't ever think Serena Valentino has written a horrible Disney Villains novel yet and it is most certainly not this one. The one thing I love most about this series is Serena goes in depth of the Villain's upbringing and is very detailed of what made them who they are and it was no different for Lady Tremaine. I loved how the book began and ended and reading Lady Tremaine's story I felt as the reader, questions were being answered and my jaw dropped wide open. We have gotten all of the books in the Villains series in our collection and we can't wait to add Cold Hearted to that collection.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I don't ever think Serena Valentino has written a horrible Disney Villains novel yet and it is most certainly not this one. The one thing I love most about this series is Serena goes in depth of the Villain's upbringing and is very detailed of what made them who they are and it was no different for Lady Tremaine. I loved how the book began and ended and reading Lady Tremaine's story I felt as the reader, questions were being answered and my jaw dropped wide open. We have gotten all of the books in the Villains series in our collection and we can't wait to add Cold Hearted to that collection.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
August 7, 2021
Gotta keep hip with the middle schoolers.
March 17, 2025
Madre mía, cómo ha cambiado tanto el rumbo de esta serie.
Aquí tenemos la historia de Lady Tremaine, la madrastra de Cenicienta. Conocemos a una Lady Tremaine más joven, que se acaba de quedar viuda con dos niñas a su cargo, y en posesión de todo lo que su difunto marido tenía. Anastasia y Drizella no es que sean las niñas más obedientes y buenas del mundo, y está bastante cansada un poco de todo. Un día, decide tomarse unos días de descanso de su vida y su situación, y decide ir a visitar a una amiga. Durante esta visita, conoce a Sir Richard, que es nada más y nada menos que el padre de Cenicienta, un señor que también es viudo como ella. Ambos se llevan bastante bien, y están muy cómodos el uno con el otro esos días.
Primero de todo, la historia me ha parecido tremendamente triste. Lady Tremaine pasa de tener una independencia económica y sentimental, a estar en una relación tóxica con Richard. Sir Richard no es el señor que ella había conocido esos días, sino que era un manipulador.
Cenicienta de niña no era esa niña dulce que conocemos en la película, pero también tiene sus motivos y razones para actuar como lo hace con Lady Tremaine, a pesar de los esfuerzos de esta al principio por llevarse bien con ella.
Vemos la caída en la Lady Tremaine que conocemos, la que intenta que Cenicienta no vaya al baile. Esa mujer desalmada, sin escrúpulos y que quiere todo lo mejor para sus hijas (que al leer el libro, se entiende perfectamente).
La historia me ha sorprendido muchísimo, y hay aparición de otros personajes de la serie, las odd sisters, que tienen su propio libro.
Aquí tenemos la historia de Lady Tremaine, la madrastra de Cenicienta. Conocemos a una Lady Tremaine más joven, que se acaba de quedar viuda con dos niñas a su cargo, y en posesión de todo lo que su difunto marido tenía. Anastasia y Drizella no es que sean las niñas más obedientes y buenas del mundo, y está bastante cansada un poco de todo. Un día, decide tomarse unos días de descanso de su vida y su situación, y decide ir a visitar a una amiga. Durante esta visita, conoce a Sir Richard, que es nada más y nada menos que el padre de Cenicienta, un señor que también es viudo como ella. Ambos se llevan bastante bien, y están muy cómodos el uno con el otro esos días.
Primero de todo, la historia me ha parecido tremendamente triste. Lady Tremaine pasa de tener una independencia económica y sentimental, a estar en una relación tóxica con Richard. Sir Richard no es el señor que ella había conocido esos días, sino que era un manipulador.
Cenicienta de niña no era esa niña dulce que conocemos en la película, pero también tiene sus motivos y razones para actuar como lo hace con Lady Tremaine, a pesar de los esfuerzos de esta al principio por llevarse bien con ella.
Vemos la caída en la Lady Tremaine que conocemos, la que intenta que Cenicienta no vaya al baile. Esa mujer desalmada, sin escrúpulos y que quiere todo lo mejor para sus hijas (que al leer el libro, se entiende perfectamente).
La historia me ha sorprendido muchísimo, y hay aparición de otros personajes de la serie, las odd sisters, que tienen su propio libro.
August 2, 2023
" And where are my girls?"
" At the kitchen where they belong. "
It's the first time for me feeling provoked and exaggerated because of a character!!!!
Sir Richard should have an oscar for the most exaggerating Disney character.
I still find lady Tremaine a victim after all.
That's a unique experience with nostalgia and mixed feelings.
" At the kitchen where they belong. "
It's the first time for me feeling provoked and exaggerated because of a character!!!!
Sir Richard should have an oscar for the most exaggerating Disney character.
I still find lady Tremaine a victim after all.
That's a unique experience with nostalgia and mixed feelings.
February 10, 2025
ok i enjoyed reading it but i don't think i would ever buy a disney retelling books...idk smth feels off about them💔🤷🏻♀️
May 24, 2024
Definitely an improvement to Cruellas backstory
It took me a while to get into it, feeling like this would flop again but once the Tremaines reached the many kingdoms and connected to the series plot, I was invested.
I loved the twist it added with what they were faced once they left England and one could definitely sympathize with the Lady and her daughters.
The ending was nice but a bit flowery and chewy.
3½✨️
It took me a while to get into it, feeling like this would flop again but once the Tremaines reached the many kingdoms and connected to the series plot, I was invested.
I loved the twist it added with what they were faced once they left England and one could definitely sympathize with the Lady and her daughters.
The ending was nice but a bit flowery and chewy.
3½✨️
August 30, 2021
When you’re eight books into a series such as the Villain Tales by Serena Valentino you would think that I wouldn’t be smug anymore! You would think that I wouldn’t go into the book saying “I won’t end up feeling sorry for this villain”.
You would also think that I know I am always wrong!
Lady Tremaine is one of the easiest villains to hate in the Disney universe: she worked Cinderella to the bone, denied her a decent party and then locked her in the attic for good measure! These are hardly the actions of some misunderstood soul.
Until Serena Valentino comes along of course! Valentino has a truly unique way of humanising these characters that we love to hate and, with the help of the Odd Sisters, proves to us time and time again that there is more to our fairytales than meets the eye.
The previous book in the villain tales, Evil Thing, took the reader outside of the Many Kingdoms for the first time. Valentino takes advantage of this, neatly using Cold Hearted to join together Lady Tremaine’s life in London with both the Fairylands and the Many Kingdoms. This timeline means that the readers meet Lady Tremaine before her role as stepmother: we learn of her worries over indulging her two daughters and her unwillingness to move on after her husband’s death.
Cold Hearted skips time periods slightly so the reader is actually experiencing Nanny and the Fairy Godmother reading Lady Tremaine’s story. Don't worry: this doesn't mean we are deprived of our favourite creepy sisters, although this book may have you looking at the Odd Sisters in an entirely new light.
The 8th villain tale continues Valentino’s reign of brilliant, alternative views of our villains. Lady Tremaine was to be the heroine of her own fairytale; all she wanted was her own happily ever after. Where did it go so wrong?
You would also think that I know I am always wrong!
Lady Tremaine is one of the easiest villains to hate in the Disney universe: she worked Cinderella to the bone, denied her a decent party and then locked her in the attic for good measure! These are hardly the actions of some misunderstood soul.
Until Serena Valentino comes along of course! Valentino has a truly unique way of humanising these characters that we love to hate and, with the help of the Odd Sisters, proves to us time and time again that there is more to our fairytales than meets the eye.
The previous book in the villain tales, Evil Thing, took the reader outside of the Many Kingdoms for the first time. Valentino takes advantage of this, neatly using Cold Hearted to join together Lady Tremaine’s life in London with both the Fairylands and the Many Kingdoms. This timeline means that the readers meet Lady Tremaine before her role as stepmother: we learn of her worries over indulging her two daughters and her unwillingness to move on after her husband’s death.
Cold Hearted skips time periods slightly so the reader is actually experiencing Nanny and the Fairy Godmother reading Lady Tremaine’s story. Don't worry: this doesn't mean we are deprived of our favourite creepy sisters, although this book may have you looking at the Odd Sisters in an entirely new light.
The 8th villain tale continues Valentino’s reign of brilliant, alternative views of our villains. Lady Tremaine was to be the heroine of her own fairytale; all she wanted was her own happily ever after. Where did it go so wrong?
August 18, 2022
Another fantastic entry in this series. Serena Valentino tells her stories boldly and makes you feel for the characters in them. I was particularly fascinated by Cold Hearted and the story of Lady Tremaine - told beautifully around every corner, this story made me feel a lot of things.
First of all, Cinderella's father is a prick and I'm SO glad Lady Tremaine decided to use the vial to murder his sorry ass. He's the one that made her who we saw at the end of the book - it really wasn't her fault, she was simply a product of unfortunate circumstances. I do agree she could have handled it better, but can you blame her? Life dealt her an extremely difficult blow and as strong as you may be, you can't always overcome it. Sometimes that blow changes you, makes you learn certain things about yourself. I really don't blame Lady Tremaine for any of it, even her terrible madness abusing her daughters at the end. If it wasn't for the Fairy Godmother interfering every five fucking seconds, maybe Lady Tremaine's story would have had a better, if not a happy ending. She fucking broke my heart when she asked Fairy Godmother for her help and she basically told Lady Tremaine to fuck off. I've hated Fairy Godmother since the Maleficent's book and this entry in the Villains series made me despise her even more. Just because you're labeled a 'hero' doesn't mean you are one.
I could go on and on about what I liked about this book (the only thing I didn't like was the way Lady Tremaine was treated by everyone). But I will say this, which summarizes my thoughts on this book:
Contrary to what the Fairy Godmother said, Lady Tremaine wasn't beyond saving.
Nanny and Fairy Godmother were just too late.
And whose fault is that? Not Lady Tremaine's.
I hope she's finally happy, wherever she is. Everyone knows she deserved happiness all along.
First of all, Cinderella's father is a prick and I'm SO glad Lady Tremaine decided to use the vial to murder his sorry ass. He's the one that made her who we saw at the end of the book - it really wasn't her fault, she was simply a product of unfortunate circumstances. I do agree she could have handled it better, but can you blame her? Life dealt her an extremely difficult blow and as strong as you may be, you can't always overcome it. Sometimes that blow changes you, makes you learn certain things about yourself. I really don't blame Lady Tremaine for any of it, even her terrible madness abusing her daughters at the end. If it wasn't for the Fairy Godmother interfering every five fucking seconds, maybe Lady Tremaine's story would have had a better, if not a happy ending. She fucking broke my heart when she asked Fairy Godmother for her help and she basically told Lady Tremaine to fuck off. I've hated Fairy Godmother since the Maleficent's book and this entry in the Villains series made me despise her even more. Just because you're labeled a 'hero' doesn't mean you are one.
I could go on and on about what I liked about this book (the only thing I didn't like was the way Lady Tremaine was treated by everyone). But I will say this, which summarizes my thoughts on this book:
Contrary to what the Fairy Godmother said, Lady Tremaine wasn't beyond saving.
Nanny and Fairy Godmother were just too late.
And whose fault is that? Not Lady Tremaine's.
I hope she's finally happy, wherever she is. Everyone knows she deserved happiness all along.
July 19, 2024
Watch out Maleficent!! I MIGHT have a new Disney Villain waiting for me to fall in love with! This book is GREAT!! Forget all that you thought you knew of the Wicked Stepmother......get ready to meet the real Lady Tremaine!
This is the 8th book in the phenomenal Disney Villains series written by the incredibly talented Serena Valentino, and could maybe be my new favorite in all of them......almost!
Lady Tremaine and her two bratty daughters 9 and 11 year old Drizella and Anastasia are ready for a change in their lives, when their mother decides to marry again, and this time she is marrying Sir Richard, who just happens to be the father of Cinderella. With all 3 of these young girls grieving the loss of one of their parents, their worlds crash and come together in ways that you will and are not expecting in 'Cold Hearted'.
Yes, we all by this time in our lives know the famous tale of Cinderella and her wicked step sisters, and most famously her Wicked StepMother; Lady Tremaine and her cat Lucifer.
In this retelling, we learn more about the background of Lady Tremaine, and it is a great tale, and one that I will reread again. But haven't you ever wondered what her back story was? Was she and is she really the Wicked one? Author Valentino expertly brings in the characters from her previous book 'The Odd Sisters' in such a way that it was part of the reasons that I rated this a pure 5 Star rating from me! If you think you know everything about 'the Wicked Step Mother' think again....you will be surprised I think. I was.
5 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️
This is the 8th book in the phenomenal Disney Villains series written by the incredibly talented Serena Valentino, and could maybe be my new favorite in all of them......almost!
Lady Tremaine and her two bratty daughters 9 and 11 year old Drizella and Anastasia are ready for a change in their lives, when their mother decides to marry again, and this time she is marrying Sir Richard, who just happens to be the father of Cinderella. With all 3 of these young girls grieving the loss of one of their parents, their worlds crash and come together in ways that you will and are not expecting in 'Cold Hearted'.
Yes, we all by this time in our lives know the famous tale of Cinderella and her wicked step sisters, and most famously her Wicked StepMother; Lady Tremaine and her cat Lucifer.
In this retelling, we learn more about the background of Lady Tremaine, and it is a great tale, and one that I will reread again. But haven't you ever wondered what her back story was? Was she and is she really the Wicked one? Author Valentino expertly brings in the characters from her previous book 'The Odd Sisters' in such a way that it was part of the reasons that I rated this a pure 5 Star rating from me! If you think you know everything about 'the Wicked Step Mother' think again....you will be surprised I think. I was.
5 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️
October 2, 2022
Grundsätzlich mag ich diese Bücherreihe sehr!
Sie zwingt einen zu einem Perspektivwechsel.
In den meisten Fällen gibt es einen Grund für die charakterliche Entwicklung einer Person. Entgegen der Märchen ist selten jemand einfach nur böse.
Auch bei Lady Tremaine ist es nicht anders. Ein Stück weit wird ihre Enttäuschung und ihr Schmerz nachvollziehbar (was natürlich noch lange nicht ihre Aktionen rechtfertigt).
Gut gefallen hat mir auch, dass nicht Cinderella als "die Böse" dargestellt wurde.
Dennoch hatte ich zwischen zeitlich Phasen in denen es mir schwer viel weiterzulesen.
Wertung: ***
Sie zwingt einen zu einem Perspektivwechsel.
In den meisten Fällen gibt es einen Grund für die charakterliche Entwicklung einer Person. Entgegen der Märchen ist selten jemand einfach nur böse.
Auch bei Lady Tremaine ist es nicht anders. Ein Stück weit wird ihre Enttäuschung und ihr Schmerz nachvollziehbar (was natürlich noch lange nicht ihre Aktionen rechtfertigt).
Gut gefallen hat mir auch, dass nicht Cinderella als "die Böse" dargestellt wurde.
Dennoch hatte ich zwischen zeitlich Phasen in denen es mir schwer viel weiterzulesen.
Wertung: ***
October 12, 2024
I absolutely enjoy these villain retellings. I enjoyed this one, but it was rather sad compared to the others. I love how they all tie together in some minuscule way or another. I do wish the ending would have been a little different or happier.
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