Two centuries have elapsed since Cinderella's fabled slipper fit, yet the enchantment has long faded into a grim reality for the young women of Lille. In Kalynn Bayron's "Cinderella Is Dead," the legacy of fairy tales succumbs to a dystopian nightmare, where the Annual Ball morphs into a harrowing rite of passage. Sixteen-year-old Sophia knows the stories all too well, tales of girls paraded before suitors, their futures hinging on a favorable glance, and the haunting silence that befalls those unchosen. With a heart yearning not for princely affection but the companionship of her childhood friend, Erin, Sophia's defiance sparks a desperate flight—one that leads her to the crypt of Cinderella herself. There, amidst the shadows of a story untold, Sophia encounters Constance, Cinderella's last living descendant, and together, they embark on a quest to dismantle the kingdom's tyrannical regime. "Cinderella Is Dead" is a riveting tale of rebellion, unraveling the fabric of a narrative handed down through generations. Bayron masterfully weaves a story that challenges the bounds of tradition and heralds the dawn of a new era, where girls forge their destinies, shattering the glass slippers that once defined them. Through Sophia and Constance's journey, readers are invited to reimagine the fairy tales of old, discovering the power and resilience of those who dare to rewrite their stories.