I used to want to write the perfect Cinderella retelling, but I never got past the description of the marketplace in my opening scene.
Over the past thirteen years, I've read ten Cinderella retellings, and not only have they scratched my itch to rewrite this classic tale, but now I get to rank them all!
For me, Cinderella is all about the ball. It's the glamour of making a fashionably late grand entrance in a dress so stunning that no one recognizes you, and dancing the night away with the handsome prince (whom you've hopefully met before and established some kind of relationship with so it's not too awkward).
This is why I love Disney's 2015 live action Cinderella so much. It has it all: doting but dead parents, impossibly nasty stepmother, foolish stepsisters, quirky fairy godmother, beautiful ball gown, kind (and handsome!) prince, glass slippers, little mouse friends. It's even got a marketplace scene!
Come to think of it, that movie is probably also part of the reason why I no longer feel the to write my own version of Cinderella.
To my dismay, most Cinderella retellings are missing part of the magic. Usually, they sacrifice the ball (why ruin the most romantic and satisfying moment in the story by having the villain pop up to wreak havoc?!).
The first five on this list are books that I would recommend to anyone looking for a Cinderella retelling that actually feels like a Cinderella retelling. Six, seven, and eight are great if you're looking for a generic YA fantasy (or sci-fi in the case of number seven). I would not recommend nine and ten.
Let's get into it! (All covers are linked to Goodreads.)
Really Good Cinderella Retellings
1. Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
Year(s) Read: 2012, 2018
Favorite Elements: Cinderella/Prince relationship, fairy godmother, stepsisters
This is the most perfect Cinderella retelling and no one can tell me otherwise.
2. Princess of Glass, by Jessica Day George
Year Read: 2025
Favorite Elements: Glass slipper, cinders, fairy godmother
To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of Jessica Day George, but her fairytale retellings are on point! This is ostensibly YA fiction (the main character is 16), but it reads more like Middle Grade to me. This didn't bother me; it was super easy to read and I loved how the author crafted this beloved tale into something familiar yet new.
3. Shard of Glass, by Emily Deady
Year Read: 2024
Favorite Elements: Cinderella/Prince relationship, stepmother
I feel like this is closest to the Cinderella retelling I would have written if I had stuck with that project. But way better, obviously! So maybe it's more accurate to say that this is the Cinderella retelling I wish I had written. Even down to the marketplace scene being the very first scene!
4. Ash, by Malinda Lo
Year Read: 2024
Favorite Elements: Fairy godmother
This isn't your classic Cinderella story, although it has a lot of the elements, but I really enjoyed it!
5. Before Midnight, by Cameron Dokey
Year Read: 2024
Favorite Elements: Fairy godmother, stepfamily, pumpkin motif
I read this during my Cameron Dokey phase early last year, and it did not disappoint!
Generic YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi
6. The Blood Spell, by C.J. Redwine
Year Read: 2025
Favorite Elements: Cinderella/Prince relationship, glass slipper
This is SO good as a YA fantasy, but as a Cinderella retelling, the more I think about it, the less satisfied I am.
7. Cinder, by Marissa Meyer
Year Read: 2016
The main thing I remember about this (besides the robot sidekick and the long-lost-princess revelation) was that there was a plague, and Cinder was trying to find the cure to save her stepsister. Looking back, this feels a little too much like Covid.
8. Stepsister, by Jennifer Donnelly
Year Read: 2020
I bought this during Covid when the library was shut down (*shudders in horror*). I remember this being extremely heavy-handed as to the theme ("history is her-story", "women can be leaders too", etc.) I have nothing against those messages, they were just laid on a bit thick. Also, can this even be called a Cinderella retelling, since it takes place after the original story is over and focuses on the ugly stepsister?
Would Not Recommend
9. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, by Gregory Maguire
Year Read: 2018
The main thing I remember about this is that it was set during the Dutch tulip mania. Which is cool! I do vaguely remember the twist at the end, which was also cool.
10. Just Ella, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Year Read: 2016
I remember disliking this, but I can't remember why.
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