Cinderella (Not Quite the Fairy Tale #1)

Cinderella (Not Quite the Fairy Tale #1)

by May Sage

2 out of 5

Synopsis
The King needs an heir and that means finding some sort of woman to do the job.
"That's all it's about, ultimately: basic, carnal compatibility in order to satisfy this need. For that reason, the pictures I request of those who wish to apply are explicit. The full prerequisites are attached to the correspondence. If you aren't comfortable with these demands, don't bother applying."
Ella applies, seeing straight through the bullshit; she goes as far as to derisively add a set of pictures fitting the requirements the letter demands:
A picture of her "pussy" - a fat, indolent Persian - and of her in her nightwear - yoga pants and a hoodie.
In lieu of an introduction, her message reads:
« Dear Daniel Franko Phillipe Del Luz,
I've applied to guarantee that I'm not summoned to your little orgy.
Fuck you. We aren't all stupid.
Ella. »
It was supposed to go through an automated system;
She didn't expect anyone to read it...
Let alone the King.

This novel is intended for a mature audience.
Cinderella, like every other story in the Not Quite the Fairy Tale series, is a standalone.
While you can read any of them separately, it's best to start with this one, to understand the world I will throw you into.



Review
Dane is a young handsome King with women throwing themselves at him, but what he needs is a wife. Not wanting to settle for a political arrangement, he organises a series of tests to find the perfect One from his own kingdom.

((Note: I downloaded this book in October 2016, I believe there has been a re-edited version put up in December, so some of these comments may no longer apply))

This was fun, but flawed.
I always like a fairytale retelling, and downloaded this for free.

It follows the standard that Cinderella is a young lady that is forced to be a servant by her evil stepmother & stepsisters. These characters are never actually seen, they're just the background baddies that are the reason for Ella's misfortune.

I liked Ella. Even though she still plans to fight for what should legally be hers, she has come to terms with not being nobility anymore, and is a better person for it. She's independent, training to be a vet, and has her own mind. She is definitely not interested in being a trophy wife for the biggest player in the country.

King Daniel - Dane - has his good points, and not so good points. He's selfish, and spoiled, used to getting his own way, and a little blind to those around him. But he's a good guy at heart, and I quite liked him, especially when you understood what had happened for him.
Which still didn't excuse him from his initial test for the women in his country - going on TV and demanding pictures of their pussies. What a git. I mean, it felt like the opening scene for hardcore erotica; rather than the gentle story that rolled out.

There is a lot of foul language (especially from Ella), and scenes of a sexual nature; but the author really tries to make a real plot and story here, instead of just going for shock factor.
I like the idea, but the execution was... flawed.
It felt like there were sections missing, and it jumped ahead, with changes of hear from characters with no obvious reason, etc.
I also didn't like how inconsistent the setting is - it jumps between being very modern, and feeling like something from the Renaissance. A bigger world is hinted at, with wars and politics mentioned when a certain plot movement or message was needed; then never brought up again. It all sounded interesting, and I was disappointed that Sage didn't expand on it.

Overall, an entertaining light read, but feels unfinished.

Goodreads link
Amazon.co.uk