Rachel Hochhauser: Lady Tremaine

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231126977

Book Blurb:  

A breathtaking reimagining of Cinderella, as told through the eyes of its iconic "evil" stepmother, revealing a propulsive love story about the lengths a mother will go to for her children

A widow twice-over, Etheldreda is now saddled with the care of her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, and a razor-taloned peregrine falcon. Her entire life has become a ruse, just like the manor hall they live grand and ornate on the exterior, but crumbling, brick by brick, inside. Fierce in the face of her misfortune, Ethel clings to her family’s respectability, the lifeboat that will float her daughters straight into the secure banks of marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to secure the future she desperately desires, Etheldreda must risk her secrets, pride, and limited resources in pursuit of an invitation for her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the heir of the kingdom unfolds with unnerving speed, she discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she’s sought for years and the wellbeing of the feckless stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairytale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

*Fairy Tale Retelling (Cinderella)  *Step Mother  *Historical  *Netgalley ALC *2026 *Fierce FMC *Momma Bear FMC  *drama with the queen  

*Some trigger warnings (not sure if there is a warning but it does discuss SA  & DV towards the end of the book) 

Thoughts:

I was drawn to this story by the blurb alone I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling and I wasn't disappointed this tells the story of Cinderella... but it isn't the one we grew up with it's real and raw and told from the "evil" Step mother's point of view.  In this story we learn more of her life growing up and how she is just a woman on her own after out living 2 of her husband's the second husband left her with a falling down estate and no funds to take care of it... also a young step daughter Ellen she also has 2 young girls of her own what is she to do?

The story flips back and forth between telling a bit of Ethel's past and the present.  In this we find that she's just a woman trying to live and give her daughters the best life possible with limited resources she's hardworking and resourceful and teaches her 2 girls to be the same, while she tries with Ellen she's kind of at the end of her rope with her as Ellen still tends to believe everything is going to fall into place and some man is going to sweep her off her feet, she has her head in the clouds and seems to not notice the crumbling down estate and the struggles of her step mother, step sisters and the few staff members they have left and when asked to do her part to help she doesn't put much effort into anything including things that she would directly benefit from.

Ethel is heartbroken when her step daughter (who has never treated any of them like family) is invited to the prince's upcoming ball and knows that this would be a huge opportunity for all of her daughters.  Using a bit of scheming Ethel ends up with an invitation for all the girls but things go down hill shortly after that and she doesn't know how much more she pretend that they are still well off at home with most of their valuables sold and relying on her bird Lucy to help hunt for their daily meals.

While there were no cute talking mice, magical pumpkins or fairy godmothers what it did have was a lot of heart and Ethel isn't evil after all she's just a woman trying to do the best she can to provide for herself and all of her daughters (even if she feels a little more reluctant towards her step daughter after so many years of her lack of assistance with their situation).  

When the prince makes a decision maybe fairy tales don't have a happily ever after, after all.  I enjoyed the narrator she did a great job!  What I would say is that some of the story felt a little bit on the slower side due to the repetitive nature of topics like how she was just trying to be a good mother (which we could see throughout the book).  I also think that it read more towards historical fiction with a side of fairy tale retelling.  Thank you Netgalley, publishers and the author for this ALC.