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A review by meezcarrie
Cinders Like Glass by Clarissa Kae
4.0
3.5 stars
One of the surest ways to get me to add a book to my TBR list is for it to be a Cinderella retelling, and that’s exactly what first drew me to Cinder Like Glass. Well, that and the gorgeous cover! And while this is a more subtle retelling than perhaps I was hoping for, I enjoyed the story on its own merit as a lovely Victorian romance – and appreciated the subtleties.
Ada is an immediately likable character, and readers will be sympathetic toward her plight. Her distant aunt/mother by marriage and her cruel cousin/brother leave much to be desired in the family department, but I loved the late earl – her uncle who adopted her as a baby when her own parents died. He raised her as his own daughter and treated her with love and kindness, and I’m so glad the author wrote his memory in that way. For one thing, it made the contrast between the late earl and his erstwhile son all the more stark. And it made the kindness of the Duke (when he wasn’t being a dolt) and Mr. Thomas all the more endearing.
As for the Duke, he took me a bit longer to warm up to – he was so focused on his mission to find the traitor and protect the queen that he saw a spy under every bush as it were, even entertaining the notion that Ada might be part of the plot. (Seriously, Duke?) When he is paying attention, however, his attraction to & tenderness toward Ada are quite swoony. And when he finally does come completely to his senses (or surrenders them completely, depending on your perspective), we are treated to a blissfully romantic moment full of sparks and chemistry!
Aside from the romance, I enjoyed the intrigue of hunting for ‘the Tailor’ and the mystery surrounding his identity (though, this is a story arc that ties each book in the series together so expect it to continue in the next book with some loose ends left in this one). The author has done a great job of weaving in plenty of suspects (appropriately loathsome in their own right) and keeping the tension high & the answers just out of reach.
Bottom Line: Cinders Like Glass by Clarissa Kae is a sweet Victorian romance with well-plotted intrigue and interesting history to keep you engaged. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of characters with a speech impediment and dyslexia – and I was sobered by the historical context surrounding how they were labeled and treated by society. While there were times when character development didn’t have enough layers to explain a sudden change of heart or action, I overall still enjoyed this story and am invested in finding out what happens in the next book!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
One of the surest ways to get me to add a book to my TBR list is for it to be a Cinderella retelling, and that’s exactly what first drew me to Cinder Like Glass. Well, that and the gorgeous cover! And while this is a more subtle retelling than perhaps I was hoping for, I enjoyed the story on its own merit as a lovely Victorian romance – and appreciated the subtleties.
Ada is an immediately likable character, and readers will be sympathetic toward her plight. Her distant aunt/mother by marriage and her cruel cousin/brother leave much to be desired in the family department, but I loved the late earl – her uncle who adopted her as a baby when her own parents died. He raised her as his own daughter and treated her with love and kindness, and I’m so glad the author wrote his memory in that way. For one thing, it made the contrast between the late earl and his erstwhile son all the more stark. And it made the kindness of the Duke (when he wasn’t being a dolt) and Mr. Thomas all the more endearing.
As for the Duke, he took me a bit longer to warm up to – he was so focused on his mission to find the traitor and protect the queen that he saw a spy under every bush as it were, even entertaining the notion that Ada might be part of the plot. (Seriously, Duke?) When he is paying attention, however, his attraction to & tenderness toward Ada are quite swoony. And when he finally does come completely to his senses (or surrenders them completely, depending on your perspective), we are treated to a blissfully romantic moment full of sparks and chemistry!
Aside from the romance, I enjoyed the intrigue of hunting for ‘the Tailor’ and the mystery surrounding his identity (though, this is a story arc that ties each book in the series together so expect it to continue in the next book with some loose ends left in this one). The author has done a great job of weaving in plenty of suspects (appropriately loathsome in their own right) and keeping the tension high & the answers just out of reach.
Bottom Line: Cinders Like Glass by Clarissa Kae is a sweet Victorian romance with well-plotted intrigue and interesting history to keep you engaged. I particularly appreciated the portrayal of characters with a speech impediment and dyslexia – and I was sobered by the historical context surrounding how they were labeled and treated by society. While there were times when character development didn’t have enough layers to explain a sudden change of heart or action, I overall still enjoyed this story and am invested in finding out what happens in the next book!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower