An exquisite story with bones of real relevance – not unlike a glass slipper with clockwork insides. I was swept away by this Cinderella retelling. Not only does it fulfil most of my feminist reader fantasies (she saves herself! focus on friendship! female competence at cool real-world tasks!); it’s also a lovely coming-of-age story with a relatable, less-than-perfect heroine growing into herself. It manages to incorporate one of my favorite elements unique to the best fantasy books: a tantalizing sense of other just around the corner. Highly recommend.