Cinder House
Published on 9. October 2025
Book
Hardback
144 pages
978-1-0350-3943-2 (ISBN)
Description
Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske - a queer Gothic fairy tale novella perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.
'A spellbinding haunting' - Lex Croucher, author of Trouble
You think you know Cinderella's story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.
You're halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.
Ella is a haunting. Murdered at sixteen, her furious ghost is trapped in her father's house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.
Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.
Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.
'Whimsical, romantic, and bittersweet' - Ava Reid, author of A Study in Drowning
Rediscover a classic fairy tale in this spellbinding novella from Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light and the queen of romantic fantasy.
'A spellbinding haunting' - Lex Croucher, author of Trouble
You think you know Cinderella's story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.
You're halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.
Ella is a haunting. Murdered at sixteen, her furious ghost is trapped in her father's house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.
Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.
Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.
'Whimsical, romantic, and bittersweet' - Ava Reid, author of A Study in Drowning
Rediscover a classic fairy tale in this spellbinding novella from Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light and the queen of romantic fantasy.
Reviews / Votes
Gorgeous, whimsical, romantic, and bittersweet, Cinder House both whisks you away and holds you over a flame. I was bespelled -- Ava Reid, <i>Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Lady Macbeth</i> Absolutely delightful. One of the most unusual fairy-tale retellings I've seen in a hen's age. I enjoyed it enormously! -- T. Kingfisher, bestselling author of <i>A Sorceress Comes to Call</i> Compelling characters, a spellbinding haunting and a powerful yearning that transcends death; Cinder House burns for you -- Lex Croucher, author of <i>Gwen & Art Are Not in Love</i> One of the best retellings I've read! With immersive prose, memorable characters, and a glittering world, Marske has breathed new and fiercely feminist life into the classic Cinderella story. Ella is a heroine who will haunt you forever -- Heather Walter, author of <i>The Crimson Crown</i> Full of quiet longing and soft magic . . . Not unlike a bewitched pair of shoes that fit just right. Tender and heartfelt, it's an ideal match not just for lovers of fairy tale retellings but for anyone in the mood for an elegantly written, unconventional love story * Locus Magazine *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
258 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0350-3943-2 (9781035039432)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Freya Marske is the author of A Power Unbound, A Restless Truth and A Marvellous Light, the latter of which became an international bestseller and won the Romantic Novelists' Association's Award for Romantic Fantasy. Her work has appeared in Analog and has been shortlisted for three Aurealis Awards. She is also a Hugo-nominated podcaster, and won the Ditmar Award for Best New Talent. She lives in Australia.