Cinder House by Freya Marske

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Cinderella has always been one of my favourite fairy tales. It’s classic and comforting. A beautiful girl in a difficult situation endures hardship and eventually, escapes to a better life. People often reduce it to being “rescued by a man”, but it is Cinderella’s kindness, strength, and endurance that make this story timeless. One consequence of being such a popular tale is that the adaptations and retellings are infinite, which is why I get excited when I find a retelling with a fresh, new take on this age-old story, like Freya Marske’s Cinder House.


Cinder House opens with tragedy. Ella’s father is dead, murdered by his new wife, Patrice. Moments later, Ella follows in his footsteps, but instead of fading into oblivion, Ella becomes a ghost, bound to the house in which she was murdered. In the classic tale, Cinderella is abused by her stepmother and stepsisters; she is forced to complete all their chores and is treated like a slave in her own home. Ella’s plight is similar, but with an interesting twist. As a ghost, they cannot harm her directly, but since she is connected to the house, damage to the home hurts Ella. She is also compelled to keep the house in good shape. Once her abusers learn this, Ella’s afterlife is miserable and hopeless, until one day, Ella discovers a loophole that allows her to leave the confines of her home.


From there, Cinder House both follows the standard Cinderella plot and breaks it. Ella’s relationship with the prince is unconventional, and in the end, she achieves her happy ending in a surprising way that remains true to the fairy tale while also providing a new twist.


I really enjoyed this story. I appreciate adaptations that can respect their source material while exploring new angles. I recommend this tale for anyone who enjoys a cozy ghost story and a good fairy tale retelling.




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