Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

Fairytale retellings have been around for many, many years. The story of Cinderella in particular has been re-imagined in countless ways, even earning its place as a sports analogy. So, it is understandable why I was hesitant to pick up Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser - I couldn’t imagine how Cinderella’s story could be retold in any unique way. I was completely wrong.

In Lady Tremaine, debut author Rachel Hochhauser puts her focus not on the story of Cinderella, but instead gives us a unique perspective on the origin story of Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley, also known as Cinderella’s “evil stepmother.” The archetype of the stepmother comes largely from the story of Cinderella, and in Lady Tremaine, Hochhauser flips the script to give us a three-dimensional character with whom women can sympathize and identify.

I’m not going to lie - it took me a minute to replace the image of Disney’s version of Lady Tremaine in my imagination with Hochhauser’s version. But it didn’t take me long to find myself rooting for Lady Tremaine as she navigates being a single mother (and stepmother) in a time where a woman’s survival hinges on finding a husband for herself and a father for her children.

This multi-layered novel had me tearing up, gasping, and even laughing as I was reading it. I am truly envious of those who will read this engaging novel for the first time. Enjoy.

Purchase Here