Lady Tremaine

Book Review
Lady Tremaine

Rachel Hochhauser
February 24, 2026

April 16, 2026

5.0

Bessie Carter

12 hours 41 minutes

In three words: empowering, adventurous, satisfying

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Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and MacMillan Audio, for the #gifted the advanced copies. #smpearlyreaders

ABOUT:
Told from the perspective of Lady Tremaine, or Ethel, Cinderella’s stepmother, we learn of a life full of hardship and heartbreak, and the difficulties women face to maintain their autonomy. Ethel must make difficult decisions not only for self-preservation but also to provide her daughters with successful marriages. It turns out there isn’t much she isn’t willing to save face and protect her children.

MY THOUGHTS:
This was SO GOOD. The book takes a somewhat dark tale and turns everything you know about it on its head.

The result: lush writing, a complex but ultimately entirely relatable view of womanhood, and well placed twists.
I particularly enjoyed the way expectations of women were explored. Despite all she does to push boundaries, women are forever existing in expectations “designed by men.”

I love a woman who pushes boundaries of what is considered proper, and Hochhauser’s Lady Tremaine does just that.

AUDIO: The audio was absolutely beautiful. Bessie Carter did an amazing job of bringing Lady Tremaine to life. I found myself not wanting to stop listening.

Her voice acting is incredible, from castle guards to the prince himself; each character had a distinct tone.

SIMILAR BOOKS:
This book is a little bit of Disney’s Descendants, but make it for adults, meets regency era scheming and matchmaking à la Shonda’s Bridgeton.

SHOULD YOU READ:
This book is made for lovers of strong women and reworked fairy tales, and it’s a debut that is not to be missed!

Best Quotes:

Fear makes people dangerous. And you see: to him, I, too, was a stranger in the woods.

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