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Cinderspell

From bestselling dark folklore and fantasy author A. B. Poranek comes a lush reimaging of Grimm's "Cinderella" with a dark parallel faerie world that influences – and plays havoc – with our own.

Wisteria - "Wish" - an aspiring painter, catches the attention of the king's brother and finds herself swept up in a high-profile competition at the palace to select the next royal portrait artist. As Wish progresses through the increasingly difficult artistic challenges set for the finalists - with the unreliable assistance of a mischievous faerie named Sylph - she grows helplessly, dangerously close to the disreputable prince who brought her there.

But few in the Kingdom of Lore know that the king's brother is literally untouchable because a twisted faerie enchantment ensures that anyone who lays a hand on him dies. And meanwhile, at home, Wish's faerie friends start to go missing.

Wish must navigate dangerous royal court politics, an increasingly untenable situation at home, a dark history that’s been hidden for too long, and her own irrepressible feelings for the reticent prince. With the dreamlike atmosphere of Once Upon a Broken Heart and the eerie fairy magic of The Cruel Prince, this story explores what it means to create, and love – and asks readers how far they would be willing to go in pursuit of perfection.

About A. B. Poranek

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland's folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France.
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Details
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • ISBN: 9780241794166
  • Length: 400 pages
  • Price: £18.99
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