Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Probably closer to a 3.5 overall.
This is pretty much an attempt to start a trend in YA literature, and it mostly succeeds in that task. Given the popularity of Downton Abbey as well as the success of the Luxe series earlier, it was only a matter of time before we saw a book try to capitalize directly on the trends, and Cinders and Sapphires mostly delivers.
The book is solid overall. It's a quick, breezy read that's trapped in its own setting on purpose and mostly works. Having read it before watching any Downton, the similarities are there except that Cinders goes out of its way to try and upend the setting a bit and reflect more modern ideas. It's kind of distracting but not ruinous.
The book stuck with me as something I kept thinking about and enjoying long after it finished. I gave it to my wife and she really, really liked it, so I think a lot of the enjoyment will come from where you're approaching it and how much the setting matters for you. It's a good read in any regard.
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