Plot Summary

Cinderella

Grimm Brothers
Guide cover placeholder

Cinderella

Fiction | Short Story | Middle Grade | Published in 1812

Book Brief

Grimm Brothers

Cinderella

Fiction | Short Story | Middle Grade | Published in 1812
Book Details
Pages

20

Format

Short Story • Fiction

Genre
Publication Year

1812

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

8-12 years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's 1812 version of "Cinderella," titled "Aschenputtel," a kind and good girl is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters after her mother's death. Despite being forced into servitude and denied the chance to attend the king's festival, she receives help from a hazel tree and a magical bird. She secretly attends the festival in beautiful dresses, captivates the prince, and eventually fits into a golden slipper, leading to her marriage with the prince and a deserved, happy life. The story contains depictions of familial neglect and physical maiming.

Fantastical

Romantic

Inspirational

Bittersweet

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Reviews of Cinderella by the Grimm Brothers praise its timeless storytelling and dark, captivating elements, which starkly contrast Disney’s version. Criticism includes the graphic nature of some scenes, considered too intense for young readers. Overall, it’s a gripping, albeit grim, retelling of a classic fairy tale that appeals more to mature audiences.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Cinderella?

A reader who enjoys classic fairy tales, rich in vivid imagery and moral lessons, would appreciate the Brothers Grimm's Cinderella. Fans of Hansel and Gretel and Charles Perrault's Bluebeard will find its blend of enchantment and darker undertones compelling. Ideal for those fascinated by folklore's enduring appeal.

Book Details
Pages

20

Format

Short Story • Fiction

Genre
Publication Year

1812

Audience

Middle grade

Recommended Reading Age

8-12 years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!