I could not put this book down. Christine Norris has a way with words and plot. Definitely recommend for fans of fairytale retellings and historical fiction with a side of magic.

Although this is a retelling of Cinderella, it was different enough to feel like a new story. Set in Philadelphia during the industrial revolution there is some interesting tie into the Exposition (based on the historic Exposition that actually happened) featuring new inventions such as the steam engine and washing machines.

Eleanor is a girl that is born into high society and means. Ben is the son of the former cook for Elanor's family. As children they build a bond so strong that when Ellie asks for help there is no hesitation, he immediately jumps into action. I enjoyed the twists a long the way as I tried to figure out the mystery behind Eleanor's father's illness and why no one but Ben could truly see her.

Olivia was the perfect villain in this story. Everything about her, her actions and her words made me despise her more and more as the story continued. In this story though the step sister was not some loathsome ugly person, but Rebecca is instead a kind and gentle spirit who was just to scared to go against the mother that she dearly loved. ( )

That was a nice reading ! This is a variation on the theme of Cinderella, but also a tale describing the beginnings of steam machines in the context of the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, which I enjoyed a lot too.
Characters are likeable, and some twists are based on magic or on technology, in a good balance. ( )

A little bit fantasy, a little steampunk, a little magic, a lot of Cinderella. And it all comes together to be a fun read with elements that are familiar without being boring or expected.

The steampunk is a very minor part and the ending may excite some, and disappoint others. There is room for future books to develop things further but it does come to an end. ( )

“A Curse of Ash and Iron” by Christine Norris bills itself as a steampunk retelling of Cinderella set in Centennial Philadelphia. The book follows the story of Eleanor “Ellie” Banneker, the daughter of Ephraim, a widower. Ephraim marries Olivia, who treats her own daughter, Rebeccca, better than Ellie. Ellie the help of her childhood friend, Ben and his younger brother, Harry work to determine the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. I found this to be an enjoyable read that was very well written with plenty of twists and turns. I’m looking forward to another book from this author. I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. ( )

A Cinderella story without truly trying to rewrite Cinderella. I greatly enjoyed this story and especially loved the true to history inclusions of the time. Worth reading the Author's note at the end. ( )