Saving Cinderella: What Feminists Get Wrong About Disney Princesses and How to Set It Right

By: Faith Moore

Narrated by: Faith Moore

It’s time to save Cinderella! Ready for a radical statement? Disney princesses aren’t anti-feminist. Until the 1990s, Disney princesses were role models for little girls, teaching them how to grow up into strong, centered, moral women. But then something terrible happened. A vocal minority of viewers and film critics (let’s call them “princess critics”) got hold of the narrative. They called Disney princesses “drips”, said they were “boring”, and boiled their dreams down to “husband hunting”. And Disney listened, churning out princesses who were virtue-signaling, man-hating puppets shouting the ideas of the princess critics. But the princess critics were wrong.

Each chapter in this book covers one of the eleven “official” Disney princesses (plus Elsa and Anna from Frozen, who aren’t yet “official”). In chronological order, the book will explore the themes, tropes, and symbolism of these movies, and the ways in which the princess critics have influenced our perceptions of them. And then it will prove the princess critics wrong.

Saving Cinderella rescues the Disney princess narrative from the princess critics, giving Disney fans everywhere the validation they need to proudly love the princesses they’ve always admired in secret.

©2018 Faith Moore (P)2019 Faith Moore

Thorough review of Disney Princess history

Content invaluable and thorough. Well thought out. Comprehensive. Poor audio quality but survivable as it was tolerable and the content was enjoyable.

Must read

The author is as wise as her father. Revived my hope in the Disney princesses I still love at almost 50 years old, despite the times we are in. Thank you!!

I have always loved Cinderella!

Thanks to the author for explaining with such detail and insightfulness why I love fairy tales and especially Disney’s cartoon feature, Cinderella! Of course, she explains many, but my favorite is the gold standard: Cinderella.

Princesses explained!

I was never a huge fan of princess movies. I even thought Mulan was good when I was a kid, but this book made me rethink those misguided casual assessments.

Faith Moore digs deep and explains the meaning and delightful symbolism of fairy tale princess movies. What a story is supposed to do and who it is for makes a big difference how you should interpret it. Spoilers: princessses aren't examples of vapid husband hunters with no agency unless you take literally everything literally (no joke!). Understanding the ways princess stories communicate and what they are supposed to teach is the key to unlocking their wonderful secrets.

Moore does a great job narrating her own book! Great reading voice, inflection, and just the right amount of friendly chattiness. Audio quality is a little tinny, but not prohibitively bad. Once I got onto the book I hardly noticed.

Overall, this is a great answer to the post-modernist, third wave feminist idea that women must be like men, value the same things as men, and even act like men to be strong or free. Women are different from men. They experience life differently and therefore their stories, symbols, and transformations should be shown and treated differently. Read or listen to this great book and hopefully you'll see just how beautiful that is.

Terrific book!!

I loved this book! I always loved Ariel and Cinderella growing up and when Frozen came out it never sat right with me but I could never put my finger on why. The author’s arguments are so clear and her knowledge of princess stories and symbolism is extensive. I also really appreciate the defense of Snow White as a character with agency - as well as a great synopsis of The Frog Prince, which I haven’t seen but now plan to. Great book!