I'm always down for a good fairytale retelling. This twist on Cinderella did some interesting things that reminded me of the anime, which is a series I happen to really like. 

I do think the heroine lacks agency. Most of what happens, happens to her rather than because of her. The fairy is the reason she ends up going to the masquerade balls. Pip is the reason she takes steps to confront her stepmother, and he is also the one who decides when and how she does so. In fact, when she tries to take initiative, he convinces her to do it his way because it would be too dangerous otherwise. There are also moments where she comes across as very young, including one where she stomps her feet like someone having a temper tantrum.

That said, this didn't necessarily detract from the story for me. I liked the setup and the changes. The rules behind the magic are a bit confusing and sort of just thrown at you as a fact, but overall I had a good time.