katreadsalot's review against another edition
4.0
I am surprised by how long it took me to read this book and how much I enjoyed it! Ella was fabulous - and I loved the way it ended.
kiwi_of_serenity's review against another edition
5.0
This book inspires and entertains me to no end! In Levine’s unique fairytale world, the focus is not on the world’s function or details (although they are obviously thought-out), a thrilling plot (although it is pretty page-turning), or a fairy tale twist (Levine manages to adhere to Cinderella’s story AND make Ella fifty times better than any Cinderella you’ve met). As a teen returning to this childhood favorite, I still wish I could be Ella’s friend. She jumps off the page in her language and narration, but more than that, she seems to offer up her story to you because it pleases her to tell it and to know you will remember it. I love that Ella grows up over the course of the book, not just at the beginning, and that she is an older teen by the end. This represents one of the few fairy tales framed as a coming of age story and told as a tale that required the heroine to look within and grapple with the world.
This is a fun and easy read that will leave you thinking about how you would live with Ella curse or what you command would cause for Ella. I recommend to anyone of any age in search of a sweet book that has substance and wholesome romance.
This is a fun and easy read that will leave you thinking about how you would live with Ella curse or what you command would cause for Ella. I recommend to anyone of any age in search of a sweet book that has substance and wholesome romance.
roseybot's review against another edition
4.0
Did I read this book when I was a child? I really do not remember anything that happened in it. Now I'm wondering if I've been, unawares, lying that I've read this book for years.
Anyways, enjoyable and cute.
Anyways, enjoyable and cute.
jillselwyn's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even know what to say. This is such a delightful book, it truly is. I honestly fear I have become a broken record (or soon will have become one) when it comes to my rereads of Gail Carson Levine's magical work, as I feel that there is something to gain in each and every reading of this brilliant novel, no matter your age.
My own parents likely would have adored Lucinda's gift of obedience. That was one thing I could not stop thinking about the entire time I was rereading it. The father was awful - tantamount to an ogre himself, and I will forever be disappointed in how the film botched virtually every single thing about this brilliant and original piece of fiction and masterful storytelling.
Who knows, maybe someday we'll get a second attempt at an adaptation, but for now I'm content with pretending it has no connection to the book, because the book is too good for such a horrible film to be in connection with it. (No offense to the lovely Anne Hathaway and the talented Hugh Dancy, but truly this was just a perversion of spectacular fiction)
Anyway, this novel deserves every award known to the publishing world - including the Newberry that it was bestowed so early on. If I should be lucky enough to have children of my own someday (whether birthed or adopted) this shall be the first book I ever read aloud to them.
My own parents likely would have adored Lucinda's gift of obedience. That was one thing I could not stop thinking about the entire time I was rereading it. The father was awful - tantamount to an ogre himself, and I will forever be disappointed in how the film botched virtually every single thing about this brilliant and original piece of fiction and masterful storytelling.
Who knows, maybe someday we'll get a second attempt at an adaptation, but for now I'm content with pretending it has no connection to the book, because the book is too good for such a horrible film to be in connection with it. (No offense to the lovely Anne Hathaway and the talented Hugh Dancy, but truly this was just a perversion of spectacular fiction)
Anyway, this novel deserves every award known to the publishing world - including the Newberry that it was bestowed so early on. If I should be lucky enough to have children of my own someday (whether birthed or adopted) this shall be the first book I ever read aloud to them.
orionoconnell's review against another edition
5.0
This book was absolutely my favorite book as a child. I've always been very gentle with my books, and my copy by the time it was replaced with a hardcover, had detached pages and a detaching front cover from being read so many times between the ages of 11 and 14, and even throughout my teen and adult years. It's a Cinderella retelling that's unique, well paced, and keeps you interested.
For anyone who has seen the movie and wants to read the book, or vice versa: beware that they are so vastly different they can scarcely be called the same thing. I cried when the movie came out because it just...broke the beauty of this book and turned it into this ridiculous thing that devastated my childhood.
Anyway, coming back for a reread as an adult, a couple things to mention: Ella's curse reads kind of like OCD, also Char and Areida are people of color. The movie whitewashed them. You'll catch it in a single line for both of them, Char in the first scene we meet him, and Areida at finishing school, but they are people of color which made me love this book all the more.
The book isn't without its problems including fat-shaming and a lot of 'you're ugly' type of insulting thoughts, but as far as middle grade fiction goes, I love this book every bit as much as I did the first time I was captivated by it, cheesy fairytale and all.
For anyone who has seen the movie and wants to read the book, or vice versa: beware that they are so vastly different they can scarcely be called the same thing. I cried when the movie came out because it just...broke the beauty of this book and turned it into this ridiculous thing that devastated my childhood.
Anyway, coming back for a reread as an adult, a couple things to mention: Ella's curse reads kind of like OCD, also Char and Areida are people of color. The movie whitewashed them. You'll catch it in a single line for both of them, Char in the first scene we meet him, and Areida at finishing school, but they are people of color which made me love this book all the more.
The book isn't without its problems including fat-shaming and a lot of 'you're ugly' type of insulting thoughts, but as far as middle grade fiction goes, I love this book every bit as much as I did the first time I was captivated by it, cheesy fairytale and all.
nickymarie's review against another edition
4.0
Cute, spunky story! Very different plot from the movie.
typographic_whimsy's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
woodendress's review against another edition
3.0
I was really looking forward to this book, because I read so many good reviews of it, plus I love fairy tale retellings. However, while I loved the concept and the characters, the execution was not the greatest.
I loved the character of Ella. She was cursed with the "gift" of obedience, but at the same time, still had her own agency and was independent. I loved how she fell in love slowly with the prince and there was no "instalove" which is one of my huge pet peeves. I even liked the minor characters. At first, I was worried that the stepmother and stepsisters were really one dimensional, and in many ways they were, but they had underlying insecurities. I noticed this particularly with Olive, the youngest stepsister, who feels lonely and while she is greedy and wants money, she also wants someone to listen to her. I thought all of the characters were interesting, and I think this is the highlight of the book.
However, the execution, particularly the pacing and some plot details were confusing to me. I felt that the book jumped around in little episodes and the pacing was not as fluid as it could have been. I also felt some elements in the plot came out of nowhere, like the boarding school and the magical book that Ella's fairy godmother gives her. I felt that the boarding school didn't really add anything to the plot, except giving her a best friend, Areida, who is sadly lacking in the rest of the book. The magical book was a little creepy, and seemed to be as a crutch to move the plot forward.
I also felt the resolution, where Ella is able to stop being obedient, while it did show that Ella had the power all along, it was also fueled by the prince, which seemed a little bit like a cop out to me.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with the execution, but I did like how the author used the traditional Cinderella tale and turned it upside down. Ella was obedient, but she struggled against it and had to find her own way to crush this obedience.
I loved the character of Ella. She was cursed with the "gift" of obedience, but at the same time, still had her own agency and was independent. I loved how she fell in love slowly with the prince and there was no "instalove" which is one of my huge pet peeves. I even liked the minor characters. At first, I was worried that the stepmother and stepsisters were really one dimensional, and in many ways they were, but they had underlying insecurities. I noticed this particularly with Olive, the youngest stepsister, who feels lonely and while she is greedy and wants money, she also wants someone to listen to her. I thought all of the characters were interesting, and I think this is the highlight of the book.
However, the execution, particularly the pacing and some plot details were confusing to me. I felt that the book jumped around in little episodes and the pacing was not as fluid as it could have been. I also felt some elements in the plot came out of nowhere, like the boarding school and the magical book that Ella's fairy godmother gives her. I felt that the boarding school didn't really add anything to the plot, except giving her a best friend, Areida, who is sadly lacking in the rest of the book. The magical book was a little creepy, and seemed to be as a crutch to move the plot forward.
I also felt the resolution, where Ella is able to stop being obedient, while it did show that Ella had the power all along, it was also fueled by the prince, which seemed a little bit like a cop out to me.
Overall, I was a little disappointed with the execution, but I did like how the author used the traditional Cinderella tale and turned it upside down. Ella was obedient, but she struggled against it and had to find her own way to crush this obedience.