Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings, okay?
Isabelle should be blissfully happy - she's about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn't the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince's heart. She's the ugly stepsister who's cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella's shoe . . . which is now filling with her blood.
When the prince discovers Isabelle's deception, she's turned away in shame. It's no more than she deserves: she's a plain girl in a world that values beauty; a bold girl in a world that wants her to be pliant.
Isabelle has tried to fit in. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl.
Evoking the original version of the Cinderella story, bestselling author Jennifer Donnelly uses her trademark wit and wisdom to send an overlooked character on a journey toward empowerment, redemption . . . and a new definition of beauty.
I read this book in one day. In one sitting, pretty much. Stepsister is a powerful reimagining of the classic Cinderella story, and one that does not focus on revenge. Isabelle is not out to hurt Ella. She knows that she made a mistake, and she is trying to find herself. She is working toward making herself whole again, and to find out exactly who pushed her off her path, and why she allowed it to happen. Stepsister makes some sound points, and the story made my heart soar.
The plot gets a little muddled with the introduction of the three fates, and Chance, but it all comes together later on. The storyline is a little cliche, but it’s still far from expected. The book moves along at a fantastic pace, and revelations and plot twists are evenly sprinkled throughout the story. Flashbacks and catastrophes are used sparingly and effectively. At no point does this book feel either overwhelming or underwhelming, although it borders on confusing at a couple points.
Despite its grim beginning, Stepsister does not feel heavy or dark anywhere. It’s fun and light, even as it wrestles with big themes. Isabelle isn’t trying to change the world, she’s just trying to find a little bit of happiness in her word.
This is a short quick read that tackles big problems while still being witty and light. For anyone that is tired of the predictable fairy tales, Stepsister is for you.
Isabelle should be blissfully happy - she's about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn't the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince's heart. She's the ugly stepsister who's cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella's shoe . . . which is now filling with her blood.
When the prince discovers Isabelle's deception, she's turned away in shame. It's no more than she deserves: she's a plain girl in a world that values beauty; a bold girl in a world that wants her to be pliant.
Isabelle has tried to fit in. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl.
Evoking the original version of the Cinderella story, bestselling author Jennifer Donnelly uses her trademark wit and wisdom to send an overlooked character on a journey toward empowerment, redemption . . . and a new definition of beauty.
I read this book in one day. In one sitting, pretty much. Stepsister is a powerful reimagining of the classic Cinderella story, and one that does not focus on revenge. Isabelle is not out to hurt Ella. She knows that she made a mistake, and she is trying to find herself. She is working toward making herself whole again, and to find out exactly who pushed her off her path, and why she allowed it to happen. Stepsister makes some sound points, and the story made my heart soar.
The plot gets a little muddled with the introduction of the three fates, and Chance, but it all comes together later on. The storyline is a little cliche, but it’s still far from expected. The book moves along at a fantastic pace, and revelations and plot twists are evenly sprinkled throughout the story. Flashbacks and catastrophes are used sparingly and effectively. At no point does this book feel either overwhelming or underwhelming, although it borders on confusing at a couple points.
Despite its grim beginning, Stepsister does not feel heavy or dark anywhere. It’s fun and light, even as it wrestles with big themes. Isabelle isn’t trying to change the world, she’s just trying to find a little bit of happiness in her word.
This is a short quick read that tackles big problems while still being witty and light. For anyone that is tired of the predictable fairy tales, Stepsister is for you.
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