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calbowen's review against another edition
4.0
I have never read Jim Hines before - and I have avoided this book on the cover alone - but then, once reading a review without the cover photo it sounded interesting and by searching I found, "oh no, not this book," so I turned away again - but I finally said that I would read it if only because it kept coming up for searches - I am not disappointed - this is a fun fantasy romp through Magic and adventure and fine story telling -
the story is of three Fairy Tale characters, (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella) but puts them into more human roles (though in the same atmosphere as the fairy tales) and makes them more of a strong trio of fighters trying to save the prince instead of the usual other way around - and the author quotes on the book are true - set aside the time to read this because i read it from cover to cover in one day - and it was worth the read - one review compared it to Charlie's Angels in Fantasy - well, I never cared for the angels growing up nor the reboot, but I liked this -
NO SPOILERS - the premise of this is like many fantasy books - you have a Magic User and a Fighter and the new kid on the block - throw them into a battle of survival with magical beings and evil sorcerers and you have this novel - I highly recommend and would gladly read the next tale.
the story is of three Fairy Tale characters, (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella) but puts them into more human roles (though in the same atmosphere as the fairy tales) and makes them more of a strong trio of fighters trying to save the prince instead of the usual other way around - and the author quotes on the book are true - set aside the time to read this because i read it from cover to cover in one day - and it was worth the read - one review compared it to Charlie's Angels in Fantasy - well, I never cared for the angels growing up nor the reboot, but I liked this -
NO SPOILERS - the premise of this is like many fantasy books - you have a Magic User and a Fighter and the new kid on the block - throw them into a battle of survival with magical beings and evil sorcerers and you have this novel - I highly recommend and would gladly read the next tale.
railway1721's review against another edition
5.0
I highly enjoyed this book.
I've always been a fan of the "non-disney" princess stories. I really enjoyed the banter of the 3 girls and the sotry was very nice highs and lows.
I've always been a fan of the "non-disney" princess stories. I really enjoyed the banter of the 3 girls and the sotry was very nice highs and lows.
rollforlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
A 3.5, not quite passing the 4 star mark...
A good fun read using the darker and older versions of fairy tales as a foundation and weaving them together. A good quest fantasy that was very amusing. Great as a holiday read.
A good fun read using the darker and older versions of fairy tales as a foundation and weaving them together. A good quest fantasy that was very amusing. Great as a holiday read.
gertsj's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thewallflower00's review against another edition
3.0
I've got to admit, I wasn't that impressed with "Goblin Quest" - it felt too much like a D&D campaign, but I thoroughly enjoyed "The Stepsister Scheme". What's special about this book? Hines takes the traditional Disney princesses we all know and vomit over, but bases their histories on the original fairy tales (very few of which end well), and then turns them into "Charlie's Angels" with more trolls and magic.
Hines keeps the plot moving with plenty of action, and not a lot of reflection. I was disappointed they didn't go into the character's back stories more. Most of us don't know the real fairy tales, and I know that Hines did his research. The character's histories only come out in snippets - Sleeping Beauty reveals her heartless nature comes from her victimization, Snow White's flirty nature with the Woodsman who died for her, and Cinderella's story continues after the prince puts the glass slipper on.
The only other problem I had was that the male types were A) missing for the majority of the story (being kidnapped) or B) drunken gnomes, evil trolls, suggestion-susceptible goblins, or the like. This is a common complaint about a lot of feminist literature, and it surprised me coming from a book written by a man. I understand the desire to make a story female-centric, but that doesn't mean men don't exist or all evil. I don't want a Bosley, and I don't want a "Sailor Moon" Tuxedo Man. I'm not sure what I want, but I know what I don't want. I guess it's one of the trappings of the genre.
But the characters are damn fun, and the story is damn fun.
Hines keeps the plot moving with plenty of action, and not a lot of reflection. I was disappointed they didn't go into the character's back stories more. Most of us don't know the real fairy tales, and I know that Hines did his research. The character's histories only come out in snippets - Sleeping Beauty reveals her heartless nature comes from her victimization, Snow White's flirty nature with the Woodsman who died for her, and Cinderella's story continues after the prince puts the glass slipper on.
The only other problem I had was that the male types were A) missing for the majority of the story (being kidnapped) or B) drunken gnomes, evil trolls, suggestion-susceptible goblins, or the like. This is a common complaint about a lot of feminist literature, and it surprised me coming from a book written by a man. I understand the desire to make a story female-centric, but that doesn't mean men don't exist or all evil. I don't want a Bosley, and I don't want a "Sailor Moon" Tuxedo Man. I'm not sure what I want, but I know what I don't want. I guess it's one of the trappings of the genre.
But the characters are damn fun, and the story is damn fun.
notthesandpaper's review against another edition
2.0
This was a puzzle. There was nothing wrong with this book - the premiss was interesting, it was well written, and it's always good to see fantasy that centers around women - but for some reason it just didn't click for me. I can heartily recommend it to anyone who is interesting in fairytale fantasy about women, but I personally didn't like it that much.
tani's review against another edition
4.0
Fun romp with awesome interpretations of fairy tales. Loved the girls, the ending was fantastic (Jim Hines is really great at building up to these things, let me tell you), and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
This book is so much fun. It is a plot centric book with a lot of action and moving around. As a character reader, that left me wanting some more character development. But I loved the girls and their relationship and it was a fun twist on fairy tales.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
While I'd had The Stepsister Scheme on my radar for while now, it was only because of Jim C. Hines social presence that I finally decided to give it a try. Whether he's poking fun at fantasy cover poses, talking about important topics like depression and diversity, or demonstrating the absurdity of the sad puppies mess, he's a clever geek a with a good head on his shoulders.
I wanted to like his fiction, and it may be that I just picked the wrong book to begin with, but The Stepsister Scheme fell flat for me. It was OK . . . a half-decent way to pass the time on the train or at the park . . . but it never really excited me or engaged me. In terms of subject matter, it reminded me a bit of early Mercedes Lackey, but without her dramatic narrative flair. I guess it was all just a bit too simplistic for me, a cute story that settled for a serviceable telling.
For those not familiar with the book, Hines looks at what happens after the fairy tales end, giving us a world where there are no simple happily-ever-afters. When Cinderella's husband is kidnapped by her ugly stepsisters, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty swoop in to help save the day. Unfortunately, what could have been a kick-ass tale with the spirit of Xena behind it is, instead, a weaker sort of book that's more reminiscent of the comedic reboot of Charlie's Angels. That sarcasm and wit that I've come to appreciate in his blog posts is missing here. What's left is fun in small doses, but entirely too light and fluffy to work as a full-length novel.
If you're new to fantasy, prefer fairy tales to epics, or are more inclined to YA/NA fiction, then you might very well enjoy The Stepsister Scheme. I can see the appeal, it just didn't work for me.
I wanted to like his fiction, and it may be that I just picked the wrong book to begin with, but The Stepsister Scheme fell flat for me. It was OK . . . a half-decent way to pass the time on the train or at the park . . . but it never really excited me or engaged me. In terms of subject matter, it reminded me a bit of early Mercedes Lackey, but without her dramatic narrative flair. I guess it was all just a bit too simplistic for me, a cute story that settled for a serviceable telling.
For those not familiar with the book, Hines looks at what happens after the fairy tales end, giving us a world where there are no simple happily-ever-afters. When Cinderella's husband is kidnapped by her ugly stepsisters, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty swoop in to help save the day. Unfortunately, what could have been a kick-ass tale with the spirit of Xena behind it is, instead, a weaker sort of book that's more reminiscent of the comedic reboot of Charlie's Angels. That sarcasm and wit that I've come to appreciate in his blog posts is missing here. What's left is fun in small doses, but entirely too light and fluffy to work as a full-length novel.
If you're new to fantasy, prefer fairy tales to epics, or are more inclined to YA/NA fiction, then you might very well enjoy The Stepsister Scheme. I can see the appeal, it just didn't work for me.