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emleemay's review against another edition
4.0
Everyone said a girl with a strong will would come to a bad end. Everyone said a girl’s will must be bent to the wishes of those who know what’s best for her.
Isabelle was young, only sixteen; she had not yet learned that Everyone is a fool.
First off, I want to say I really enjoyed this book. There are so many good things I want to say about it (and will), but I also think I have to admit that for the first 25% I thought I was going to love it more than I did. The opening is very strong, the writing is gorgeous and highly-quotable, and it's got that beautifully eerie dark fairy tale vibe going on. I was thinking an easy five stars.
History books say that kings and dukes and generals start wars. Don’t believe it. We start them, you and I. Every time we turn away, keep quiet, stay out of it, behave ourselves.
True to the Grimm brothers' version of Cinderella, the book opens at the end of the tale we know with the stepsisters mutilating their own feet to attempt to fit the glass slipper. Of course, this doesn't work out, and Ella and her prince get their happy ending anyway. Here, that's only the beginning. Isabelle and Tavi are left behind with their overbearing mother. Isabelle, especially, is overcome with bitterness. She's angry at a world that renders a woman worthless if she is not deemed beautiful.
Donnelly doesn't stop with something that simplistic, though. Almost all the women in this story are sympathetic, and though their actions are not excused, it is clear that the real "villain" behind it all is society and the way in which a girl's worth is determined. Ella is never dismissed as an airheaded beauty, nor is the "evil stepmother" entirely evil. It is interesting and sad how we see the way Maman's fear for her daughters drives her to horrific acts. She is deeply afraid of them being left without husbands and starving when she is gone. It's not an unrealistic fear.
“Change is a kiss in the dark. A rose in the snow. A wild road on a windy night,” Chance countered.
“Monsters live in the dark. Roses die in the snow. Girls get lost on wild roads,” the crone shot back.
Alongside this, there is another part of the story. A fantasy story and a game. One in which Fate, who has determined the course of Isabelle's life, plays against Chance, who wagers that he can change it. These two characters go head-to-head to see that Isabelle takes the path of their choosing. For the most part, it's thrilling, though I think the overlong and convoluted road this aspect of the plot took made it a four instead of a five star book for me. There was a definite part somewhere in the third quarter where it got a little too much.
But, ultimately, it's a gorgeously-written feminist fairy tale that unites women instead of demonizing them. I absolutely loved the shout-out to female military leaders of history, and the moments of perfectly-timed humour:
“The feeling that you want to own someone body and soul, spirit them away from everyone else, have them all to yourself forever and ever and ever,” Hugo said dreamily. “It’s called love.”
“No, it’s called kidnapping,” said Tavi.
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tiffy137's review against another edition
4.0
I recieved this book from netgaleyy in exchange for an honest review
I love retellings its one of my favourite genre of books to read. I say this is a retelling but its more of a spin off and focuses on one of the step sisters who just wants her mums approval. Because she wants her mums approval when the prince comes around looking for the owner of the slipper she cuts her foot up in attempt to make her foot fit that glass slipper. Because we are in the point of view of Isabelle the sister it really makes you feel how they must be feeling and how much abuse they get from their mum. I mean no mum should call their own child ugly. I do like that we get an insight of the 'evil' stepmother and why she does what she did and it is understandable but still not nice.
I like the original characters we got in this book like chance and fate and how they guided our main character. I felt it gave the books more character and extra depth!
One of my favourite things about this book was the quest and adventure that the main character had to complete. it really drew me in and i was there in my head as i read it on this quest with her trying to solve it with her.
I gave this book 4 stars.
I love retellings its one of my favourite genre of books to read. I say this is a retelling but its more of a spin off and focuses on one of the step sisters who just wants her mums approval. Because she wants her mums approval when the prince comes around looking for the owner of the slipper she cuts her foot up in attempt to make her foot fit that glass slipper. Because we are in the point of view of Isabelle the sister it really makes you feel how they must be feeling and how much abuse they get from their mum. I mean no mum should call their own child ugly. I do like that we get an insight of the 'evil' stepmother and why she does what she did and it is understandable but still not nice.
I like the original characters we got in this book like chance and fate and how they guided our main character. I felt it gave the books more character and extra depth!
One of my favourite things about this book was the quest and adventure that the main character had to complete. it really drew me in and i was there in my head as i read it on this quest with her trying to solve it with her.
I gave this book 4 stars.
other_worlds_than_these's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this reimagining! I loved the contradictions with Fate and Chance personified. I thought Isabelle was an amazing complicated and complex character and at times, who I really resonated with. I loved how Ella played a role in this story without overshadowing Isabelle’s and also being a multi dimensional character. The world was familiar and yet till magical and dark! I loved the way magic played a role in the story. It was all really cohesive! Highly recommend to anyone who loves dark fairytales!
somewhat_kat's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
There is a certain audience that this book would appeal to, however unfortunately I'm not part of it. The language was excessively YA and certain points in the book made me cringe so much I had to put the book down. The plot was boring and repetitive and the characters were two-dimensional, with a few characters mentioned that were essentially pointless as they had no impact on the plot whatsoever. On top of this, the chapters are ridiculously short. I love short chapters as much as the next person but the narrative could have just carried on rather than have been split up as much as it was. 129 chapters for a book just over 450 pages long? Regardless, the message that the book was trying to push was successfully done, however we see so much of it in modern media that it lacked much value. As I said, I'm sure some people would enjoy this, pre-teens, but it just wasn't for me.
fireweed15's review against another edition
5.0
I'm weak for a good retelling, and I'm always drawn to characters that are less popular (if not downright disliked), and this book met all that criteria! Isabella is an interesting character-- human and flawed and fascinating. I love how Donnelly takes the base world of the Cinderella fairy tale and expands it wonderfully, making the sisters' home in Saint Michele the heart of a war that raises the stakes and pulls the reader in. I also loved the over-arcing theme of fate versus chance and making one's own way in the world. I'm so glad I ended up reading this, and gladly recommend it to anyone who wants a new take on a classic story.
yusra_s's review against another edition
4.0
The wolves in the woods have sharp teeth and long claws. But it is the wolf inside who will tear you apart
step sister is a book about Isabelle, Cinderella's 'ugly, evil stepsister' who along with her sister, failed to marry the Prince.
step sister is a book about Isabelle, Cinderella's 'ugly, evil stepsister' who along with her sister, failed to marry the Prince.
destiny and chance are warring over Isabelle's fate while on the other hand, the two step sisters are continuously bullied by the villagers.
After Ella's departure, Isabelle has become more conscious of the claws of jealousy that had gripped her heart for so many years.Not knowing fate as her enemy, she blindly fights destiny, determined to find the lost pieces of her heart with the help of chance, all the while aware of the enemy forces advancing on France, raiding villages and killing innocents.
The content of this book was excellent and I didn't just enjoy it, I was also touched by it. Isabelle's story will be one with me forever. The only flaw I found in it was that the writing was quite ordinary. Not bad, but not special either. Otherwise, it was great and is definitely worth a read.
dannywithaygreenlikethecolor's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I was bored at first (100 pages) but then I was sucked immediately into the plot. I love the character Chance and his quotes like "Change is a kiss in the dark. A rose in the snow. A wild road on a windy night." This a fantastic feminist fairytale retelling!
I was bored at first (100 pages) but then I was sucked immediately into the plot. I love the character Chance and his quotes like "Change is a kiss in the dark. A rose in the snow. A wild road on a windy night." This a fantastic feminist fairytale retelling!
ishrat2006's review against another edition
5.0
I like how even though she was "ugly" they didn't try to change her, they just emphasized her inner strengths