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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
thebookberrie's review against another edition
4.0
February 2020 reread: Despite this not really fitting with my February romance month, I decided to reread this for a challenge and I can say I still liked it. My original review still fits 100%, I still love Isabelle and I can't wait to read this author's next dark fairytale retelling.
****
Original review:
Stepsister begins with Cinderella's ugly stepsisters cutting off parts of their feet to fit into the glass slipper. When the prince learns of Isabelle's deception, she's rightfully turned away in shame. All her life she's been told to fit a certain mold and to be like her perfect and beautiful stepsister and it has turned her mean and jealous. One day she gets a chance to change her destiny and she can finally take control of her own life. Beyond Isabelle's story is that of a Fate and Chance playing a game and a bet on how her life will go. Fate has one way mapped out but Chance plans to change it.
We love a redemption arc and my god, was Isabelle redeemed. I liked seeing a character known so long for being evil finally turned around and getting something good. Her journey was so good, I stan.
My major issue with this book is that while I liked it, I wasn't really grabbed and loving it. While the story was well written, some of the plot and events just got ridiculous and took forever to go anywhere. Even though I enjoyed the side of a Fate and Chance fighting to alter her life, it felt like it kept going and was felt a bit too wacky for the dark fairytale feel the story was originally going for.
But this book was not pretty and I liked that.
****
Original review:
Stepsister begins with Cinderella's ugly stepsisters cutting off parts of their feet to fit into the glass slipper. When the prince learns of Isabelle's deception, she's rightfully turned away in shame. All her life she's been told to fit a certain mold and to be like her perfect and beautiful stepsister and it has turned her mean and jealous. One day she gets a chance to change her destiny and she can finally take control of her own life. Beyond Isabelle's story is that of a Fate and Chance playing a game and a bet on how her life will go. Fate has one way mapped out but Chance plans to change it.
The wolves in the woods have sharp teeth and long claws, but it's the wolf inside who will tear you apart.Oh man, this book really went there. This is a dark(ish) fairytale that is supremely feminist and fights how girls are supposed to be quiet and pretty and not "ugly" and have strong opinions. Almost all the women in this book are so badass, in many different ways. No one turned into a one-dimensional character and I liked that. I liked seeing even from the point of view from one of the so-called evil stepsisters that Ella isn't just some pretty girl with no other agenda but a kind girl who still had a rebellious (and petty) streak.
We love a redemption arc and my god, was Isabelle redeemed. I liked seeing a character known so long for being evil finally turned around and getting something good. Her journey was so good, I stan.
My major issue with this book is that while I liked it, I wasn't really grabbed and loving it. While the story was well written, some of the plot and events just got ridiculous and took forever to go anywhere. Even though I enjoyed the side of a Fate and Chance fighting to alter her life, it felt like it kept going and was felt a bit too wacky for the dark fairytale feel the story was originally going for.
But this book was not pretty and I liked that.
desertlover's review against another edition
3.0
"Strange isn't it, how stories that are never told are the ones we most need to hear."
3.5 STARS
Certain aspects I loved, but holy smokes the darkness bordered near depressing, so I can't quite say it was a 4 STAR read for me. I enjoyed Fate/Chance theme and would read more about them in a heartbeat. Overall, it is a unique retelling, and I certainly wouldn't discourage any book friend from trying it.
3.5 STARS
Certain aspects I loved, but holy smokes the darkness bordered near depressing, so I can't quite say it was a 4 STAR read for me. I enjoyed Fate/Chance theme and would read more about them in a heartbeat. Overall, it is a unique retelling, and I certainly wouldn't discourage any book friend from trying it.
nhi_nguyen's review against another edition
5.0
We all know the fairy tale Cinderella. We know that Ella (Cinderella) was not allowed to go to the ball. A fairy godmother showed up and transformed her into a beautiful princess, transformed pumpkins into carriages and mice into footmen. Most important, she transformed Ella's ragged slippers into beautiful glass slippers. Ella was treated harshly by her stepmother and stepsisters. But what about Ella's stepsisters, Isabella and Octavia? I absolutely LOVE this book. Not only does it shows a different perspective of the fairy tale, but it also shows that women are capable of doing things that men do. Women don't just sit around knitting and sewing and cooking. We have dreams. We have passion.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
2.0
Less a retelling than a continuation, this novel takes the standard version of the Cinderella fairy tale and imagines a possible redemption story for one of her wicked relations. But it really doesn't work for me, on just about any level. Worst of all are the under-explained personifications of Fate and Chance using the girl as a game piece, but I'm also frustrated by her characterization and by various inconsistencies in the worldbuilding and plot. Plus it falls into the very tired trope of a person being described as first ugly and then pretty, with no real justification for the change.
I appreciate the feminist angle to the narrative that emphasizes how societal expectations of gender roles disadvantage women, but this book could have been so much stronger if it had actually dug into its supposed premise and made the protagonist legitimately cruel (and not conventionally attractive). Instead she turns out to be a misunderstood beauty who's instantly regretful for her actions. She and the other characters feel flat as their setting, tediously marching through the pages without ever once making me care.
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I appreciate the feminist angle to the narrative that emphasizes how societal expectations of gender roles disadvantage women, but this book could have been so much stronger if it had actually dug into its supposed premise and made the protagonist legitimately cruel (and not conventionally attractive). Instead she turns out to be a misunderstood beauty who's instantly regretful for her actions. She and the other characters feel flat as their setting, tediously marching through the pages without ever once making me care.
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
mrsobie25's review against another edition
5.0
I love fairy tale adaptations! This was such a cool version of the stepsisters stories from Cinderella!! Donnelly does not disappoint...but, to be honest, has she ever??
callistag1's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Grief, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Genocide, and Murder
Minor: Cursing and Violence
transformerjazz90's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eldritchreader's review against another edition
DNF @ ~15%
So many people seemed to have loved this story and I saw a lot of promise in the beginning. I loved how this book was dark and grisly, with a writing style that reflected traditional fairytales. I also love the idea of fleshing out an infamous villain.
But overall this story was just feeling directionless. 2 hours into the audio and there is still no solid storyline.
Overall, I just don't care enough to continue because of this.
Thank you to Libro.FM and the publisher for providing me with a DLC in exchange for an honest review!
So many people seemed to have loved this story and I saw a lot of promise in the beginning. I loved how this book was dark and grisly, with a writing style that reflected traditional fairytales. I also love the idea of fleshing out an infamous villain.
But overall this story was just feeling directionless. 2 hours into the audio and there is still no solid storyline.
Overall, I just don't care enough to continue because of this.
Thank you to Libro.FM and the publisher for providing me with a DLC in exchange for an honest review!