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miagengr's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
a very cute middle grade book! very different from the movie, being honest! but still splendid.
i wish i could have had more areida and ella time. and more ella and char in person banter. but still! cute !
i wish i could have had more areida and ella time. and more ella and char in person banter. but still! cute !
katdfleming's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't immediately taken with the book, but I was glad I stuck with it. I didn't even make the Cinderella connection until I was about 2/3 of the way through. It was fun reading the final part and seeing how this version stacked up to the original tale. Loved the book's message!
totallywickedruth333's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of my favorite books ever! I first read it a couple years ago, and I’ve read it many times since! I don’t really like the original Cinderella story, but this is a great retelling. All of the characters are really well written. Ella is an amazing main character, Areida is really sweet, Char is way more realistic than the og Prince, Mandy is great, and Hattie and Olive are hilarious. I highly recommend this book!
JUST DONT WATCH THE MOVIE
JUST DONT WATCH THE MOVIE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
wherewolf37'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? N/A
5.0
ametakinetos's review against another edition
4.0
Only 24 years late to the party...
Absolutely delightful. Absorbed it in two sittings. I think as much as pop culture is inundated with rags-to-riches and princess stories, there is still something in me that loves when it is done correctly. Also loving the fact that this is a YA novel actually designed for the lower end of the demographic, instead of the explicit content marketed for the entire age group yet barely suitable for even the eldest.
Would I have enjoyed this more in my younger years? Probably. But happy to have finally had the chance now.
Absolutely delightful. Absorbed it in two sittings. I think as much as pop culture is inundated with rags-to-riches and princess stories, there is still something in me that loves when it is done correctly. Also loving the fact that this is a YA novel actually designed for the lower end of the demographic, instead of the explicit content marketed for the entire age group yet barely suitable for even the eldest.
Would I have enjoyed this more in my younger years? Probably. But happy to have finally had the chance now.
Spoiler
All y'all doing fancasts or posting pics from the movie - listen. Love Hugh Dancy as much as the next babe, but Char is clearly stated in the book to be "swarthy" and dark-skinned. A faithful movie adaptation with literally any one of the talented dark-skinned young actors kicking around these days would be *chef's kiss*annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
I have no idea why this book never really crossed my path. I've never seen the movie either. For some reason this story wanted to be found at the right moment and it seems that the right moment for me to find this story was today. I was really looking forward to discovering this classic that's beloved by so many. And since it was quite clear that this book was actually gonna be a fairytale I didn't doubt I was gonna like the book.
This book is an amazing and easy read from start to finish. The book is relatively short, although true fairytales are of course even shorter, and yet it never feels like things are rushed. What needs to be explained is explained. What can be summarized is summarized and what doesn't need to be told is not being told. Just like the language was not more complicated than it had to be to picture this lovely fantasy world.
Although the book is short it's almost impossible not to like Ella. I think everyone understands why she is who she is. How basically the curse made her into who she is. If you have to be obedient, if you have to follow commands, if you have no choice, no matter what it is, you will always have that urge for freedom and will to do whatever you can to find it. It made her outgoing, playful and she certainly also was, without it becoming annoying, a rebel.
I personally would have loved to see a little more of the prince in person to completely buy the romance. It's clear the prince was a nice and understanding guy. It's also clear he was not looking for a stiff and well behaved girl to become his wife, but the interactions between them were so nice to read! The letters they eventually started exchanging were nice too, especially because they told us a lot about both characters, but still. More scenes with them together would have been even better!
I can't wait to dive into the other book set in this world.
This book is an amazing and easy read from start to finish. The book is relatively short, although true fairytales are of course even shorter, and yet it never feels like things are rushed. What needs to be explained is explained. What can be summarized is summarized and what doesn't need to be told is not being told. Just like the language was not more complicated than it had to be to picture this lovely fantasy world.
Although the book is short it's almost impossible not to like Ella. I think everyone understands why she is who she is. How basically the curse made her into who she is. If you have to be obedient, if you have to follow commands, if you have no choice, no matter what it is, you will always have that urge for freedom and will to do whatever you can to find it. It made her outgoing, playful and she certainly also was, without it becoming annoying, a rebel.
I personally would have loved to see a little more of the prince in person to completely buy the romance. It's clear the prince was a nice and understanding guy. It's also clear he was not looking for a stiff and well behaved girl to become his wife, but the interactions between them were so nice to read! The letters they eventually started exchanging were nice too, especially because they told us a lot about both characters, but still. More scenes with them together would have been even better!
I can't wait to dive into the other book set in this world.
lillianviolinist's review against another edition
4.5
My head says 4 stars but my heart says 5 stars so we are splitting the difference. Full transparency: Prince Char was basically my first book crush so I'll never be able to be objective about this book. On reread, I think this book has some pacing issues. I think the final act (the balls and proposal) is too short to truly satisfy. This will always be a favorite of mine
interreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
reelabbz's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0