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reachant's review against another edition
3.0
This book has some wonderful social commentary - futures trading, social standing and how it is affected by wealth, a little bit of madness and superstition thrown in. The fairy tale is told as historical fiction with plausible ideas on how the fairy tale came about. In all a nice, light read to escape.
annneilson's review against another edition
3.0
Before we discussed this at bookgroup I would have given it 2 stars. As so often happens though, I appreciated the book so much more after chatting about it and delving deeper into the themes and details with my book loving pals.
2catmom's review against another edition
5.0
Of all of Macguire's books I've read, this is my favorite. It's fun how he tells the story of Cinderella from the story of the ugly stepsister, and you don't love cinderella at the end.
key2's review against another edition
2.0
I cannot make up my mind about Gregory Maguire. I have read three of his books, and when finished I guess I liked them. In the end I like them, but during the reading of them...they are just okay. I think the old language, and old names bog me down.
willkay's review against another edition
1.0
Confessions of an Ugly Step Sister by Gregory Maguire. Couldn't finish it. Sorry. It was just bleugh. I gave it a fair shot, got 150+ pages in but, you know what, I really didn't care. Didn't care for the characters, didn't care for the story, didn't care for the writing. Maria had read to me Wicked by the same author and I really enjoyed it. Except I'm now starting to think that I just loved the fact that Maria was reading to me. She loved the book and her love came through in the way she read it. Left to my own devices, reading this book with my voice in my head, I just couldn't get involved. So I quit.
marthagal's review against another edition
2.0
Loved Wicked, hated this one. See, Wicked wasn't always happy and uplifting, but the whole backstory of OZ makes it awesome. I do not care so much about the backstory of poor people in Holland, and the writing isn't good enough for me to like it. Blech.
beetree's review against another edition
5.0
Mmmmmm! This book was like a lovely spring day in a meadow full of tulips (which may I add feature in the book). I'd say that this was a simpler read than Wicked because the story was smaller, the subject matter easier to digest than the grand political landscape of Oz. Nevertheless, the messages are just as important, and while Wicked establishes its social commentaries through shrewd comparisons, Confessions offers its message through subtle metaphors.
My admiration for Gregory Maguire continues to grow, for both his message the way he crafs its delivery. Like Wicked this is no ordinary book (but then, is a book ever ordinary?); it is more like a painting with many moments that made me stand still.
My admiration for Gregory Maguire continues to grow, for both his message the way he crafs its delivery. Like Wicked this is no ordinary book (but then, is a book ever ordinary?); it is more like a painting with many moments that made me stand still.
kate_olsen's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Toooo long! And boring
jennyp0208's review against another edition
2.0
I think the idea is better than the execution in Maguire's interpretation of the ancient Cinderella tale.
First the good: The choice to set Cinderella in Holland during the tulip boom is smart. It's an interesting setting. The characters intrigue me - especially Iris. Margarethe is a study in the outworking of ambition. I appreciate Maguire's vision and concept and courage to experiment with the tale. I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales - I've read a shelf full over the years.
Then the bad: I just don't like this book. I'm left without hope. I feel like this novel shows the dirty side of humanity without any balance. With all the talk of beauty, I don't find it here. All the characters are conniving, selfish, and miserable. In addition, the frame story just doesn't make any sense with the bulk of what comes between - it doesn't fit at all with how this particular character is written (I can't say more without spoilers). And the present tense bugs me; while it serves its purpose particularly during the climax, it is clunky in the earlier chapters of rising action.
I won't be grabbing anything else by Maguire. I didn't like Wicked for similar reasons (so much ugliness, but told in a catching way) but wanted to give him one more shot. I'm done.
First the good: The choice to set Cinderella in Holland during the tulip boom is smart. It's an interesting setting. The characters intrigue me - especially Iris. Margarethe is a study in the outworking of ambition. I appreciate Maguire's vision and concept and courage to experiment with the tale. I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales - I've read a shelf full over the years.
Then the bad: I just don't like this book. I'm left without hope. I feel like this novel shows the dirty side of humanity without any balance. With all the talk of beauty, I don't find it here. All the characters are conniving, selfish, and miserable. In addition, the frame story just doesn't make any sense with the bulk of what comes between - it doesn't fit at all with how this particular character is written (I can't say more without spoilers). And the present tense bugs me; while it serves its purpose particularly during the climax, it is clunky in the earlier chapters of rising action.
I won't be grabbing anything else by Maguire. I didn't like Wicked for similar reasons (so much ugliness, but told in a catching way) but wanted to give him one more shot. I'm done.