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constant2m 's review for:
Of Glass and Glamour
by Chanda Hahn
In the Selection meets Cinderella, Eden, the second adopted daughter of Eville, has the opportunity to attend a ball in her home kingdom. The prince needs a bride, but a prophecy says that a witch will kill him on his wedding night. To make things worse, Eden has been sent to learn the truth about her family and get revenge about what happened to them. If she wins the contest and the prince falls for her, will she need kill him? She's tired of being manipulated and doesn't want to kill the prince. But can she fight against her destiny?
I liked Eden a lot. She has a lot of self-esteem issues - her sisters are prettier, more talented, and so on, but as was the case with her older sister, she is perfect for this role. Her strength is illusion magic. For a ball filled with beautiful gowns, it's a great gift. She is also able to change her appearance to that of other people, making her escapades in and out of the castle so much fun. Something that frustrated me, though, was the narrative she allowed to define her, that she was adopted because her parents didn't want her. But that simply isn't true. And even when she learns the truth, she still holds on to this narrative. Child, your parents loved you which is why they gave you to someone else to raise. You may not agree with their decision, but it was a legitimate, possibly-life-saving choice on their part. Let it go and let yourself believe you were loved! She gets there in the end. Sort of
My only other complaint is the same as the previous book. The love interest was a bit of a mess. Yes, there were reasons. No, that doesn't excuse bad behavior. And my personal pet peeve, the boy had a plan and if the girl had just trusted him, he would have saved the day and protected her. Bleh. 1. You never told her you had a plan. 2. You never told her you knew what was going on. 3. She was trying to save you. And 4. Did you forget the prophecy? Come on, silly boy, everything does not revolve around you! Okay, vent over. In my opinion, she did good. Not her fault if he doesn't appreciate her!
Anyway, it was still a fun story. While not my favorite Cinderella retelling, we can blame that on the sheer quantity of Cinderella retellings I've read lately. And it is still a solid read. I like the way Chanda overlaps her books too. This story took place after the main events of book 1, but before the epilogue.
I liked Eden a lot. She has a lot of self-esteem issues - her sisters are prettier, more talented, and so on, but as was the case with her older sister, she is perfect for this role. Her strength is illusion magic. For a ball filled with beautiful gowns, it's a great gift. She is also able to change her appearance to that of other people, making her escapades in and out of the castle so much fun. Something that frustrated me, though, was the narrative she allowed to define her, that she was adopted because her parents didn't want her. But that simply isn't true. And even when she learns the truth, she still holds on to this narrative. Child, your parents loved you which is why they gave you to someone else to raise. You may not agree with their decision, but it was a legitimate, possibly-life-saving choice on their part. Let it go and let yourself believe you were loved! She gets there in the end. Sort of
My only other complaint is the same as the previous book. The love interest was a bit of a mess. Yes, there were reasons. No, that doesn't excuse bad behavior. And my personal pet peeve, the boy had a plan and if the girl had just trusted him, he would have saved the day and protected her. Bleh. 1. You never told her you had a plan. 2. You never told her you knew what was going on. 3. She was trying to save you. And 4. Did you forget the prophecy? Come on, silly boy, everything does not revolve around you! Okay, vent over. In my opinion, she did good. Not her fault if he doesn't appreciate her!
Anyway, it was still a fun story. While not my favorite Cinderella retelling, we can blame that on the sheer quantity of Cinderella retellings I've read lately. And it is still a solid read. I like the way Chanda overlaps her books too. This story took place after the main events of book 1, but before the epilogue.