Ella Enchanted

Title: Ella Enchanted

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: HarperThrophy

Release date: January 1, 1997

Genre: Fantasy - Children's

Source: Purchased

Rating: 

At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally." When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella's life and well-being seem to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery as she tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along the way. Yes, there is a pumpkin coach, a glass slipper, and a happily ever after, but this is the most remarkable, delightful, and profound version of Cinderella you'll ever read.

My thoughts

‘Don’t I know this title from somewhere? It seems familiar.’ Yes, you do know this title from somewhere. Ella Enchanted in also a motion picture with Anne Hathaway as the lead character. But don’t think that the movie is like the book. As a matter of fact the book is COMPLETELY different. I’ve watched the movie a couple of times and I almost know it by heart so I was surprised to see the storyline take a completely different turn.

To be honest I didn’t like the turn the book took. I almost never say this, but I prefer the movie to the book. I know I know shame on me. Let me explain. It wasn’t the fact that the storylines differed so much. Every story has its pros and cons, but I felt disappointed when reading Ella Enchanted. Levine’s story building was in my experience a bit all over the place. We have our main protagonist Ella and she has a curse that she wants to lift. Ella does a lot and goes many places to fulfil that need, but some places and journeys to me seemed unnecessary.  Some could’ve been left out, but then the book would’ve been really short.

Ella was also not a relatable character. Not for the lack in compassion towards her but because of the lack in character building. Besides the obvious I felt like I didn’t know Ella at all and therefore I didn’t understand the choices she made. For me to be able to enjoy a book is to be able to understand the character. I don’t have to like or agree with her, but I need so sort of empathetic relationship. I didn’t feel that with Ella. What the cause was I don’t know, but it probably is a mix of story/character building and the writing style.

If you’re thinking about reading Ella Enchanted because you adore the movie than I suggest that you think about it a little more and read more reviews. If you have not yet watched the movie but you are interested in the story than you should read the book first. There’s a big possibility that the movie ruined the book, but there’s no way for me to judge that.

Quotes I liked

“I wished she’d never stop squeezing me. I wished I could spend the rest of my life as a child, being slightly crushed by someone who loved me.”

“It is helpful to know the proper way to behave, so one can decide whether or not to be proper.” 

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