That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. "My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child." I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda's gift and feel that she belongs to herself. For how can she truly belong to ...
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That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. "My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child." I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda's gift and feel that she belongs to herself. For how can she truly belong to herself if she knows that at any time, anyone can order her to hop on one foot, cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom--and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's spirited account of her quest to break the curse is a funny, poignant, and enchanting tale about an unforgettable heroine who is determined to be herself.
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Add this copy of Ella Enchanted (Lib)(Cd) to cart. $16.53, good condition, Sold by BooksRun rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Philadelphia, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Listening Library.
Add this copy of Ella Enchanted (Lib)(Cd) to cart. $19.99, good condition, Sold by Meadeco Media rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from VINE GROVE, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Listening Library.
Add this copy of Title: Ella Enchanted Libcd to cart. $51.23, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Listening Library.
Quite literally, a 'charming' book. Fantasy is not my usual genre, but this book did seem so sweet. I'm happy to have read it now, but there are some things that disappointed me.
Since birth, Ella was cursed by a fairy to always be obedient. Although it is good for growing children to obey their elders, a curse of obedience can be one's downfall. It definitely made an interesting plot to see how Ella would deal with following every command (even from her friends), and especially the commands that people didn't really mean for her to do, yet she had to struggle through anyways. I rather think that some parents may not like the attitude that Ella takes on; because she knows that she is cursed to obey every command, she literally wills herself not to obey, even for trivial tasks. I didn't exactly like the way that Ella balked at the tiny things, but I suppose that her challenging spirit had to be revealed somehow.
Another point that disappointed me in the story is the twist that the author adds at the end. Basically, it is an exact retelling of the Cinderella story. I was quite dumbfounded that she didn't omit one detail, and copied the Cinderella story so precisely. I realize that the author was tying the two plots together, but it could have been done more discreetly with tact.
Ella has good wits, a noble heart, and much creativity. Several times throughout the story she reminded me of the character Emily Byrd Starr from the 'Emily' novels, by L.M. Montgomery. If you like 'Ella Enchanted', then you should try the 'Emily' series.
Bookmark87
May 25, 2008
READ THIS BOOK!
I found this book right around when I was in second grade. I am now in ninth grade and I STILL love this book. Ella is a young girl, just hitting her teenage years, when her mother dies. The event leaves Ella heartbroken, and miserable. This feeling only increases when she finds out that Sir Peter (her father) has decided that she is too unkempt for society at this point, and so sends her to finishing school with her two new, and brilliantly despicable stepsisters who love nothing more than to boss Ella around and, in general, make her life a rather nasty thing to live. This would be no problem for most people because they wouldn't actually have to obey the orders they were given, but Ella is special; in a bad way. She was given a "gift" at birth by a fairy. She HAS to do whatever she is told. She can't help it. Eventually Ella is pushed to her breaking point, and unknowingly embarks upon an adventure that will give her a love, freedom, and a REAL life; one that is truly hers to live. This new take on the old Cinderella tale is utterly refreshing. The heroine is anything but your typical ?damsel-in-distress?, and the handsome prince charming is not all brawn this time either. He actually does have a brain. All in all, this book is a wonderful change of pace from your typical childish fairytale.
RP86
Jul 30, 2007
New Twist on an Old Story
I always though Cinderella was a bit of a ninny, but now I know why she always did what her wicked relatives told her to! A fresh look at an old story, this tale is beautifully crafted. A must read for any fairy tale lover.
