Stepsister follows on from where the famous story of Cinderella ends. We follow the younger of Cinderella's two Stepsisters - Isabelle. Isabelle is not considered beautiful like Ella, instead she is brave free-spirited and fearless. However society only ever values and rewards those that are beautiful, so all Isabelle wishes to be is 'pretty'. Isabelle may have a chance to change a fate that, unbeknownst to her, is doomed. On her path to find the missing pieces of her heart Isabelle must challenge her fate, face her demons and redefine the notion of beauty.
Stepsister addresses many important themes including, family, regret, relationships, what constitutes beauty, what society values, parental expectations and much more. This is a deliciously dark retelling of a beloved fairytale. I found all the characters and the complex relationships between them all very interesting. I was blown away by the author's writing style, from the first few chapters you were transported to a grim but magical time from long ago. The author takes you on a journey through the eyes of the Stepsister. We face society's bullying, the overbearing mother and the inner turmoil along with Isabelle. As I learnt more about the stepsisters I ended up warming to both of them. I never thought I would ever root for the ugly stepsisters but the author has created a conflicted character so full of depth and takes her on a difficult journey.
Overall, Stepsister is a witty, enlightening and a well developed feminist retelling of a much loved fairytale. The author leaves you with a very important message, that you can be everything that you want to be. I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, magic and of fairytales.
Stepsister addresses many important themes including, family, regret, relationships, what constitutes beauty, what society values, parental expectations and much more. This is a deliciously dark retelling of a beloved fairytale. I found all the characters and the complex relationships between them all very interesting. I was blown away by the author's writing style, from the first few chapters you were transported to a grim but magical time from long ago. The author takes you on a journey through the eyes of the Stepsister. We face society's bullying, the overbearing mother and the inner turmoil along with Isabelle. As I learnt more about the stepsisters I ended up warming to both of them. I never thought I would ever root for the ugly stepsisters but the author has created a conflicted character so full of depth and takes her on a difficult journey.
Overall, Stepsister is a witty, enlightening and a well developed feminist retelling of a much loved fairytale. The author leaves you with a very important message, that you can be everything that you want to be. I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, magic and of fairytales.