I enjoyed this book immensely, as I felt I would when I first saw the cover (although we are told not to judge a book by its cover) and the plot synopsis. I've always been interested in fairytales, as well as twisted versions of the same, so I was very interested in reading Jennifer Donnelly's Stepsister when I came across it. The most interesting thing about the book is that it tells us the story after 'The End' and 'Happily Ever After', which might not be that way after all - giving it a sense of realism and reliability for the audience. Isabella is the protagonist here, and the story revolves around her struggles and insecurity, which a lot of us can relate to. It also brings the characters of the Ugly Sisters into focus, when in previous versions of the classic Cinderella story they have always just had supporting roles, so this is an interesting twist on the tradition story retold many times over, most obviously by Disney.
The characters are well thought out and balanced, and the interactions between them seem real and engaging. A very good book, and I'd be interested to read more from this talented author.
The characters are well thought out and balanced, and the interactions between them seem real and engaging. A very good book, and I'd be interested to read more from this talented author.