To me, it's a CLASSIC! | Ella Enchanted Rack

A Wonderful Novel, Reminiscient of Jane Eyre | Ella Enchanted Rack | Gail Carson Levine

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	• Ella Enchanted Rack Gail Carson Levine Turtleback Books: A Division of Sanval, 2004 - 288 pages average customer review:based on 1172 reviews
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highly recommended

Cute retelling of Cinderella

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine has been out for many years and even a movie has been made which I have watched as well. But, I haven't read this book until now. It was a delightful book, cute and funny. I haven't watched the movie in quite some time, but from memory, there are lots of differences. Ella Enchanted is a re-telling of Cinderella (Cinder ella get it? took me almost the end of the book to see that.) The story of Cinderella never tells why Cinderella does everything her step sisters and step mother tells her too, I mean why didn't she just run away from it all? But, Ella Enchanted gives a reason to why Ella stays and does all of their bidding. Ella Enchanted even has the glass slippers and pumpkin stagecoach which I don't think the movie had. I think the movie strayed more from the Cinderella aspect of it and went more toward Ella's obedience.

When Ella was a baby, she was gifted obedience and must do whatever anyone has order of her. Ella didn't let this gift bring her down. She was defiant to her gift, if her cook told her to bring her almonds Ella would bring her two. She would find ways to defy the gift. When Ella's mother dies things go down hill for her but she meets Prince Char and starts a relationship with him. It is a cute story between her and Char. But, after a while, Ella's father must remarry and Ella moves in with her Stepmother and stepsisters who make things awful for her when her father leaves.

I am glad that I finally read this book. It is a really cute retelling.

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To me, it's a CLASSIC!

I have been an avid reader since the 5th grade, and at first, I didn't want to give ELLA ENCHANTED a chance because of the tacky cover illustration (of the girl in the green dress), but as they say, "Never judge a book by its cover." I finally gave in to reading this book - ordering it from one of those book orders that you get from school. I just want to say that I am now 23 years old and this is STILL my favorite book. It has everything that I love in a book - comedy and romance, and the feeling that once the book is over, you're sad because you know you will never find another adventure just like it. It's impossible to put the book down - there are parts that make you want to cry, laugh, and squeal with delight. The romance between Ella and Char is PERFECT and not cheesy at all. I advise anyone with a love of romance and fantasy to give this book a chance because I promise that it's SO WORTH IT - and not to mention, the movie does not do the book justice at all.

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A Wonderful Novel, Reminiscient of Jane Eyre

I remember when I first read this novel many years ago. Immediately after finishing it I picked it up again and read it again, so marvelously enchanted was I by this enchanting novel. I read through the novel a sum total of seven times one after another before I was finally able to put it down. The characters and well-drawn and interesting, the dialogue authentic sounding and enjoyable. Ms. Levine suceeded in creating a thoroughly believable fantasy world. There are a few plot holes, but these failings are minor compared to her success in drawing such life-like and sympathetic characters. Ella is endlessly charming and sympathetic, and the prince is well-done as well. The sinister father is also perfectly delineated. Many of the scenes are quite beautiful and full of drama. In fact, the fact that this novel is based off the fairy tale of Cinderella is not something I noticed until many years after first reading the novel. This is something that only becomes apparent in the last few chapters where obvious props like the pumpkin carriage are introduced. I would argue that these token homages to the fairy tale detract more than the add to the story.

This is primarily because "Ella Enchanted" is not really based on Cinderella at all, as I have realized. The only connection to Cinderella are a few cheap props and plot points, as above noted. "Ella Enchanted" is in fact based on a literary work of more recent provenance. The work to which I refer is of course Charlotte Bronte's celebrated novel "Jane Eyre," truly the most powerful and haunting novel in our noble English language. Ms. Levine drops the Gothic setting, but she faithfully retains in Ella all of Jane's spirited, independent, and admirable character. She also retains in Mum Olga the hateful Aunt Reed, and in Hattie and Olive Jane's two wretched cousins. In "Ella Enchanted" we even have and episode at a boarding school, though one not so sinister as Lowood. Furthermore, just as the characters of Jane and Ella are alinged, so does Ms. Levine reproduce many of Charlotte Bronte's themes. Jane Eyre must struggle to break free of restrictive Victorian social codes that limit her freedom; Ella must break free from a fairy's curse. Finally, both of our noble heroines break their respective curses by refusing a marriage proposal the proposers fully expect them to accept. By refusing they assert their freedom defy the forces that had been restricting them. My only regret is that, this being a children's book, Ms. Levine was unable to reproduce in the prince the dark heart of the Byronic hero Mr. Rochester. But, being a children's book, that is the way it had to be.

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ELLA ENCHANTED is a witty, refreshing take on the popular fairytale, Cinderella which preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female protagonist. "If you've read HARRY POTTER, try ELLA ENCHANTED" Publishers Weekly Ella is given a blessing at birth by a very stupid fairy: She gets the gift of obedience! but the blessing turns into a horror for Ella who literally has to do what anyone and everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a prrecious necklace! She has to battle with ogres and wicked stepsisters, make friends and loose them, and even deny she loves her Prince Char to save his life and his kingdom. The story overthrows the stereotypes of the original Cinderella when Ella breaks the curse -- not the prince -- saving not only herself, but Prince Char as well. And Ella rejects his proposal of marriage, at least until she decides herself to propose to him! And the curse is only broken because she's said 'No!' rather than 'Yes!'. -- "If you've read Harry Potter, try ELLA ENCHANTED." Publishers Weekly -- High in Publishers Weekly Bestseller list for several months -- A Newbery Honor Medal winner, 1998 -- SHORTLISTED WITH hARRY pOTTER IN jULY FOR THE aMERICAN mYTHOPAEIC aWARD (dIANA wYNNE jONES WON).

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