Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted is one of those stories that you know you should read because it sounds too good to not, but somehow it always ends up further and further down on your “to-read” list. This is especially ironic for me because my favourite book as a pre-teen/young teen was Fairest by Levine. In fact, I’ve enjoyed every book written by her that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. For some reason, I just never picked up Enchanted. But I have righted that wrong and can now truly appreciate Levine’s work over a decade later.
Ella of Frell is not the stereotypical teenage heroine that most readers expect to find in fairy tales. She is clumsy, outspoken, clever – and cursed. Her forced obedience drives her to find creative ways to get around the fairy Lucinda’s “gift,” but it’s clear that her curse gets her into trouble. Ella’s determination to break her curse pushes her to run away from finishing school and go off on her own to take her future into her own hands. She uses her wits to outsmart ogres, get into a giant’s wedding, and so much more. Ella shows readers that she’s more than she seems – like all girls are.
Because I read this book later in life, I had the Anne Hathaway movie on DVD for years beforehand. I watched it a few times over the last several years. It’s not the greatest movie, but I enjoyed the music and the story it told. However, the movie version is much different than the book. I was surprised to see these changes, especially the altered timeline of Ella’s mother’s death, the disinterest in Prince Char, and so many other parts of the story; there’s too many to list. The movie’s differences made me like the book even more. I was happy to see Ella was much more independent in the book and the romance between her and Prince Char was much more believable. By starting it as a childhood friendship, it gave these characters the opportunity to form a bond that couldn’t be shaken by curses or meddling stepsisters.
One of my favourite parts of Enchanted is how Ella ultimately saves Prince Char and breaks her own curse. Levine’s ability to take fairy tale concepts such as damsels in distress and rework them to make them relatable for the current generation is exceptional. She’s not afraid to make her characters real people with flaws. She creates these relatable heroines who are not afraid to make mistakes on their journey.
This book wasn’t my favourite of the year, but I have no major issues/complaints about it.
Overall, Ella Enchanted was a quick, fun book that I am glad I finally got around to reading. I have high hopes for the companion novel, Ogre Enchanted, that Levine just released.
Ella Enchanted Rating: ★★★
Ella of Frell is not the stereotypical teenage heroine that most readers expect to find in fairy tales. She is clumsy, outspoken, clever – and cursed. Her forced obedience drives her to find creative ways to get around the fairy Lucinda’s “gift,” but it’s clear that her curse gets her into trouble. Ella’s determination to break her curse pushes her to run away from finishing school and go off on her own to take her future into her own hands. She uses her wits to outsmart ogres, get into a giant’s wedding, and so much more. Ella shows readers that she’s more than she seems – like all girls are.
Because I read this book later in life, I had the Anne Hathaway movie on DVD for years beforehand. I watched it a few times over the last several years. It’s not the greatest movie, but I enjoyed the music and the story it told. However, the movie version is much different than the book. I was surprised to see these changes, especially the altered timeline of Ella’s mother’s death, the disinterest in Prince Char, and so many other parts of the story; there’s too many to list. The movie’s differences made me like the book even more. I was happy to see Ella was much more independent in the book and the romance between her and Prince Char was much more believable. By starting it as a childhood friendship, it gave these characters the opportunity to form a bond that couldn’t be shaken by curses or meddling stepsisters.
One of my favourite parts of Enchanted is how Ella ultimately saves Prince Char and breaks her own curse. Levine’s ability to take fairy tale concepts such as damsels in distress and rework them to make them relatable for the current generation is exceptional. She’s not afraid to make her characters real people with flaws. She creates these relatable heroines who are not afraid to make mistakes on their journey.
This book wasn’t my favourite of the year, but I have no major issues/complaints about it.
Overall, Ella Enchanted was a quick, fun book that I am glad I finally got around to reading. I have high hopes for the companion novel, Ogre Enchanted, that Levine just released.
Ella Enchanted Rating: ★★★