Some stories have been told so many times that to tell them again is risky if not completely cliche. One of those is "the Cinderalla story." By the age of 10 I was determined never to read or watch another same-old, same-old Cinderella tale. Then I received Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, as a gift. It was wonderful! It was hilarious and totally different than the cliche Cinderella stories.
Part of what sets it apart is that it teases out the elements in the original fairy tale but alters them and adds a twist. Prince Charming is actually Charmont (he goes by Char) and Cinderalla is Eleanor (nicknamed Ella). The story begins with Ella and her mother so you get to see the relationship between them and how it affected Ella, as opposed to the nonexistent mother in most Cinderella stories. Also, Ella's family is in the nobility in the beginning and have servants and cooks. There is a love story but Ella and Char have known each other since childhood and the friendship between them is part of the main story line, as opposed to an isolated incident. Ella has a fairy godmother but she only does "little magic." The "evil" step-family is not so much evil as very greedy. There are castles, balls, ogres, giants, and fairies.
The biggest twist is that not all fairies are good. One in particular travels around giving "gifts" at weddings and births. Her "gift" to Ella at birth was that she would always be obedient. She has to obey any direct order from the mundane "Ella, go brush your teeth" to "hop on one leg for three days" or "cut off your arm." Obviously this puts her in a great deal of danger and adds an element to the tale that could not be achieved otherwise. Being forced to do things, however, caused Ella to grow up with an ornery spirit. She tries to disobey orders as much as possible and often in hilarious ways. The tale is touching, humerous, and wonderful to read again and again (all 13 times were fantastic!). Since it's considered a children's book, it's short enough for most adults to read in a few hours (and most fast-reading kids like I was!). Don't miss it! (The paperback version can be purchased at the following link: Ella Enchanted).
