As an avid reader and author, there’s one query I get requested loads that I all the time dread: what’s your favourite e book? It’s an unattainable query, with out a straightforward reply. I’ve learn so many various books that I’ve liked for various causes. And, arguably, the e book that I simply learn that I couldn’t put down, may be extra current in my thoughts than a e book that I learn a couple of years in the past and actually liked. Does that imply I like the latest yet another? Not essentially. And like all good millennial, I had a really lengthy section the place I liked Harry Potter (I imply, I nonetheless do). However you then’re introduced with this situation of which Harry Potter e book is your favourite? Can a complete sequence be your favourite e book?
So, to make issues simpler for myself I’ve settled on a easy reply. One of many first books I ever liked, and nonetheless like to this present day, is Ella Enchanted. It’s a kids’s e book written by Gail Carson Levine, and it’s a retelling of the basic Cinderella fairy story. The checklist of issues that I like about this e book is limitless as a result of fairly frankly, I feel this e book is ideal. I’m all the time a sucker for a great fantasy story, particularly one primarily based on a basic fairy story. And Levine does an important job of crafting an ingenious world that feels new round a well-known story. She additionally follows an important rule of fantasy, IMO, which is that she creates guidelines for the world and sticks to them.
The e book follows a really satisfying construction, which presents the principle character, Ella, with a sequence of escalating challenges that she has to beat to succeed in her final aim. The pacing of those particular person challenges is kind of good and doesn’t make the e book really feel like it’s rushing as much as attain a conclusion. And the ending manages to be each a little bit of a shock and intensely satisfying, which is frankly laborious to do.
However possibly the factor that makes this e book endlessly excellent, is the principle character, Ella. She doesn’t embody the standard damsel in misery usually portrayed in fairy tales. Levine manages to remain true to the essence of Cinderella whereas creating a robust, empowered feminine protagonist. Your entire crux of the story is predicated round the truth that a fairy positioned a spell on Ella when she was a child that forces her to be obedient. If anybody offers her a direct command, she is incapable of disobeying. All through the whole e book, Ella is looking for a strategy to break this curse in order that she might be actually free to make her personal selections. This addition to the conventional story not solely explains Cinderella/Ella’s motivations for turning into a “servant” in her own residence but in addition permits for some great symbolism concerning the hazard of dropping your free will.
I feel that Ella Enchanted is likely one of the most excellent retellings of a basic fairy story and a timeless story that can all the time stay related. It manages to be extremely entertaining and empowering to younger girls, which is one thing we want extra of. As a result of whereas we get our fortunately ever after, Ella figures out easy methods to save herself as a substitute of ready round for a person to do it.
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