Isabelle is one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, who cut off their toes in an attempt to fit into the glass slipper; but there is more to her story than a maimed foot, for the Marquis de la Chance is about to offer her a choice and the opportunity to change her fate--there will be blood and danger, but also the possibility of redemption and triumph, and most of all the chance to find her true self.
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Isabelle is one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, who cut off their toes in an attempt to fit into the glass slipper; but there is more to her story than a maimed foot, for the Marquis de la Chance is about to offer her a choice and the opportunity to change her fate--there will be blood and danger, but also the possibility of redemption and triumph, and most of all the chance to find her true self.
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Good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 368 p. Intended for a juvenile audience. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 368 p. Intended for a juvenile audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
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Good. Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book.
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"Stop burdening the gods. Stop cursing the devil. They will make no path for you. They gave you their dark gifts: reason and will. Now you must make your own way.
What's done is done. Whether to you, or by you, and you cannot change it.
But what's not done is not done.
And there, both hope and hazard lie. Believe that you can make your way. Or don't. Either way you are right. Every war is different, yet each battle is the same. The enemy is only a distraction. The thing you are fighting against, always, is yourself."
Long ago, in a small town in France named St Michel, there lived a beautiful girl and her two ugly stepsisters. We have all heard her story a thousand times, and fallen in love with the lovely downtrodden girl, always kind and hopeful despite all of the terrible things that have happened to her. When she wins her prince and all of her dreams come true, her story finds it's happily-ever-after, but Isabelle, her stepsister's story is only just beginning. She may have chosen to be mean in the past, but how much of what has happened was Chance, and how much was Fate?
This story picks up as Cinderella ends. What ever became of the ugly stepsisters and their tyrannical mother? Jennifer Donnelly spins a delightful tale of magic, fear, love, penance and bravery. The characters that were always 2 dimensional are suddenly larger than life, and leave you wondering if we were right to judge them by their covers for all these years. These stepsisters are not truly wicked even from the start - they feel remorse and fear, and every human emotion you might expect if you took a moment to humanise them. This story brings to light the choices they made and the things Fate threw at them which made them the way that they are today.
This is one of the best feminist books I think I have read to date. Isabelle turns slowly into a gloriously strong and independent woman, and the story is all about how women can be every bit as fierce as men, and every bit as clever. I loved that there were still brilliant male characters in the story as well, which lends truth to the message instead of becoming anti-man as much as pro-female. I am in love with the replacement Donnelly made for the typical kindly fairy-godmother. Tannaquil the fairy queen is ferocious and earthy and savage, and I think it fits the tone of the story beautifully. Doing what it takes to make your dreams come true is not a clean and easy business, it can take perseverance and questioning what you believe in, and ultimately questioning what it is you really want. The trio of Chance, Fate and Tannaquil was beautiful, I love how they balance each other out, each of them working for what they believe to be the best future.
I also adored the role of the mice, which was true to the Disney cartoon we all love. They were sweet and caring, and very very cute.
I absolutely love the mix of historical setting and outright fairytale, and the darker tone is mysterious and true to the nature of the original tale. I would definitely recommend this book to fairytale lovers, even ones that don't typically enjoy a retelling or twisted tale. It's good fun, and it doesn't change or ruin the nature of the original story in the least; it is it's own narrative with wonderful characters and some very inspiring messages.
One of my favourite things about the prose is the way that the author sometimes speaks directly to the reader - I found those passages to be some of the most interesting and impactful pieces of writing.
Ultimately I think that Jennifer Donnelly did a fantastic job with Stepsister, both carefully stewarding the integrity of a classic fairytale we all love, whilst simultaneously creating her own ingenious twists and fairytale elements with a professional hand.
