Stepsister

Stepsister
Jennifer Donnelly
Scholastic, 2019 352 pages
Grades 7-Up
Fairytale

Our story opens with Fate (an old crone) making a wager with Chance (a dashing young man) over the life of Isabella, a young girl of evil stepsister fame. We now flash over to the girl in question as the Prince is traveling door-to-door to find the maiden who fits the slipper. Isabelle's mother forces her to cut off her toes to make the slipper fit She nearly gets away with the ruse, only to have her slipper fill with blood and a raven dime her out. Now both Isabella and her sister are outcasts and life seems hopeless. An encounter with a magical forest witch (fairy godmother) offers Isabella hope: she must find the missing three pieces of her heart and then she may have her heart's desire. Despite the meddling of both Fate and Chance, Isabella moves forward, fighting every step of the way, and refusing to give into the terrible hand she has been dealt. As she slowly gathers the missing pieces of her heart, Isabella grows in strength and confidence. Is her heart's desire what she originally thought it was? Meanwhile, a terrible war is being fought in France and Queen Cinderella is in danger. It is up to Isabella to big deep and find the strength to lead and fight.

I love a re-worked fairytale and in Donnelly's capable hands the Cinderella story will never be seen the same way again. Beginning where the tale traditionally ends, this "happily ever after" includes a terrible war in France, putting both Cinderella and her husband king in terrible danger, all while the stepmother and step sisters lose everything and are shunned by the community. Isabella learns to embrace her wonderful non-conventional traits, find her inner-strength, overcome her jealousy, and trust her instincts. Huge character growth is seen in all of the players and we learn that even Cinderella is not a perfect person. The plot is quick with surprises and twists along the way. Isabella enjoys a gentle romance that, although remaining innocent, will satisfy young romantic readers. The cover is compelling and will attract the target audience and the opening scene with the bloody feet and shoes will provide the hook to keep them turning pages. Not your typical Cinderella story, but one that will spark the imaginations of young readers and encourage them to consider the next chapter in other traditional fairytales.