Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister : A Novel~ Presumed Lost :(

by Gregory Maguire | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0060987529 Global Overview for this book
Registered by weeblet of Jacksonville, Florida USA on 12/29/2003
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by weeblet from Jacksonville, Florida USA on Monday, December 29, 2003
i'm a little over halfway done, and it's pretty good! i mean, it's no "wicked", but really, what could compare to that?

Book Description

Is this new land a place where magics really happen?

From Gregory Maguire, the acclaimed author of Wicked, comes his much-anticipated second novel, a brilliant and provocative retelling of the timeless Cinderella tale.

In the lives of children, pumpkins can turn into coaches, mice and rats into human beings.... When we grow up, we learn that it's far more common for human beings to turn into rats....

We all have heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes.But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty . . . and what curses accompanied Cinderella's exquisite looks?

Extreme beauty is an affliction

Set against the rich backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister.

Clara was the prettiest child, but was her life the prettiest tale?

While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, burning all memories of her past, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household--and the treacherous truth of her former life.

God and Satan snarling at each other like dogs.... Imps and fairy godmotbers trying to undo each other's work. How we try to pin the world between opposite extremes!

Far more than a mere fairy-tale, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a novel of beauty and betrayal, illusion and understanding, reminding us that deception can be unearthed--and love unveiled--in the most unexpected of places.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
my thoughts:
of course it's thouroughly readable, and absolutely entertaining, but it lacked the depth that wicked had. i almost feel that the master was a semi-autobiographical character~ wicked is to maguire what 'the young woman with tulips' is to the master. i still loved it, and will continue to read his work <:
give me room to cast my eel spear, and let follow what may...

Journal Entry 2 by weeblet from Jacksonville, Florida USA on Monday, December 29, 2003
Lookie! a ray!
participants, at long last in order (?) i know it looks like the ravings of a madwoman, but this was how it had to be to accomodate everyone <: any new folks will be added to the end.

KAT123-NY
mdc502-NY ====>'tis here
spaceystacey-NJ (anywhere)
narfinmagic- NJ (US)
LaurieS- NH (US)
daidy -MI (US)
ladyoflight-SC (US)
vicki9170- (FLA, anywhere)
mrsordonez - MO (?)
mysteryfan03- MO (anywhere)
SeeWest-MO (US)
ahythloday-WA (anywhere)
manky-OR (US pref., possible arm twisting)
fizzfred-CA (anywhere)
appaloosatb-MN (US, CAN)
Zarylia-MN
Czersk-MN (anywhere)
First-Noel- TX (US/CAN)
jendudley-TX (anywhere)
LeighBCD-UK (int.)
allbookedup-Austria (pref. EUR)
BabyBee-malaysia
hathyia-Malaysia
cheesygiraffe-AL (anywhere)
Geegal-Ger (anywhere)




Journal Entry 3 by KAT123 from Columbia, Pennsylvania USA on Wednesday, January 28, 2004
recieved in the mail today along with 4 other books : ) Cant wait to read

Journal Entry 4 by KAT123 from Columbia, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, February 19, 2004
Another very enjoyable book. Thank You weeblet for sharing : )

Journal Entry 5 by mdc502 on Wednesday, March 3, 2004
Just got the book in the mail. Will begin reading it, in one week...

Journal Entry 6 by wingAnonymousFinderwing on Monday, May 10, 2004
I enjoyed reading the story from the "other" point of view. I found the end too quickly wrapped up.

CAUGHT IN NEW YORK NEW YORK USA

Journal Entry 7 by wingAnonymousFinderwing at Athens, Ohio USA on Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Love Gregory Maguire's the wicked years. Excited to read this one!

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.