Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel
14 journalers for this copy...
This was a fun book to read. A nice variation to the fairy tale. I liked this book way better than "Wicked" by the same author.
This book is on its way to the Netherlands as part of the ABC roundabout
Journal Entry 3 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Monday, October 24, 2011
I safely collected this book from the post office today. Thank you for sending it, grovalskii. What an interesting choice you made, I look forward to read this book!
Journal Entry 4 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Friday, November 18, 2011
I loved this book. At first I started comparing it to the Cinderella story, since the suggestion to do so on the back cover was very strong. Somehow (in the beginning) I did not really come to terms with that, so I more or less unconsciously let that go and started reading this particular story.
And then it got me :-)Well written, it took me along the path of a young girl who faces difficult times, who is cought in the middle. The descriptions of life in Haarlem in those times, with tulips as a NEW flower, with the plague, where the rules of society were still very strict.
What I liked too, was the end. Happy end? Sad end? Fairy tale end? That I won't tell, you'll just have to read for yourselves. All I say that for me it was not something I expected.
And then it got me :-)Well written, it took me along the path of a young girl who faces difficult times, who is cought in the middle. The descriptions of life in Haarlem in those times, with tulips as a NEW flower, with the plague, where the rules of society were still very strict.
What I liked too, was the end. Happy end? Sad end? Fairy tale end? That I won't tell, you'll just have to read for yourselves. All I say that for me it was not something I expected.
Journal Entry 5 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (11/23/2011 UTC) at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands
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On its way to Into-the-Blue, hope it arrives safe and soon.
Enjoy this C-book in the ABC-roundabout :-)
Enjoy this C-book in the ABC-roundabout :-)
Picked this up from the packstation today. What a surprise choice you made for this roundabout grovalskii. But it looks like a lovely book and I am looking forward to read it! Thanks much for participating with this book and thanks to BoekenTrol for sending it on to me.
Journal Entry 7 by 
Into-the-Blue
at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Niedersachsen Germany on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Into-the-Blue at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Niedersachsen Germany on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (12/21/2011 UTC) at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Niedersachsen Germany
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So and off it goes to the next reader. Thanks for chosing this book for the roundabout. I found it a bit difficult to read to be true as it is written in a kind of old fashioned way and there were many words I did not know so it took me longer then reading a modern English book. But I liked the story.
Journal Entry 8 by 3vie at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Received this today. After reading the other reviews, I am quite looking forward to reading it. I have previously read Wicked and didnt like that at all. But this one sounds so much better ;0)
Journal Entry 9 by 3vie at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 3, 2012
I didnt really like this book. The bits about painting/art bored me silly and I skimmed through those bits. I enjoyed the bits of the story that were similar to Cinderella. It was much better than Wicked, but I dont think I will read anything else by this author.
Journal Entry 10 by 3vie at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (1/4/2012 UTC) at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom
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Sending to Zas. Hope you enjoy it ;0)
Received on Friday as the C book in the ABC International Roundabout
Journal Entry 12 by 
earthcaroleanne
at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, February 4, 2012
earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, February 4, 2012
Arrived today following the bookring rule - not alone. Don't worry, I won't hold it up.
Sorry I have held this up a little but I'll get it posted straight away. It was a fun book but doesn't make me want to seek out Wicked. I am very interested in this period especially as Scotland had close ties with The Netherlands and as I used to work in a 17th century merchant's house I enjoyed the parts of the story that included trading, the tulips, the plague etc. I also love Dutch art from that time so I did enjoy these part as well. It's just the fact that it followed the Cinderella story that I actually found slightly disappointing.
On it's way in the ring.
Journal Entry 15 by earthcaroleanne at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Friday, March 2, 2012
earthcaroleanne at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Friday, March 2, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (3/2/2012 UTC) at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom
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Sorry, it's not going to Austria - wrong ring!
Journal Entry 16 by 
Diane-Fraser
at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Sunday, March 11, 2012
Diane-Fraser at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Sunday, March 11, 2012
with me now. I have been trying to read more Sci fi and fantasy this past year, so this fits nicely. Just finishing off Cloud Atlas and then will get straight in to this one :)
Journal Entry 17 by Diane-Fraser at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, April 9, 2012
Diane-Fraser at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, April 9, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (4/7/2012 UTC) at Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom
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Not a book I would have chosen to read normally. I really like bookcrossing as it gets me away from the norm :) Made a nice change to the thrillers I read and was able to relate to the Cinderella story, plus the historical information was interesting.
Posted on for the ABC Roundabout
Posted on for the ABC Roundabout
Received today for the ABC roundabout - looks interesting!
(But am fascinated about how long it took to get here ~ almost a month!)
(But am fascinated about how long it took to get here ~ almost a month!)
Released 11 yrs ago (5/27/2012 UTC) at Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
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I found this book hard to really get into. I wouldn´t say it was a bad read, but to call it good is overdoing it as well. I am from the Netherlands, so I could relate to some of the locations and the names. I liked the Cinderella-twist, but all of the tulip-business, no sorry.
It´s on it´s way to the next reader in the ABC-roundabout!
It´s on it´s way to the next reader in the ABC-roundabout!
The book arrived safely some day this week - found it on my doorstep today!
Thanks for sending & sharing! :)
25.06.2012
Well... this book's not my cup of tea. After reading all your JE I was really looking forward to reading it but after about a hundred pages I will quit. The story did not grab me at all, for whatever reason... I simply could not familiarize with characters nor with the story itself...
I hope the next one will enjoy this book :o)
Thanks for sending & sharing! :)
25.06.2012
Well... this book's not my cup of tea. After reading all your JE I was really looking forward to reading it but after about a hundred pages I will quit. The story did not grab me at all, for whatever reason... I simply could not familiarize with characters nor with the story itself...
I hope the next one will enjoy this book :o)
Released 11 yrs ago (6/27/2012 UTC) at Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is traveling to the next participant in the ABC roundabout.
Have fun!
Have fun!
Received in the ABC roundabout. Thank you!
As the title suggests, a variation on the Cinderella story from the point of view of one of the stepsisters. As it happens, I'm not actually convinced by the title, which sets the wrong tone - one expects something with more of a 'chicklit' flavour, I think... it does make more sense as you approach the end, but I'm not sure that's worth the cognitive dissonance through the rest of the book.
I did like the early modern Dutch setting (very skilfully evoked) and the emphasis on art. I was not so happy about the increasing vilification of the stepmother - if one has to redistribute the villainy in Cinderella, why does it have to be among the women? I'd have liked to see some more interrogation of the systems that put them in this situation in the first place; Maguire does make an effort, but it feels very half-hearted.
Nice try, but always felt it could have been done better.
I did like the early modern Dutch setting (very skilfully evoked) and the emphasis on art. I was not so happy about the increasing vilification of the stepmother - if one has to redistribute the villainy in Cinderella, why does it have to be among the women? I'd have liked to see some more interrogation of the systems that put them in this situation in the first place; Maguire does make an effort, but it feels very half-hearted.
Nice try, but always felt it could have been done better.
Journal Entry 24 by elstaplador at the mail, Ring/Ray book -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 5, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (8/6/2012 UTC) at the mail, Ring/Ray book -- Controlled Releases
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Sending on to the next reader. Enjoy!
I loved this book - far better than Cinderella!!!
Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
Sending on.
Journal Entry 27 by disneyfreaksam at Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 5, 2012
Will read and pass on
Journal Entry 28 by disneyfreaksam at Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 19, 2012
Great twist on the fairy tale and I prefer this one.
I will get this sent off soon
I will get this sent off soon
Journal Entry 29 by disneyfreaksam at Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (11/27/2012 UTC) at Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom
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Enjoy x
Journal Entry 30 by Snowboarderin at Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Sunday, February 24, 2013
Oh, I forgot to write down that I got this book. Sorry. I already read it. I quite enjoyed it.
The book is back home! Considering how many people read it, I have to say it is in pretty good condition! Thank you everybody for your reviews.
After all its travels the book is going just a little bit further - only across town. Enjoy Urfin!
Arrived yesterdayl, thank you :o)
(The large type size looks very reader-friendly:)
(The large type size looks very reader-friendly:)
